Quick answer
The best men's waterproof trainer overall is the Salomon XT-4 OG GORE-TEX (~£195): a seam-sealed GORE-TEX membrane, an aggressive Mud Contagrip outsole and a stable, cushioned ride that copes with coast path, downland and winter mud in one shoe. For soft, muddy ground the Salomon Speedcross 6 GORE-TEX 20 Years (~£140) is the mud specialist. The best value is the Merrell Moab 3 GORE-TEX (~£145), and the best everyday and travel pick is the Salomon XT-6 GORE-TEX (~£185). The range here spans aggressive trail-running shoes through supportive hikers to everyday crossovers, every pair with a waterproof membrane, from a £95 budget shoe up to £200 premium approach models.
Our pick: Salomon XT-4 OG GORE-TEX
- Best overall: Salomon XT-4 OG GORE-TEX (~£195)
- Best value: Merrell Moab 3 GORE-TEX (~£145.00)
- Best for mud: Salomon Speedcross 6 20 Years (~£140)
- Best budget: Merrell Accentor Sport 3 (~£95.00)
The full reasoning, and everything we ruled out, is below.
A waterproof trainer is a low-cut shoe with a sealed membrane, GORE-TEX on most of the field here, that keeps water out over the height of the shoe while still walking and running like a trainer rather than a boot. For the wet British half of the year, roughly October through April, that combination is the sweet spot for a lot of hiking: light and quick on the foot, but dry through wet grass, dew, light rain and the shallow mud that covers most UK trails from autumn onwards. I hike in Dorset, so everything here is judged against chalk downland, the Jurassic Coast path and Purbeck mud, ground that is grippy when dry, slick when wet and boggy for a good chunk of the year.
For this guide I rated 26 men's waterproof trainers across three groups: aggressive trail-running shoes, supportive hikers, and everyday crossovers that double as travel and town shoes. They run from a £95 budget Merrell up to a £200 Arc'teryx approach shoe, and the table below lets you compare the lot on best-use, rating and price in one place. If you want the wider low-cut picture, including non-waterproof trail shoes, that lives on the walking shoes hub; this page is the waterproof half of the field, and the full waterproof trainers category holds every individual review. Every shoe rated here is a men's model; see also our women's waterproof trainers guide.
Two shoes take the editor's picks. The Salomon XT-4 OG GORE-TEX is the best all-rounder here, and the Salomon Speedcross 6 GORE-TEX 20 Years is the mud specialist, a launching-soon special edition I have flagged as a pre-launch pick below.
Every shoe in this guide, compared
The whole guide in one table. Tap a shoe name to jump to its full review, and use the rating and price columns to shortlist before you read the deep-dives.
| Shoe | Best for | Rating | Price | Retailer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Salomon XT-4 OG GORE-TEX | All-round hiking | 4.9/5 | £195.00 | Salomon |
| Salomon Speedcross 6 GORE-TEX 20 Years | Wet & muddy ground | 4.9/5 | £140 | Salomon |
| Arc'teryx Norvan LD 4 GORE-TEX | Trail running | 4.8/5 | £180.00 | Tiso |
| Salomon XT-6 GORE-TEX | Everyday & travel | 4.8/5 | £185.00 | Salomon |
| Salomon X Ultra 360 GORE-TEX | Support & stability | 4.8/5 | £140.00 | Salomon |
| Arc'teryx Konseal GORE-TEX | Approach & scrambling | 4.8/5 | £200.00 | Tiso |
| Merrell Moab 3 GORE-TEX | Value | 4.8/5 | £145.00 | Tiso |
| Lowa Innovo GORE-TEX Lo | Support & stability | 4.7/5 | £170.00 | Tiso |
| Mammut Ducan III Low GTX | Support & stability | 4.7/5 | £160 | Mammut |
| Salomon Genesis 2 GTX | All-round hiking | 4.7/5 | £160.00 | Salomon |
| The North Face Offtrail TR GORE-TEX | Trail running | 4.7/5 | £145.00 | Tiso |
| adidas Terrex Agravic GORE-TEX 2 | Trail running | 4.7/5 | £140.00 | Tiso |
| Mammut Aenergy Trail All-Mountain Low GTX | All-round hiking | 4.6/5 | £145 | Mammut |
| Mammut Alnasca IV Low GTX | Approach & scrambling | 4.6/5 | £150 | Mammut |
| Mammut Aenergy Hike Low GTX | Lightweight & fast | 4.6/5 | £125 | Mammut |
| Mammut Ducan III Low LTH GTX | All-round hiking | 4.6/5 | £175 | Mammut |
| Meindl Respond GORE-TEX | All-round hiking | 4.6/5 | £160.00 | Tiso |
| Merrell Speed Strike 2 GORE-TEX | Lightweight & fast | 4.6/5 | £95.00 | Tiso |
| On Cloudrock Low Waterproof | Everyday & travel | 4.6/5 | £170.00 | Tiso |
| Mammut Sertig III Low GTX | Value | 4.5/5 | £135 | Mammut |
| Mammut Alnasca IV Low LTH GTX | Approach & scrambling | 4.5/5 | £190 | Mammut |
| Merrell Nova 4 Waterproof | Trail running | 4.5/5 | £130.00 | Tiso |
| Salomon XT-Pathway GORE-TEX | Everyday & travel | 4.5/5 | £140.00 | Salomon |
| Salomon Aero Blaze 4 GRVL GTX | Lightweight & fast | 4.5/5 | £145.00 | Salomon |
| adidas Terrex Skychaser AX5 GORE-TEX | All-round hiking | 4.5/5 | £100.00 | Tiso |
| Merrell Accentor Sport 3 GORE-TEX | Value | 4.4/5 | £95.00 | Tiso |
Our editor's picks
Two shoes stood out across the whole field, one as the do-everything all-rounder and one as the specialist for the worst ground the UK throws at you.
Best overall: Salomon XT-4 OG GORE-TEX
The XT-4 OG is the waterproof trainer I would hand most UK hikers first. It takes the cult XT-4 silhouette and wraps it around a seam-sealed GORE-TEX membrane, so you get a shoe that keeps the wet out through a proper Purbeck bog while still moving like a trainer rather than a boot. The Mud Contagrip outsole is the aggressive, widely spaced pattern Salomon reserve for soft ground, and it bites into wet grass, chalk and clay where a shallow-tread everyday shoe skates.
What earns it the top spot is breadth. The chassis is stable and supportive enough for a loaded day on cambered coast path, the cushioning holds up over a long day on hard ground, and the SensiFit wrap and lace lock the foot down in the way slim-to-medium feet love. It is the most expensive Salomon here at around £195, and the narrow last will not suit broad feet, but as one shoe for coast path, downland and winter mud it is the strongest all-rounder on this page.
- Seam-sealed GORE-TEX keeps feet dry through wet grass, dew and shallow mud
- Aggressive Mud Contagrip grips soft, wet UK ground where shallow treads slip
- Stable, cushioned ride that handles loaded day hikes
- Locked-down SensiFit hold for slim to medium feet
- The most expensive Salomon trainer here
- Narrow last does not suit broad feet
- Membrane runs warm on hot summer days
One waterproof trainer for all-round UK hiking across the wet half of the year: coast path, downland and winter mud. Best for slim to medium feet.
Best for mud and wet grip: Salomon Speedcross 6 GORE-TEX 20 Years
The Speedcross is the shoe I reach for when the ground turns to soup, and this 20 Years special edition is the GORE-TEX version of that mud specialist. This is a pre-launch pick: it is launching soon rather than sitting in stock today, so treat the buy link as one to bookmark and check. On the ground it does what the standard Speedcross does, only with dry feet. The deep chevron lugs on the Contagrip Mud outsole dig into soft, steep, muddy ground and shed the clag that clogs a shallow tread, and the sealed membrane means a boggy Purbeck loop no longer soaks your socks by the first stile.
It is a specialist, not an all-rounder. Those deep soft lugs are made for mud, not hard rock, where they feel less planted and wear faster, and the narrow Salomon fit and Quicklace suit a slim foot. For wet and muddy ground through a British winter, though, nothing else here grips like it.
Soft, steep, muddy ground through a UK winter. A specialist for the worst conditions, not a do-everything shoe. Launching soon.
The best waterproof trainers, by category
Below are the rest of the category winners, the shoe to buy for value, everyday wear, support, trail running, approach terrain, low weight and a tight budget. Each links to its full review if you want the complete write-up.
Best value: Merrell Moab 3 GORE-TEX
The Moab is the best-selling hiking shoe in the world, and the GORE-TEX version is the value pick of this whole field. At around £145 it gives you the thing the Moab is famous for, comfort straight out of the box with no breaking in, plus a sealed membrane for the wet. The Vibram TC5+ outsole holds well on the chalk and hard-pack of the Jurassic Coast, the EVA midsole with a heel air cushion is soft over long days on hard ground, and it comes in a proper wide fitting, which almost nothing else here does.
It is not the lightest or the most technical shoe on the page, and the soft cushioning is less precise on rock than a Salomon or an Arc'teryx. For a first waterproof trainer, or for anyone with broader feet who wants one dependable pair, it is the easy recommendation.
The default first waterproof trainer: comfortable from the first wear, available in a wide fitting, and priced below most of the field.
Best for everyday and travel: Salomon XT-6 GORE-TEX
The XT-6 crossed over from the trail to the street years ago, and the GORE-TEX version is the one to own if you want a waterproof trainer that works as hard on a wet commute or a travel day as it does on a towpath. The low-profile chassis and Contagrip outsole handle light trail and hard-pack without complaint, and the sealed membrane keeps city puddles and drizzle out. It looks the part off the trail in a way the mud-focused shoes here do not.
It is not built for gnarly ground: the grip is tuned for mixed and hard surfaces rather than deep bog, and the fit runs to the usual narrow Salomon last. As a do-everything waterproof shoe that spans trail, travel and town, though, it is the pick.
A waterproof trainer that doubles as a travel and everyday shoe: light trail, hard-pack, commuting and drizzle, with a look that works off the trail.
Best for hiking support: Salomon X Ultra 360 GORE-TEX
If you want stability under a day pack more than outright pace, the X Ultra 360 is the pick. It is built on the same 360 platform I trust in the mid boot version for wet and winter days, tuned here into a supportive low-cut shoe. The Advanced Chassis resists the sideways twist you get on cambered coast path and rough, uneven ground, and the GORE-TEX membrane and Contagrip outsole cover UK trail and light hillwalking. At around £140 it is keenly priced for the support on offer.
The trade-off is the familiar Salomon fit, secure and on the narrow side, so broad feet should look at the Moab. For a slim to medium foot that wants a planted, supportive waterproof shoe for loaded days, this is the one.
Stability and support on rough, cambered ground under a day pack. Best for slim to medium feet who want a planted ride.
Best premium trail runner: Arc'teryx Norvan LD 4 GORE-TEX
The Norvan LD 4 is the trail-running specialist of the group and the shoe to buy if you actually run the trails as well as walk them. LD stands for long distance, and it shows in a cushioned, stable ride tuned for covering ground at pace, with a GORE-TEX membrane for the wet and a grippy outsole that holds on technical, mixed terrain. Arc'teryx build it light and precise, and it feels quick and connected underfoot in a way the hiking-focused shoes here do not.
At around £180 it is a premium buy, and it is more shoe than you need for gentle towpath strolls. For fast, long days on wet UK trails, where you want a running shoe that keeps your feet dry, it is the standout.
Running and fast-hiking wet UK trails: a light, cushioned, precise waterproof trail runner for covering long distances at pace.
Best for approach and scrambling: Arc'teryx Konseal GORE-TEX
The Konseal is the approach shoe of the field, built for rocky, scrambly, mountain-adjacent ground where you need to edge on rock and trust the shoe on steep, technical terrain. The precise fit and stiffer, more supportive platform give it the confidence a soft trail shoe lacks when the ground turns to slab and boulder, and the GORE-TEX membrane keeps the wet out on damp Welsh and Lakeland rock. It is the most expensive shoe here at around £200, and it earns that on terrain, not towpaths.
It is overkill for easy trails, and the performance fit suits a medium to slim foot rather than a broad one. For approach walking, scrambling and rougher ground where grip on rock matters more than cushioning, this is the pick.
Rocky, scrambly, mountain-adjacent ground: edging on rock and confident footing on steep, technical terrain. Overkill for gentle trails.
Best supportive hiker: Mammut Ducan III Low GTX
The Ducan III Low is Mammut's supportive low-cut hiker and a strong pick for anyone who wants a stable, protective waterproof shoe with an alpine pedigree. Mammut come from a mountaineering background, and the Ducan carries that through in a supportive midsole and a chassis that stays planted on rough, uneven ground, with a GORE-TEX membrane for the wet. At around £160 it sits mid-field on price and rewards you with a shoe that feels built for loaded days rather than gentle strolls.
It is a firmer, more purposeful ride than a plush everyday shoe, and Mammut's fit runs to a standard, secure last. For a supportive waterproof hiker that shrugs off rough ground, it is a quietly excellent choice, and there is a leather-upper Ducan III Low LTH in the table if you want more durability again.
A supportive, protective waterproof hiker for rough, uneven ground and loaded day hikes, with alpine-grade build quality.
Best lightweight: Merrell Speed Strike 2 GORE-TEX
The Speed Strike 2 is the light, fast pick, and at around £95 it is one of the best-value shoes on the page too. Merrell build it to move: a low, nimble profile, a springy ride and a grippy outsole tuned for pace on trail and hard-pack, with a GORE-TEX membrane so you keep the low weight without wet feet. If you like to cover ground quickly, run the flat sections, or simply hate the dead, heavy feel of a chunky hiker, this is the shoe.
There is less shoe here than a Moab or a Ducan, so the protection and outright durability are lighter-duty, and it suits trail and moderate ground rather than gnarly rock. As a light, quick, waterproof trainer that does not cost the earth, it is hard to beat.
Covering ground quickly on trail and hard-pack: a light, springy, nimble waterproof shoe for hikers who value low weight and pace.
Best budget: Merrell Accentor Sport 3 GORE-TEX
The Accentor Sport 3 is the budget entry, and at around £95 it is the cheapest way into a proper GORE-TEX trainer here. It covers the essentials well: a sealed membrane for the wet, a grippy Merrell outsole for mixed UK trail, and the comfortable, straight-out-of-the-box feel Merrell are known for. For an occasional hiker, or anyone who wants dry feet on the coast path without spending £150-plus, it does the job it is priced to do.
What you give up against the pricier shoes is refinement and long-haul durability, the cushioning and support are adequate rather than confident over very long or very rough days. As a value waterproof trainer for regular UK walking, though, it is a sensible buy, and the step up to the Moab 3 GORE-TEX buys noticeably more comfort and grip if the budget stretches.
Occasional and new hikers who want dry feet on mixed UK trail at the lowest price for a real GORE-TEX shoe.
How to choose a waterproof trainer
Five things decide whether a waterproof trainer suits you: the type of waterproofing, the breathability trade-off, the low-cut limit, whether you want a trail or everyday shoe, and fit. Get those straight and the shortlist writes itself.
GORE-TEX vs water-resistant
Most shoes here use GORE-TEX, a sealed membrane that keeps water out over the whole height of the shoe and carries a durability reputation to match. A handful use brand membranes such as Merrell's own waterproof lining or On's waterproof construction, which do the same job with different names. All of these are true waterproof shoes, distinct from a water-resistant or DWR-treated trainer, which only beads off light splashes and wets through in sustained rain. If you want reliably dry feet in the wet, buy a membrane shoe, and every model on this page qualifies.
The breathability trade-off
A membrane that keeps water out also slows moisture getting out, so a waterproof trainer runs warmer than a mesh trail shoe and is slower to dry once water gets inside. In practice GORE-TEX handles steady walking well, where your output is moderate and the membrane can keep up, and the trade-off only bites on hot summer days or during hard, sweaty efforts. My rule for the UK: waterproof for October through April when the ground is wet more often than it is hot, and a breathable non-waterproof shoe for high summer. If you only own one pair, waterproof is the safer default here.
The low-cut limit
A waterproof trainer keeps you dry up to the collar, and no further. Step into a puddle or bog deeper than the shoe and water pours in over the top, and because the membrane that kept it out now keeps it from draining, it stays in. Long, soaking wet grass will eventually find the collar too. This is the honest limit of any low-cut waterproof shoe, and it is exactly where a mid boot or a gaiter earns its place. For most UK day hiking, where the wet is grass, dew, light rain and shallow mud rather than standing water, the low cut is a fair trade for the lower weight and the freedom.
Trail vs everyday
The field splits into three. Aggressive trail shoes like the Speedcross 6 20 Years and the Norvan LD 4 are built for soft ground and pace, with deep lugs and a connected, athletic ride. Supportive hikers like the X Ultra 360 and the Ducan III trade some of that agility for stability under a pack. Everyday crossovers like the XT-6 and the On Cloudrock look the part off the trail and handle light trail and town in one shoe. Decide which of the three matches the walking you actually do most, then pick within it.
Fit
Fit beats every spec on the page. Salomon runs narrow and locks the foot down hard, superb for slim feet and wrong for broad ones. Merrell sits in the middle and offers a genuine wide fitting, which is a big part of why the Moab suits so many people. Arc'teryx and Mammut run precise and secure in a more technical shape. Whatever the brand, hold your heel and midfoot firmly with no slip and leave a thumb-width of room ahead of your longest toe so you do not bruise your toenails on descents. Try shoes on late in the day in the merino socks you actually hike in.
Getting them for less
Waterproof trainers rarely need to be bought at full price if you are flexible on colour and quick on sizing. The retailers behind this guide all run their own clearance and outlet sections, and last-season colourways of a current shoe are frequently the same shoe at a lower price. It is worth checking the Tiso outlet and sale pages, the Salomon site's own sale and outlet section, and the Mammut sale pages before you buy at full RRP, especially for the Salomon and Mammut models here, where end-of-season discounts on discontinued colours are common. Sizes go fast in the popular shoes, so if your size and a colour you can live with are both in a sale, that is the moment to buy rather than wait.
