Sympatex vs. Gore-tex

[alaric]

Greetings all! B)

I am looking for a new pair of hiking boots (and possibly some updated rain-gear), and while I am familiar with Gore-tex, Sympatex is new to me. Can anyone give me any personal observations of the efficacy and the durability of Sympatex vs. Gore-tex?

Any feedback is greatly appreciated!
Al

[swoosh]

hi brosef.

i wear north face gortex trail runners, but haven't heard of this sympatex. i know the growing trend among hikers has been to just skip the waterproofing and getting plain old trail runners or even running shoes. better breatheability

[natchez]

Alaric, welcome to the forum I never heard of Sympatex either but now you made me curious :P

[alaric]

Long time since I posted this, but...

I purchased two sets of boots (one for my daughter, one for me) for the trip we took hiking in the Smokies in early June. One pair had Sympatex, the other Gore-Tex (TM).

The only rain was the night we arrived. And we arrived so late we just slept in the car and began hiking the next day. The only water exposure we saw was crossing some streams, and our experiences with the two products were very similar.

While on most hikes I do tend to wear trail runners, I've found boots very helpful hiking in the Smokies. Particularly if you are going to hike any of the AT there. The ground is very uneven with the three R's (Rocks, Roots & eRosion). So, the more rigid soles of hiking boots tend to help avoid bad ankle twists, etc.

While there we experienced some great hikes. We did Chimney Tops trail for our starter. A beautiful trail with approximately a 1600' elevation gain in two miles. A great way to get your hiking legs broken in.

We also hiked Mt. LeConte via the Alum Bluffs trail. Stayed at the Lodge for the first time. Pricey, but for a special occasion. I told her next time we'd be staying in one of the AT shelters. :laugh:

Due to a badly sprained wrist (she is still using the brace on and off) on her part, we had to skip one of our longer hikes. But, we did put a few miles in on the AT. Enough to know that in the near future we'd like to do some section hikes of the AT. :woohoo:

For me it was a great trip. My seventeen year old daughter decided that she wanted her senior trip to be a week of hiking the Smokies with me. I felt very blessed. B)

[HeyDad]

Alaric

Is there much of a difference in the price between Gore-Tex and Sympatex?

[alaric]

There does not seem to be a big difference in price. The New Balance Hikers I was looking at had SympaTex, so I was curious of others' findings. I had worn New Balance trail runners for years, as they offer many of their products in a 4E width.

[GDeadPhans]

I read about Sympatex in a book, but I have no personal experience with it. However, I hear its exactly like Goretex....

But cheaper! No how much cheaper I am not sure...but thats what she says in the book.

[Biogeekette]

:cheer:
I bought a pair of Lake of the Woods SympaTex hiking boots ten years ago and adore them. Of all the stupid things to do, the first time I used them was to climb Tuckerman's (Mt. Washington). My trusty hiking boots were across the country and we wanted to hit Tuck's before it was too late, so I ran around trying on boots like a mad woman and found this great pair for a fantastic price.
I didn't have a single blister, there were no points that rubbed, they held my heel far better than any other boot I've ever owned (including expensive, complicated snowboarding boots especially designed for people with narrow heels and wider feet). They are supremely comfortable, warm (the model I bought is insulated with Thinsulate), dry and great for easy hikes, bouldering and more challenging things like Tuck's.
These boots have lasted me through a full decade of Northern New England winters, hikes, and all sorts of adventures. I love them dearly and am panicking because I'm planning to climb Mt. Washington again in November and fear that my trusty boots are just too soft now and, like all my shoes eventually end up, have virtually no tread left on the outer part of the heel (I have a very hard heel strike).
I can't recommend them strongly enough. If all other things are basically equal and if you are trying to decide between two models, one with GoreTex and the other with SympaTex, give the SympaTex a try. I don't think you'll be disappointed.

[Dubrock]

Hello Everybody, I totally enjoy reading all this...thank you.
You make me think about the Sherpa population getting work from us (Western man)to help them climb Himalaya. They went bear foot (no longer today). Also, isn't the sole of the foot one access point for the chi? Does breathable nylon let in the vital energy?
Peace.

[jllong]

I am working on a market study on the breathable textiles market and I found these posts to be very interesting. If I could get a few peoople to answer some quetions for me I would really appreciate it.

What words come to mind that describe the type of clothing that you want for your activities. Choose all that apply:

Comfortable
Environmentally friendly
Warmth
Soft
Stretchy
Loose/Baggy
Breathable
Light weight
Fluro-Free
Heavy
Durable
Other________________________


What brands are you the most loyal to?
List all

Which attribute do you feel is more important in the comparisons below:
Breathablility or Waterproof
Stretch or Waterproof
Breathable or Stretch


How valuable would a product be that was extremely light weight, air permeable, waterproof, windproof, and strechy (4 way stretch)?
Low
Medium
High
Very High

Would a combination of the above attributes meet your specific needs? Yes or NO
If NO, what combination would be ideal?