UKH

I want to have dry feet when trekking in the mountains!

I am looking at some Rocky Stretch G-Tex socks. it looks like a good idea... but I wonder. Anyone used or familiar with this type of thing that can give some feedback?

Is Gore Tex Socks suitability for backpacking or hiking?
Are Gore Tex Socks suitability to improve water-tightness of the shoe?

Thank you,
Nick

In reply to chaldakov:

What are your boots like? They should be keeping your feet dry?

In reply to chaldakov:
How wet are your feet gettings? Is it sweat or are your boots actually letting water in?

Edit: Oh and stop tucking your waterproof trousers into your boots! (yes I have seen this before)

In reply to chaldakov:

There are Sealskinz socks as well which use similar principle, just different membrane (not Gore-tex). It looks like they start to fail after half a hundred miles/kilometers. I think it would be the same with any other brand.

The main issue is that the Gore-tex or any other membrane is very thin layer of material and it is difficult not to damage it. That's why Gore-Tex lined shoes/boots start to leak, earlier or later.

I couldn't be bothered buying another pair of fabric boots with gore-tex lining. I got proper leather boots instead.

In reply to chaldakov:


....Flex-Foot Cheetahs

In reply to chaldakov:

gore-tex socks will just make your feet sweat. Get some decent gaiters if you want dry feet. It's most likely your trousers getting wet and then getting your socks wet from above if it's not just sweaty feet. Thinner/better socks might help to.

In reply to tlm:
My shoes is Trango Trek Micro Evo Gore-Tex http://www.lasportiva.com/mountaineering/mountaineering-woman/womens/detail...

The shoes are dry in a light rain or dew. But in heavy rain on the language, which is made of neoprene soaks water and a little wet socks.

In reply to franhammond92:


Rubbish! I used GoreTex sox when sailing for years, they are great over your normal sox, inside your deck boots. they keep your feet dry and warm... its what GoreTex does.

However, when out on the mountain I want boots that fit better so I buy good quality boots designed for the job. At the moment I have some Scarpa, GoreTex lined, Vibram soled b2 boots and out here I wear them all day, every day regardless of the weather. They cost about €200.

When im in deep powder snow or on the rare occasions that it rains I have gators as well.

I expect a pair to last about a year and they always keep my feet warm and dry.

Hope that helps!

In reply to chaldakov:

Beating blisters on the trail: Sealskinz Waterproof Socks
http://runeatsleeprun.com/2011/07/29/beating-blisters-on-the-trail-sealskin...

In reply to MaranaF:

Thank you Very helpful!

In reply to chaldakov:

I use leather boots and wax them from time to time. I've had them for - erm... probably about 15 years now, and my feet stay dry and toasty unless I accidentally stand in water that is so deep that it goes over the top of the boots! And then my feet stay wet but toasty!

I would be horrified at having to buy new boots every year! I want my stuff to last!

I tried sealskin socks for mountain biking at one point, but didn't like the feel of them - they may well have changed now, but they felt all crispy to me at the time. So I changed to wearing my leather walking boots on my mountain bike, which was lovely and warm (when I was out with other people with overshoes, moaning about their cold, wet feet).

Good luck anyway, whatever you decide to try.

In reply to tlm:



I think MaranaF meant the socks, not the boots ???

In reply to mbh:


Thank god! I want even my socks to last 5 years or so. I think I have turned into one of those old people that think everything should be a tenth of the price it actually is and want everything to last for 20 years.... My stuff doesn't just go out of fashion - it goes out then comes back in, then goes out again and comes back in again!

In reply to tlm:

I've still got some boots I bought 20 years ago. Scarpa, full-leather ones. They weigh about 4 tonnes. I might soon use them as plant pots.

A good, well-fitting and not stupidly heavy pair of leather boots is something I would dearly love for walking around boggy places.

I haven't used Seal Skinz, but another thread on here said that they don't keep your feet dry, but do keep them warm, like a wet suit does. They were strongly recommended for long fell runs where the going might be wet and cold for prolonged periods.

In reply to chaldakov:

err no, i did mean the boots, I recon a €200 investment once a year, usually in autumn so they are fresh for the winter, is worth every penny. I am out on the mountains for most daylight hours seven days a week. The boots are light and very effective. Its usually the Vibram soles that give in first but they can be resoled for about €30 and then they get relegated for the following year for decorating in.

I only have one other pair of boots, Scarpa Drews, b3, leather and very heavy! I use them for winter mixed climbs where I can walk in them, climb, scramble, crampons, snow shoes and even ski [badly].

I dont think I have any other shoes...

On the other hand, most of the time I wear "Cat" sox that I buy from ScrewFix every time I return to the UK, 3 pairs for about £10. They are great!

When its proper cold, -20 or colder I have a couple of pairs of ski sox, the ones with the silver threads, they are amazing but expensive at about €25 a pair.

In reply to chaldakov:
for me the secret is in looking after the boots. Well looked after, they should keep your feet dry. i had some issues with wet feet this winter in an older pair of Scarpa Mirages. However, I had a bit of an issue with my waterproof outer layer that meant I was soaked from head to toe anyway and suspect the wet feet were from was running down my legs into the boots.
I have used the Sealskinz socks under my motorcycle boots and inside wet mountaineering boots during a multi day trip (not a failure of the boot, but went through a snow bridge into a stream). Have always found the Sealskinz kept my feet dry. They are just not the most comfortable socks for me.

In reply to chaldakov:

I have no idea why that guy thought was going to happen when he ran in the wet in sealskins socks. Nor do I think many people in this thread have spent a long time out in very wet conditions without the ability to dry your boots magically.

Just think for a second what goretex is. It isn't a plastic bag. If you were to put a powerful syringe against a goretex membrane and pushed for long enough, you could force water through. This pumping effect is one of the reasons your shoulders get wet through in the rain when wearing a rucksack and a hardshell.

There are a number of reasons why your boots are letting in water and leaving your with wet feet.

1) Your boots have a hole in them. It's at the top, where your foot goes in. Unless you find a method for sealing this hole effectively, your feet will get wet. Gaiters are the best method, full waterproof trousers can go over these or replace these if you need.
2) Your boots have an unintentional hole in them (replace them)
3) Your boots do not have a waterproof membrane, and so are slowly allowing water through due to a lack of care

Sealskins socks are not designed to be worn for long hours walking. A wet boot will just force water through by pressure. They are designed to put on to wear a wet boot around your campsite, using the warmth of your foot to dry the boots.

In reply to chaldakov:

I rate sealskinz socks. I have a pair of very old nepal extremes that I can't make waterproof whatever I do. A pair of Sealskinz was so much cheaper than a new pair of boots, that I gave it a try. I wasn't disappointed. I have now done many week-long trips in foul, wet Scottish conditions (with nowhere to dry boots or socks overnight) and kept dry feet that I am convinced they work. I wear liner socks under them that stay dry, and have worn another pair of socks over them that most definitely do not stay dry.

In reply to neuromancer:

Thank you! Very helpful information...

In reply to MaranaF:


I've similar experience of Sealskinz socks for volunteering in, but I'm wondering if they might be a little bit different when hillwalking?

Have to admit to sweaty feet when I'm cycling in my Sealskinz socks...

In reply to Timmd:

Walking with weight is very different to sailing or other static or low-pressure exercises. Cycling - for example, is a great use of the sealskinz sock.

In reply to neuromancer:
All I can say is that seal skins work for walking for me. And when I say work, I mean keeping my feet and inner socks dry when boots are sodden after days of trudging through Scottish bogs.

In reply to chaldakov:

Thank you! I make order Sealskinz socks.

In reply to chaldakov:

Don't aim for *dry* feet. Aim for *quick drying* feet.

Which means lightweight approach shoes, and synthetic socks.

In reply to chaldakov:

A decent pair of leather boots such as Scarpa proofed with nikwax is the best option in my experience. Try to avoid boots with a goretex liner, they are hot in summer conditions and the membranes break down over time.

In reply to chaldakov:

My solution to the problem is Vaude Bike Gaiter:
http://www.vaude.com/de-DE/Bike-Gaiter-short-black-oxid.html?listtype=searc...

Thank you for your posts