Are waterproof hiking boots worth it?

For wet, muddy, or cold-weather hiking, most reviewers across hiking subreddits and outdoor testing sites say yes. The tradeoff cited consistently is breathability: waterproof membranes run hotter in summer, and once water gets in over the cuff, it takes much longer to dry. For dry-climate day hiking, many specialist-community posts recommend non-waterproof trail runners instead.