Running in wet weather is not one single problem. A rainy road, a damp park path, and a muddy stretch between the two can ask very different things from a shoe.
Instead of filling this page with every shoe that has a waterproof label, we narrowed the group down by the kind of wet surface you are more likely to run on.
For mostly wet pavement, a road-running shoe with waterproof protection may be enough. If your route moves onto park paths or rougher surfaces, a more versatile outsole can matter more.
Shopping by a different running need?
Regular runs · More cushion · Roomier fit · More stable feel · Treadmill running
Two directions for wetter runs
This is a deliberately small group. The Ghost 14 GTX stays closer to a familiar road-running shoe. The DynaSoft Nitrel V6 moves toward more varied surfaces and a more versatile outsole.
(Click any shoe image to see current details, sizes, and colors. Paid links.)
Brooks Ghost 14 GTX
If most of your route is still pavement, the Ghost 14 GTX is the more straightforward direction. It keeps the familiar road-running character of the Ghost family while adding GORE-TEX waterproof protection for rainy conditions.
This is the one to look at when the weather changes but your usual running surface does not.
Men
Women
New Balance DynaSoft Nitrel V6
The Nitrel V6 makes more sense when a wet run does not stay neatly on smooth pavement. Its AT Tread outsole is designed for traction across both on-road and off-road use, giving it a broader role on routes that move between streets, park paths, and rougher sections.
Choose this direction because your route is mixed, not simply because the sky looks unfriendly.
Men
Women
Wet road or mixed route?
That is the simplest way to narrow this page down.
If you normally run on roads and sidewalks, start with the Ghost 14 GTX. The point is to keep a road-running feel while adding waterproof protection for rainy miles.
If your usual route wanders between pavement and less predictable surfaces, the Nitrel V6 is the more relevant direction. Its outsole is built for both on-road and off-road traction, so it has a clearer reason to be here when the route itself gets messy.
And remember: waterproof does not mean amphibious. A shoe can help with rain and wet ground, but stepping confidently into a puddle deep enough to require a small ferry is still a personal decision.
See the wet-weather group together
We kept this selection small on purpose: one direction for rainy road miles and another for wetter routes that move across mixed surfaces.
Weather is only one way to narrow down a running shoe. Return to Running Shoes to choose by the need that matters most to your runs.
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.