Ear Mountain wrote:...To keep water out of my boot I wear a pair of Gortex lined OR Crocodile gaiters. The gaitors cover all the laces of the boots. I put the gaitors on under my rain pants. Water then sheds off the rain pants onto the gaitors and down onto the lower part of the boot...
What he said. Exactly right. Tis what I do as well.
I would only add cleaning boots as recommended, and applying whatever "waterproofing" agent the boot maker recommends(if any).
Ground in trail dust and dirt tends to accelerate the breakdown of the "waterproofness" of non leather boots(maybe leather too), especially in the tongue/lacing area.
My Solomans, Asolos, and Vasque's before them have kept my feet dry. However, like Ear Mountain, I always carry 1 extra pair of socks, and sometimes two.
Weight penalty? about 4oz/pair for my wool socks....bfd.
pete