I have seen that www.fabricguard.co.uk Fabric Guard uses the same technology for protecting fabric . They have a range of baby products that simply don't stain.
|
 |
I have had 2 pairs of Hitec ion mask boots now, the 1st started leaking after 5 weeks and the 2nd has only lasted 1 weekend. I track my dogs in heavy grass which is soaking wet during the weekend and these boots just couldn't take it!?! I have yet to find a pair of "waterproof" boots which actually keep my feet dry!
|
|
 i have a pair of these and have never had wet feet. try these to be honest i have never had wet feet in any of the boots i have had so dont know where you are going wrong sarah. i have also got the leather hitec boots with the waterproof membrane (they are called altitude and now use ion mask ) and have never been wet in them either.
|
|
Saw this on some techy TV program - looks very interesting.... Welcome to OM Sarah and Mark btw and Jeremy, Martin and Bharat. 5 first posts in one thread ? Is this an OM record?
|
| Edited: 23/03/09 08:59 |
 I took my first pair of Hitec ion mask boots back after about six weeks because they were leaking. The second pair are starting to leak as well. The weakness seems to be the fabric either side of the tongue. The padding under this soaks up water. The leather parts are fine, so it's strange that the tongue was not made entirely of leather.
|
|
 It does seem a bit strange. Maybe they'll change the design in time. One question to all the people with these - how does the drying speed of the boots compare to more normal ones? (membrane or not). That's the feature which has me potentially interested - ok in the walking shoes they're doing which they don't even claim to be totally waterproof.
|
|
these ion mask boots are rubbish, the leather is 100% waterproof way ok, the stitching on the top of the boots are NOT and let in bucket loads of water, i too do loads of walking everyday, many times through wet grass, these boots are the worst waterproof boots i have EVER had.. (and ive had loads) have changed them twice, both leaking in same place...shame they dont test there boots after they actually make them and not just the material.... so Ray !!!!! who says to Sarah ODell "i dont know where you are going wrong" .....WHAT IS THAT ABOUT? what a stupid thing to say.......these boots are rubbish, i paid £86.0 for mine 6 weeks latter they leak, i changed them for another pair a few weeks later they leak
|
|
 I was sceptical about Hi-Tec ion mask because the majority of their boots are made with a fabric upper as opposed to a leather upper and they chose initially to only apply ion mask to their leather boots, a true test would have been to apply ion mask to fabric boots which will always be more prone to leaking than a leather boot. I consider Hi-Tec were dipping their toe in the ocean - and it got wet.................. When I first saw ion mask boots I ordered them in for the shop but had second thoughts and decided to cancel the order due to the fact Hi-Tec in my opionion did not have enough confidence in the technology to manufacture a fabric upper boot with ion mask. Interesting to read posts above from people who have tried these boots and found them not to be waterproof.
|
|
hi again, i am not saying the technology of ion mask doest work, the total opposite, IT DOSE,and well, the leather treated is 100% waterproof, its the dam stitching on the boot
|
|
 My right boot leaked on its first exposure to real rain and yes, it was through the fabric on the anterior part of the tongue. I have said this elsewhere on another thread on this site and people asked me patronising questions and suggested all sorts of reasons for ingress of water other than accept that I'm an experienced walker of advancing years and therefore I knew what was happening and knew what I was talking about.
|
| Edited: 11/04/09 16:44 |
|
|
|
.... so Ray !!!!! who says to Sarah ODell "i dont know where you are going wrong" .....WHAT IS THAT ABOUT? what a stupid thing to say.......
sarah said, I have yet to find a pair of "waterproof" boots which actually keep my feet dry! thats what i am refering to.all the waterproof boots i have had have kept water out.so she must be going wrong somewhere.maybe buying cheap boots, i dont know.she does not say which boots she has tried in the past.whats so stupid about that? as for the ion mask, icant comment on that but i can only say that i wont be trying it.
|
|
 Excuse the ignorance but what happens if you scuff the boots badly? Does that mean the nano-metre thick coating is scuffed away as well, exposing the boot to leaks in that area?
|
|
 I'm looking forward to seeing this used on other products.
|
|
Dave - it's not a coating, the treatment penetrates throughout the leather, so scuffing is not a problem.
|
|
 Is the Ion-mask treatment supposed to be waterproof? Reading the gumpf on the P2i and Hi-tec websites they claim water repellancy and hydrophobic properties for the ion-mask treatment, would this not make a product with the treatment quick drying (well, quicker drying than it would have been without it anyway) rather than actually waterproof?
|
|
 May be worth having a look at this thread, where I tried to interpret some of Ion-Mask's promotional material.
|
|
Thanks CP,  Interesting thread (missed that one, must have been during my nobroadband period)
|
|
I bought the Hi Tec boots with the Ion Mask and they didn't last 30 minutes in a light rain. My wool socks were soaked through. When I returned them to the store, they insisted on doing a 20 minute "leak test" to the boots. So I had to stand around and wait until they came back and insisted that the boots were not leaking, according to the store's "leak test". I had to insist on getting my money back. I agree- it must be the tongue gussets that leak. How silly, to leave those untreated and call the boot waterproof!
|
|
Hard to follow all the threads on the subject of Hi Tec and Ion Mask but here is my pennysworth! Bought a pair of Mens size 11 V LITE MT NEVIS WPI from Yeomans Outdoors at beginning of June and to date they have not let any water in and I am very, very pleased with the comfort, fit and weight. I normally have a 10/44 but went for the 11 when I tried them. Although I haven't done many miles, I walked for 2 hours in wet grass etc the other day and my feet stayed dry. When I returned home I "washed" the sheep droppings etc off whilst still wearing them by rubbing both feet in the gravel etc in my local beck (sorry, not very environmentally friendly?) as I usually do. The water came up over the laces and the tongue area and just ran off exactly like water off a duck's back. They did not let any water in at all. My feet were dry and cool. I haven't walked in them in a constant downpour yet but if this fret from the North Sea doesn't leave North Yorkshire soon, I may well be able to test them completely. Moreover, these Hi tec replaced another Fabric pair which lasted me for years and years (but they weren't, nor did they profess to be, waterproof or water resistant). My old leather boots are also Hi tec and have been fantastic and never let any water in at all so in my humble opinion, buying cheap is not always a waste of money. I am very happy with my (non-trendy) Hi tec boots (so far). Never had a single blister and had absolutely no problems at all. Their customer service replied immediately when I queried whether Granger's proofer was ok to use with ION mask technology. Their reply said that providing the proofer was not alcohol based, it would be ok. I will post again when I have tested them further.
|
|
