Yes there's a difference. The Shields are water resistant. How valuable that is to you is determined by how many runs you do in the rain and through puddles. Out in heavy downpour for more than an hour? Jog through sole-deep puddles a lot? The Shields are a nice luxury, then. They won't completely stop the soak, but they'll help a little here and there. You could just buy a second pair of any other shoe and rotate while the other dries. If you're in the northeast and jogging in big winter slush or snow packs, I'd get something truly water proofed with goretex; Solomon makes a great line of these products. Living in NY, I found that the Shield line was useful from about November 1st through mid-December, then again from March 1st until mid-April