ONs - waterproof or no?

I have found shoes designed to be waterproof are not as comfortable- just my personal experience. I travel with my most comfortable shoes and use a waterproof spray before I leave. I make sure one pair is leather, as the waterproofing is more effective on leather shoes.
Have a great trip.

What time of year are you going? If you're expecting rain and low temps, why wouldn't you opt for the waterproof version?

The obvious benefits is you keeping your feet from getting soaked and the waterproofing helps with heat retention. Make sure you're wearing non-cotton socks, (Merino wool or a blend of, I'd recommend) so you don't get soaked by your own sweat.

We are in Liverpool from May 10 to May 17 and then Iceland to the 20th.

I’m very grateful to having non problematic feet, so far. I have no issues wearing a pair of NB sneakers (Cobble Hill brand) I bought a few years ago. I was surprised to learn that they were waterproof and I wear them on dry and wet days. A concern I might have for you with ON waterproof shoes worn in wet, muddy places, would be how well all of those 000s are to clean out if muddy. My grandaughter loved her regular ON shoes but after the 3rd time of stepping in dog 💩 on her campus, she said she’d probably not be buying that brand again because of the difficult to clean out 000s.

No shoes are waterproof, you have the problem of the big hole in them where you stick your foot in, and then the water that your foot produces as sweat, which can be worse in an impermeable shoe material.

But, if you are going to be in wet weather, whether it is wet grass, rain, or puddles, you need a material that can repel water and not get soaked, whether by design, or with help from a water repellent. I guess go test your current shoes go wander some wet environments, if they soak through in 10 minutes or so, then you probably need to consider something else.

You might also consider the style, below the ankle, or over the ankle; as well as choice of socks. A good wicking liner sock with a comfort over-sock can make a world of difference.

Also to consider is what you will be doing in Iceland- lots of hiking? Or touristic kind of lookouts. I took my waterproof ON lightweight hiking boots to Greenland last summer. I was able to get them at big discount on the OM website "archive" link. They were nice to have but since it didn't rain I probably would have been fine without them.
I haven't tried their waterproof runners but as another post noted I found the AllBirds waterproof runner to be a lot stiffer than their other shoes. (I do have their Mizzles which are awesome in the PNW.)

I wore Vessi or Vesci shoes. They stayed dry thru 2 weeks of rain and were very comfortable

Thank you all for your input! I'm still undecided but definitely will get appropriate socks.

I’m not sure I understand why you can wear the non waterproof OC’s but not the waterproof to work. Basically the same design just slightly different material. And my experience has been that trying to waterproof athletic shoes is not the same as waterproofing non perforated leather shoes. Darn Tough socks are great but even they won’t make soggy tennies comfortable.

I use waterproof On shoes when my itinerary includes a lot of time in areas that may be wet. I find them a bit tighter across the arch than similar non-waterproof models. There's less of an opening at the tongue, so you don't have control over how tight the shoe is at that point. I use inner soles that take up a bit of the space inside the shoe, and I have a slightly-higher-than-average arch. I can only just barely use the waterproof shoes. They're OK as long as I'm walking but are a problem when I sit for an extended period of time, as on a plane, train or bus.

Thanks again everyone for your replies.

margie- I was worried if I bought the waterproof, my feet would be sweaty. Probably not an issue in this case. I think a shop near me carries both so I'll have a close look.

Bon voyage! --we'd only be doing touristic viewpoint hikes, not serious hikes.

Whatever I choose, I expect upon reflection I'll wish I had chosen the other.

Andrea, my socks are often a bit damp at the end of the day (even a totally dry day) when I remove On waterproof shoes. It's not something I notice as I walk around, only as I take the shoes off. I can believe it would bother some people, though. I've also never felt my feet were too hot, and I know other folks complain about that.

I just took my OC's on a trip to Amsterdam and it was rainy all but one day. I wore these most days, alternating with a pair of boots just to give me feet a change of pace. The OC's I have are "waterproof", and yes they kept my feet dry. This was the first time wearing them in downpours, so I didn't know how they would really perform, but they were great. They were also not slippery on the wet cobblestones. I have a high arch and these just fit me really well.

Our trip started in Iceland and I did not wear these there as I knew better. We arrived to blizzard conditions, so I wore my boots. We have been to Iceland many times and I know it all too well and would not wear sneakers of any sort in the winter. I don't know when your trip is, but keep this in mind.

I got the waterproof ON’s for the Scandinavian tour…..two years ago …..lightweight and sturdy, I feel they are a perfect travel shoe…..they have been on two RS tours now (last year Alpine My Way) and they offer great support along with the “waterproofness”. I have no hesitation in recommending them.

I have waterproof ONs. I wear them to work and my feet do get sweaty, so I am looking at getting some non-waterproof ones. Despite them running warmer than a nice breathable mesh, I fine them comfortable enough, and far more comfortable than wet feet. I am looking for a darker waterproof color to get for hiking. The first trip I wore my ONs was to Universal Studios in November in Florida - about 80 degrees, and, despite the warm weather, they were FAR more comfortable than wearing my Teva sandals the day before.

We are back! I went with the regular ONs. They were fine in England (in fact one day I was in sandals). They were fine in Iceland too. I wore warm socks and only once or twice did my feet get chilly, and I never got a soaker.

Good to hear.

Waterproof is a nice feature to have but, it's not always necessary, especially if your feet sweat a lot or you'll be in a warm/hot climate. I think people get too caught up in having more features means it must be a better model, rather than getting the item that suits your needs.

Which style of ON did you end up wearing on your trip? There are so many to choose from that I am a bit overwhelmed!

I got the Cloud 5 PUSH for women. Has pink and blue detail.