It used to be rare that even a company as big as Nike would release a waterproof shoe. Well, a cool-looking one at least. Now, though, it's all GORE-TEX everything, with everyone from New Balance to Clarks making all-weather iterations of their most normal shoes. Even UGG is waterproofing its typically chunktastic boots.

Is it a sign of the times? A generous move to make shoes more durable? Or perhaps a recession indicator?

Just about every ordinary shoe has gone GORE-TEX. It used to be that only outdoor-specific sneakers, like trail runners and work boots, would get fixed up with waterproof GORE-TEX lining but no so much anymore.

The beauty of the GORE-TEX shoes, or so they say, is that they're both breathable and protected from even the worst weather. Personally, I've found them to be on the stuffy side but I suppose that's preferable to wet feet.

And, these days, anyone can get Nike's most famous silhouettes. including the Air Force 1 and SB Dunk Low, in waterproof forms.

Meanwhile, New Balance is GORE-TEX-ing its world-class dad shoes and Clarks is doing the same for the Wallabee, which used to only occur through scarce collaborations with Japanese retailers. GORE-TEX on an in-line shoe? This used to be unheard of.

I suspect that at least part of the waterproof-everything agenda comes from the same desire for sales that powers everything else in the biz. Call it a recession indicator, call it a desire to move more units, but whatever it is, it's a method of making otherwise ordinary shoes worth buying once again.

Rather than purchasing another plain ol' Air Force 1, for instance, why not pick up one that'll handle winter weather just as easily as summer showers? And a Wallabee or UGG slipper that you don't have to ditch just because it's snowing sounds like that much more of a bargain.

At least in this case, the customer is getting what they pay for: for that extra $35, your new waterproof Air Force 1 also comes equipped with a Vibram sole. Not bad.

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