<h2 class=”body-h2″><strong>What to Consider</strong></h2><h3 class=”body-h3″>Materials and Construction </h3><p>Rain boots are no longer made of just rubber—you have your pick of leathers and synthetics that will repel water during a shower. A rubber boot is the ideal if you’re wading in water or jumping in puddles, or if you’re going fishing or hunting in heavy rainfall.</p><p>Full-grain leather is durable enough for work boots and <a href=”https://www.popularmechanics.com/adventure/outdoor-gear/g43234721/best-motorcycle-jackets/”>motorcycle jackets</a> and can be weatherproof, but you don’t want to submerge these in water for long periods of time. The height of the opening of the boot—called shaft height—should be high enough to give you ample coverage if you do have to traverse a shallow puddle. The styles we recommend range from the ankle for quick showers, all the way to covering your calves for deep puddles.</p><p>A good rain boot ensures waterproofing in every part of the shoe. Look out for features like sealed seams and gusseted tongues, which keep water from getting into the uppers and toe box of your boot.</p><p>A waterproof membrane, like Gore-Tex, on the interior of the boot keeps water out while allowing moisture to escape to prevent sweaty feet. Look for a rubber sole that has traction for slick surfaces. All of the rain boots we recommend have slip-resistant rubber and/or treaded outsoles—often Vibram, one of the most durable sole materials on the market—to prevent you from slipping on wet crosswalks or slick concrete.</p><h3 class=”body-h3″>Practicality and Style</h3><p>Think about your daily commutes or instances where you’ve been caught in rain and consider how long you’re really exposed to it. Are you mostly in your car and just need something to get you from the parking lot and into your office, or are you walking outside daily and don’t mind going full <em>Deadliest Catch </em>garb? </p><p>A modern rain boot is a boot that can handle rain—it’ll protect against bad weather, keep you comfortable, and go seamlessly from outdoors to indoors. If you’re after that classic rain boot look or better coverage in deep puddles, we recommend a few Wellies-style rain boots, too.</p><h2 class=”body-h2″><strong>How We Selected </strong></h2><p class=”body-text”>To determine the best rain boots, we started by looking to the boots we prefer to get caught in the rain in. Moving from Houston—a driving-dependent city that sees its share of rain—to New York, where unpredictable weather can soak the socks I’ll be stuck in at work for eight hours, the boots I’ve tried have been put to the test in various rainy settings.</p><p class=”body-text”>We know all of our daily lives look different—some of us commute to work each day in our own cars, some take the subway, others spend the days working on site—so we made sure to include a range of recommendations for work settings, casual wear, and active lifestyles. </p><p class=”body-text”>We selected rain boots that, most importantly, keep your feet dry, whether you’re spending the day stomping through mud or darting between office buildings. From there, we prioritized functional, practical, boots that’ll last for several rainy seasons, made from the most durable and effective waterproof materials on the market.</p>” />