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Analysis of test method for waterproofness of shoe material leather
2022-07-16
Gester Instruments
433
Analysis of Test Methods for Waterproofness of Shoe Material Leather
The waterproof and moisture-permeable performance of shoe upper materials, especially leather, is a core indicator of footwear quality. It directly determines wearing comfort, foot health, and the protective performance of shoes in humid or rainy environments. In the footwear testing industry, two test systems are widely recognized as the standard for evaluating the waterproof performance of shoe materials: water vapor permeability testing and dynamic water penetration testing. GESTER Instruments, as a professional footwear testing equipment supplier, provides two targeted solutions: the GT-KC21-1 Water Vapor Permeability Tester and the GT-KC06 BALLY Water Penetration Tester. This article analyzes the principles, standards, equipment characteristics and application scenarios of these two test methods to help industry practitioners understand how to scientifically evaluate the waterproof performance of shoe leather and upper materials.
1. Water Vapor Permeability Test: Evaluating Moisture Transfer Performance with GT-KC21-1
1.1 Test Significance
Water vapor permeability (WVP) reflects the ability of a material to allow water vapor to pass through its internal structure. For shoe materials, excellent water vapor permeability means sweat vapor generated by the foot can be discharged out of the shoe in time, avoiding stuffy feet and moisture accumulation even during long-term wearing. This performance is particularly critical for daily casual shoes, work shoes and sports shoes, and forms the "breathable" side of waterproof footwear performance.
1.2 Test Principle & Equipment Implementation
The GT-KC21-1 Water Vapor Permeability Tester adopts the classic gravimetric cup method, the mainstream principle recognized by international standards. A test specimen is sealed on the mouth of a test bottle filled with desiccant (silica gel), and the whole device is placed in a standard conditioning environment at (23±2)℃ and (50±5)% RH. Driven by the humidity difference between the inside and outside of the bottle, external water vapor penetrates the specimen into the bottle and is absorbed by the desiccant. By periodically weighing the mass change of the test bottle, the water vapor transmission rate and permeability coefficient of the material can be calculated.
To ensure test efficiency and data parallelism, the GT-KC21-1 is equipped with 6 test stations for simultaneous testing of 6 specimens. The bottle holder rotates at 75±5 cpm to ensure uniform air flow around each specimen. A matched fan system with 3 flat blades (90×75 mm, inclined at 120° to each other) runs at (1400±100) r/min, maintaining a stable humidity gradient on the specimen surface and improving test consistency. The whole machine adopts touch screen control for intuitive and simple operation.
1.3 Applicable Standards & Key Specifications
This tester fully complies with major international and domestic standards for shoe material water vapor permeability testing:
- EN ISO 20344, ISO 17699
- AS/NZS 2210.2
- GB/T 20991, EN 344
- BS 3144, DIN 5333, SATRA TM172
Core technical parameters:
- Specimen size: φ34 mm
- Bottle mouth diameter: 30 mm
- Power supply: 1∮AC220V 50/60HZ
- Overall dimensions: 56×37×38 cm, net weight 50 kg
1.4 Application Scenarios
It is suitable for water vapor permeability testing of various vamp and upper shoe materials, including natural leather, artificial leather, textile fabrics, synthetic materials and composite shoe materials. It is widely used in footwear material R&D, incoming quality inspection, finished shoe quality control and third-party testing laboratories.
2. BALLY Dynamic Water Penetration Test: Simulating Real-World Flexing Waterproof Performance with GT-KC06
2.1 Test Significance
Static water vapor permeability cannot fully reflect the waterproof performance of shoe materials in actual use. During walking, the upper material undergoes repeated bending and stretching, which dynamically changes the structural gaps of the material and greatly increases the risk of liquid water penetration. The BALLY water penetration test is designed to simulate this dynamic bending scenario, and is the most authoritative test method for evaluating the dynamic waterproof durability of shoe upper materials.
2.2 Test Principle & Equipment Implementation
The GT-KC06 BALLY Water Penetration Tester realizes dynamic waterproof testing through a mechanical flexing + water immersion system. A rectangular test specimen is partially bent around two cylindrical clamps and fixed between them to form a trough structure. The trough is then immersed in water, and the clamps oscillate at a constant speed to repeatedly flex the specimen, simulating the bending state of the upper during walking.
The instrument uses electrode induction to automatically detect water penetration. Once water penetrates to the inner side of the specimen, the electrode circuit is triggered, and the instrument automatically stops and records the time taken for water penetration. It can also measure the mass of water absorbed by and transmitted through the specimen for a more comprehensive evaluation of material water absorption and seepage performance.
The GT-KC06 provides two models to match different throughput requirements:
- GT-KC06A: 4 test positions, suitable for small-batch R&D and routine testing scenarios
- GT-KC06B: 6 test positions, suitable for high-throughput quality inspection and professional laboratory scenarios
Both models support adjustable stroke (2, 3, 4, 6 mm) to simulate bending of different intensities, with a clamping cylinder diameter of 30.0±0.5 mm and a flexing speed of 50±1 rpm, strictly meeting standard requirements. The touch screen control system supports ultra-long test counting (up to 999,999,999 cycles) and automatic data recording.
2.3 Applicable Standards & Key Specifications
This tester covers mainstream dynamic waterproof test standards worldwide:
- DIN 53338, ISO 5403, ISO 17702
- EN ISO 20344, EN 344-1, EN ISO 20347
- AS/NZS 2210.2
- QB/T 3903.17, GB/T 20991
Core technical parameters:
- Specimen size: 75±2 mm × 60±1 mm
- Maximum distance between clamps: 40±0.5 mm
- Power supply: 1∮AC 220V 50/60HZ
- Overall dimensions: 45×55×50 cm (GT-KC06A), 60×57×50 cm (GT-KC06B)
2.4 Application Scenarios
It is mainly used to test the water penetration resistance of leather, artificial leather, fabric and other footwear upper materials under repeated flexing. It is essential testing equipment for safety shoes, outdoor hiking shoes, rain boots and other footwear products with clear waterproof performance requirements.
3. Comparison and Complementary Relationship Between the Two Test Methods
Although both are used to evaluate waterproof-related performance of shoe materials, the GT-KC21-1 and GT-KC06 focus on completely different dimensions, and the two are complementary rather than substitutable.
| Evaluation Dimension | Water Vapor Permeability Tester GT-KC21-1 | BALLY Water Penetration Tester GT-KC06 |
|---|---|---|
| Core test target | Water vapor transmission capacity (breathability) | Liquid water penetration resistance under dynamic bending |
| Test condition | Static, in constant temperature and humidity environment | Dynamic, with repeated mechanical flexing in water |
| Evaluation index | Water vapor transmission rate, permeability coefficient | Time to first water penetration, water absorption mass |
| Simulated scenario | Daily sweat discharge and wearing comfort | Rainy / wading scenarios, upper flexing waterproof durability |
| Material focus | Moisture permeability of dense materials such as leather | Waterproof structural stability under mechanical stress |
For a complete waterproof performance evaluation of shoe leather and upper materials, both tests are indispensable. A high-quality waterproof shoe material should not only prevent liquid water from penetrating under dynamic bending (verified by GT-KC06), but also ensure smooth discharge of water vapor (verified by GT-KC21-1), so as to achieve the ideal balance of "external water resistance and internal breathability".
4. Conclusion
The waterproof performance of shoe material leather is a comprehensive concept covering liquid water barrier and water vapor transmission. The GT-KC21-1 Water Vapor Permeability Tester and GT-KC06 BALLY Water Penetration Tester from GESTER Instruments cover the two core dimensions of static moisture permeability and dynamic water penetration resistance respectively. Both instruments strictly follow international mainstream test standards, deliver reliable test data and offer flexible configuration options, providing accurate and scientific testing support for footwear manufacturers, material suppliers and third-party testing institutions in material development, quality control and product compliance certification.
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