Over the years I have owned and used many gore-tex products. From gloves to coats, pants, and boots. They "all" without fail start "leaking" at some point, some items new right out of the box. Calling gore-tex gets you polite sympathy, but thats it. Calling the manufacturer/retailer gets you more of the same except Cabelas, they will give you a refund.
Most folks don't realize there are different levels of gore-tex protection. The most well constructed being the most waterproof, is also the least breathable. So if your sweating alot your going to have an issue from the inside. What they also don't tell you is water can be forced through gore-tex at and above 70 Ibs. per square inch. So items like boots (toes and soles), gloves (palms), pants (knees and seat), socks, coat (shoulders and back area). All this I noticed from my own experiences. During a phone conversation with gore-tex they openly confirmed that yes these areas could leak when pressure in these areas reach 70 Ibs per square in.
Gore-tex and like membranes are good for blocking out wind and the majority of the wet your going to encounter. But unless your buying super high quality items it is not going to be 100% waterproof, and at this level the breathability of the fabric is going to be very limited.
In my experiences clothing manufactured for hunters is not as high a quality as that made for mountaineering and exploration. Skiing wear quality is all over the map due to the fashion style component. Hunting clothing is getting better in some brands, but expect to pay premium dollars, and try not to be to disappointed when at some point it does leak when your walking through tall wet grass, or sit for little rest on an old wet stump, then when you get up you notice your knees and or butt are cold and clammy and your underwear is stuck to the cheek of you butt because it is wet.
There is definitely something to be said for heavy wool mackinaw wool pants and coats, and I have worn alot wool pants over the years. They will keep you warm after getting wet. Trouble is there hard to find, usually old army surplus, and the newer stuff is pricy. A trip to Walmart will get you some sort gore-tex type hunting pant for 39.95 you can throw out after the seasons over or the next and not feel to bad. At present I wear a suit of 'Rivers West" pants and coat. Water proof but it does "NOT" breathe. And a cheaper Wally Walmart outfit.
Been there, done that, and got a whole big closet full of gore-tex products. Why do I keep buying it? because for all its faults it's still a whole lot better than plain standard clothing. As for just boots, I wear rubber boots with felt liners and or, or uninsulated rubber boots, as my area of hunting usually puts me in and around alot of water. Gore-tex boots to me are a waste a money as any I ever had leaked, a great boot for going shopping where you mighht walk through the odd puddle in the parking lot. I also like LL.Beans hunting shoe. Basically leather top of various heights with a rubber bottom shoe sewn on. Have about 4 pairs of them and really like them. Unless your standing in water they work well.
