Up next M+S: Choosing the Right Snow Shoes for your Ride Published on November 20, 2018 Author Tread Staff Tags infantry soldier’s mobility, Jungle Rot, Trench Foot, Share article Facebook 0 Twitter 0 Mail 0 Gore-Tex: The Anti-Trenchfoot Armor Gore-Tex Boots Are A Modern Necessity Photo by Dan Galvani Sommavilla Historically, one of the biggest threats to an infantry soldier’s mobility and health has been foot hygiene. Thoughout history, boots have only recently become waterproof – they were literally just leather husks stitched to a welt and if you were lucky – you carried extra socks with you to swap out and help keep your feet dry and comfortable. The waterproof barrier Gore-Tex was invented in 1969, purely by accident, but it has changed the world – and our boots – since then. There are countless stories of GI’s coming down with “Jungle Rot” or “Trench Foot”. These stories range from soldiers in the muddy trenches of World War 1, to the steaming jungles of southeast Asia facing off with the Japanese in World War 2. Basically what it comes down to is when your feet are subject to damp, unsanitary and cold conditions for an extended period of time, which can lead to a variety of illnesses and complications. Subscribe to our weekly newsletter The Science Behind Gore-Tex Boots Gore-Tex is essentially Teflon that has been heated and stretched to form a microporous structure that is about 70% air. This allows air to pass through the barrier making it breathable, while blocking out moisture. Today, Gore-Tex is the leader in waterproof boots, helping ensure that feet stay dry inside, so that the only thing you need to worry about is frostbite. So maybe we should still be carrying that extra pair of socks. We’re still quite a bit better off than the soldiers in the trenches during World War 1. Gore-Tex is a trademarked feature, so if you’re shopping for boots – make sure they say Gore-Tex somewhere on it before committing.