I know this topic has been done to death, but I'm going around in circles trying to figure it out.

Myself and a friend are doing a 380-mile trek around the Scottish highlands starting around 24th August. We're hoping to complete it in 22 days. This is the first time that we've done something like this so it's hard to get the kit list right. At the moment our combined weight is looking likely to be 25 kg (including food/water), so still some way to space to cut down yet.

Looking at shoes/footwear we've both been partial to the inov-8 kit. We've had the chance to try on a couple of pairs (The 312 and 275s) and they fit well.

For me the choice is between:
Roclite 288 GTX (boot)
Roclite 295 (Shoe)
Roclite 312 GTX (shoe) http://www.inov-8.com/Products-Detail.asp?PG=PG1&L=26&P=5050973127

She is sure she'd prefer a lower cut so for her it's the

Roclite 268
Roclite 275 GTX

Given that we're going to be out for 3 weeks the footwear is going to get wet at some point.

If it's hot then there's sweaty feet to contend with, if it's pouring with rain and through the worst stretches water is likely to come in over the top. With that in mind I've been leaning towards not using goretex.

However, much of the journey is going to be along footpath, and I have the impression that in medium conditions goretex will prove to be dryer?

She's leaning towards the goretex shoe, I'm very much on the fence at this stage, however I probably have sweatier feet than she does.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated :)

The Scottish Highlands are my home hills. Footpaths here are often quite wet with puddles and mud on them. Keeping water out of shoes or boots is difficult. The time you're going it's usually fairly warm too. I'd go with non-Goretex shoes. Indeed, that's what I mostly wear. I hiked the Southern Upland Way in Inov8 295s in February this year.

You'll be hiking in midge season so insect protection should be very high on your list of preparations!

Thank you for the quick reply. Did you use gaiters? or Gore-tex socks?

The great Scottish Midge has been the reason that we've chosen to take a tent in the end. We've got head nets and I've been looking at Skitostop, although have heard that Avon's skin so soft also works wonders.