| If you are an experienced parent in the children's | | | | pair of shoes that do not have it. On average expect |
| footwear department, you may have bought shoes | | | | to pay a £10 or $18 USD premium over a pair that |
| that did not protect your child's feet from rain and | | | | does not have the membrane. However, you have |
| surface water. There are 2 companies at the | | | | the benefit that the shoes will keep water out but |
| forefront of weatherproofing your child’s feet. | | | | also allow moisture out. Another major benefit is the |
| One is called SympaTex® and the other | | | | reduction in the possibility of a of foot infection, as |
| Gore-Tex®, for parents that love outdoor activities | | | | most foot infection is caused by damp feet reacting |
| will be familiar with these 2 brands. They are used in | | | | with bacteria in the footwear. Ricosta is a leader in |
| all applications from outdoor activity clothing to | | | | the manufacturer of children's shoes with |
| camping. So how do these technologies work? | | | | weatherproof membranes and each season |
| Gore-Tex® Technology | | | | incorporates this technology in their shoes more than |
| Gore-Tex® is a fabric based material consisting of | | | | any other manufacturer, but there are also other |
| a thin membrane that is bonded to a fabric or leather. | | | | players in the market that use both or either on of |
| The membrane has billions of pores per square inch; | | | | these weatherproof membranes. They are:- |
| this makes it impenetrable to liquid water while still | | | | - Ricosta |
| allowing water vapour to the atmosphere. This | | | | - SuperFit |
| makes Gore-Tex® breathable, waterproof, and | | | | - Richter |
| windproof. The outer fabric is treated with water | | | | - Däumling |
| repellent and seams are sealed to prevent water | | | | - Noël |
| leakage through pinholes caused during the sewing of | | | | - Mod8 |
| the fabric. The membrane coating provides a | | | | - Babybotte |
| protective layer and also prevents contamination (i.e. | | | | - Ecco |
| body oils) from wetting the laminate and passage of | | | | - Clarks |
| moisture through the membrane, this technology | | | | - Primigi |
| works in a similar way that the skin works, by | | | | Both Gore-Tex® and SympaTex® Footwear |
| allowing moisture (sweat) out and preventing water | | | | keep feet dry and protected because they are |
| from getting in. | | | | durably waterproof and breathable, and are |
| SympaTex® Technology | | | | engineered to provide optimized climate comfort |
| SympaTex® fabrics are branded waterproof and | | | | across a wide range of outdoor recreational activities. |
| "breatheable" fabrics (leather or textile) made or | | | | Key advantages of Gore-Tex® and SympaTex® |
| licenced by SympaTex® Technologies GmbH. They | | | | Footwear |
| all feature a waterproof, windproof and breatheable | | | | - Disperses liquid perspiration through the waterproof |
| membrane, laminated to fabrics (leather or textile) | | | | membrane to the outside. |
| either on its inner surface or sandwiched between | | | | - Perfect comfort in any weather, in every season. |
| two fabric layers (often marketed as "3 layer | | | | - Optimal combination of breatheability and insulation |
| laminate"). The latter system offers greater durability, | | | | - Feet stay warm and dry, never sweaty - even in |
| by better protecting the integrity of the | | | | extreme conditions |
| SympaTex® layer from abrasion to both the | | | | - Durable waterproof protection stops moisture from |
| outside and the inside of the garment or footwear. | | | | seeping in. |
| The SympaTex® membrane like Gore-Tex® | | | | - Quality mark for premium and high quality footwear. |
| does not allow water to get in from the outside, but | | | | Finding Gore-Tex® and SympaTex® Footwear |
| water vapour molecules are transported through the | | | | When looking for children’s shoes that are |
| membrane from the inside to the outside by way of | | | | weatherproof, asking for Gore-Tex® and |
| an absorption & evaporation process. This moisture | | | | SympaTex® Footwear will tell the retailer that as a |
| transfer through the membrane is what is referred | | | | parent you are knowledgeable and that you are |
| to as "breatheability". | | | | looking for shoes that will protect your child’s |
| Gore-Tex® and SympaTex® Footwear | | | | feet from the elements. If buying online, just type |
| Manufacturers | | | | “Gore-Tex” or “SympaTex” into the |
| From the description of both membranes we all | | | | search box on the website, this should list all shoes |
| know that there is a going to be a premium over a | | | | that are available with this protective membrane. |