Keeping feet warm while wet

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AlasdairMc
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Keeping feet warm while wet

Post by AlasdairMc »

I’ve got several different combinations of winter footwear, normally favouring Woolie Boolies with winter MTB boots. However, any solution normally assumes I’m not traipsing through rivers, allowing the boots to get soaked through. I can usually manage a dunking or two, but once you start going through several rivers in one ride my patience starts wearing thin and my toes start going numb. I’ve tried Seal Skinz too, but don’t get on with them particularly well (once wet they’re cold).

What’s the best solutions out there to remain warm when it’s cold but wet? I’m thinking along the lines of multiday rides where an infinite supply of dry socks won’t be available to me.
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voodoo_simon
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Re: Keeping feet warm while wet

Post by voodoo_simon »

DEX shell are nicer than Seal Skin, nicer cuff allows less water in.

Hiking merino socks tend to be fluffier than cycling socks, so may be warmer when wet.

Multi day rides wise, normal socks on day one and then water proof socks on day two if the boots are saturated. Not sure what to do in day three...!
AlasdairMc
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Re: Keeping feet warm while wet

Post by AlasdairMc »

voodoo_simon wrote:DEX shell are nicer than Seal Skin, nicer cuff allows less water in.

Hiking merino socks tend to be fluffier than cycling socks, so may be warmer when wet.

Multi day rides wise, normal socks on day one and then water proof socks on day two if the boots are saturated. Not sure what to do in day three...!
I’ll look up Dex Shell, thanks for the tip. Day 2 on Seal Skinz sounds like a plan though as I’ve got plenty of them kicking around.

Anyone got any experience of riding in neoprene socks?
restlessshawn
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Re: Keeping feet warm while wet

Post by restlessshawn »

I found neoprene socks from decathlon ok last winter, bit clammy sometimes.
ScotRoutes
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Re: Keeping feet warm while wet

Post by ScotRoutes »

My experience with Neoprene gloves has been pretty good. Thick though so footwear would need to be sized accordingly.

GoreTex socks have worked for me, especially when putting on wet boots. Obviously you need woolie socks inside.

Latex socks are an option I've yet to try. Teamed up with woolie socks I guess though getting them on might be an issue.
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Bearbonesnorm
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Re: Keeping feet warm while wet

Post by Bearbonesnorm »

Another vote for the Dex Shell socks, especially the longer / thermal variety.
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psling
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Re: Keeping feet warm while wet

Post by psling »

Depends how quickly you're moving. If it's a multi-day not against the clock, take boots and socks off to cross rivers then dry feet before re-booting. OK, means carrying a pat-towel and maybe even a pair of jandals but they pack easily and don't weigh a huge amount. Bit of a pain if you're crossing a river in spate around every bend though.
Impatient man's version - strap a bin bag over each leg when crossing rivers :-bd
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Al
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Re: Keeping feet warm while wet

Post by Al »

I’ve found a good compromise is if you take your socks and innersoles out of your boots and stuff them in your jacket. Cross the river with your boots on. Then put dry socks and innersoles back into the boots. Obviously not completely dry but much more comfortable than just smashing through the river as you were.
pb2
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Re: Keeping feet warm while wet

Post by pb2 »

Dex is a new name to me, unfortunately "sealskinz" is not - what a triumph of marketing over substance. I have yet to use any sealshit product that has come close to doing what its meant to do :oops:
javatime
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Re: Keeping feet warm while wet

Post by javatime »

Ex army goretex boot liners. The best £5 I have ever spent. I have high ankle length, think you can get longer ones ?
ScotRoutes
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Re: Keeping feet warm while wet

Post by ScotRoutes »

pb2 wrote:Dex is a new name to me, unfortunately "sealskinz" is not - what a triumph of marketing over substance. I have yet to use any sealshit product that has come close to doing what its meant to do :oops:
In which case avoid Dex Shell. Seakskinz used the Dex Shell liner up to about 4 years ago and then they fell out.
Hamish
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Re: Keeping feet warm while wet

Post by Hamish »

I have used sealskinz for years and, if you don't expect miracles, find them to be pretty good. When new they keep my feet pretty dry as long as water doesn't go in from the top.

When they start to leak a bit or water comes down from above they keep my feet warmer when they get wet than they would be with ordinary socks.

To stop them leaking I treat them like dry suit socks and keep my toe nails trimmed, wear thin socks underneath and make sure I don't walk around in the socks without shoes on.

To stop water coming over the top and down my ankles I sometimes cut the hands off a heavy duty rubber glove and use the remaining rubber sleeve like a gaiter or seal above the socks. Pull it on and up over your ankle, put the dry sock on and roll the sleeve over the top of the sock. Sounds stupid but it works. A pair of there will last about a week of winter bike packing if you are careful.

I have also used the long version of the socks which work quite well in colder conditions.

I have used reed chillcheater socks too. They work ok but bunch up and are sweatier. Plastic bags work at a push and I am told that heavy duty condoms are worth a try. .. :shock:
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fatbikephil
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Re: Keeping feet warm while wet

Post by fatbikephil »

The trick with sealskins is not dry them on a radiator or other direct heat source. I had a few pairs fail after less than a year and that's what sealskins themselves said. I now get a couple of years or so out of them.

No real advice from me Alasdair, my feet are so susceptible to cold I have to go to great lengths to keep them dry which involves a lot of faffing at river crossings!
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Alpinum
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Re: Keeping feet warm while wet

Post by Alpinum »

Movement.

If I loose sensation I get of the bike and walk it. After 10 min or so my feet are alive again and I can keep on riding.

Works best with not so stiff shoes/boots.
Lazarus
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Re: Keeping feet warm while wet

Post by Lazarus »

woolie bollie socks are the best i have ever owned for staying warm when wet- they do need wringing out and the boot emptying when sloshing with water.

Sealskins and their aldi counterpart i dont mind for commutes and the like but they are not very breathable IME or warm when wet

I use wolfenhammer boots with dry skin seals to cover the cuff and they remain dry in any weather. They would not stay drycrossing a river.

Walking is, by a long way, the best way to get your feet warm once cold.
ripio
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Re: Keeping feet warm while wet

Post by ripio »

ScotRoutes wrote:
pb2 wrote:Dex is a new name to me, unfortunately "sealskinz" is not - what a triumph of marketing over substance. I have yet to use any sealshit product that has come close to doing what its meant to do :oops:
In which case avoid Dex Shell. Seakskinz used the Dex Shell liner up to about 4 years ago and then they fell out.
Dexshell use a Porelle membrane, and as far as I know so do Sealskinz, or they certainly used to, has this changed?
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Bearbonesnorm
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Re: Keeping feet warm while wet

Post by Bearbonesnorm »

It could be that Sealskins and Dex use or did use the same membrane but could there be other differences? I've cetainly found the Dex socks to be better at warm / dry. Saying that, my Dex socks are the thermal version and use some kind of merino blend which may well account for it?
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In Reverse
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Re: Keeping feet warm while wet

Post by In Reverse »

Bearbonesnorm wrote:Another vote for the Dex Shell socks, especially the longer / thermal variety.
2 months of wearing the knee-length thermal DexShell socks, bought after reading the above post.

They are excellent. :-bd
redefined_cycles
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Re: Keeping feet warm while wet

Post by redefined_cycles »

Dexshell +1... they actually spent alot of time effort and thought in their socks... might sound wierd but the cheap variety from aldi/lidl not too bad either and i have 2 votes from dexshell owners finding them pretty impressive (me and my riding partner)... been through the sealskinz for almost 10 years (since they firsr released and that first crumply edition worked pretty well) and total disappointment...
redefined_cycles
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Re: Keeping feet warm while wet

Post by redefined_cycles »

Alasdair... what ive done is given on on waterproof socks and what i reckon would qirk pretty well for you is 2 pairs of high grade/percentage of merino and just alternate between them whilst 1 dries out....

On my Festive500 for 2017 (end of december when the roads was icy and wet) i remember one of my boots had developed a leak (five10 guide tennie goretex edition) and my foot was getting to the point past enduring and starting to suffer...

I stopped along the road and changed socks to my spare set... what to stop water penetration again or the insides of them shoes making feet/socks wet and cold again?? I put a plastic bag to line the socks from the outside... so slowly thw heat from my dry feet and socks slowly dried out my boots...

The socks i removed quickly dried out (AFAIR) on my saddlebag as i had squeezed all the water out... they was the Darntough heavier variety fromVancouver... 70percent merino and amazing.. my goto socks...
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whitestone
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Re: Keeping feet warm while wet

Post by whitestone »

When I was training for my Bob Graham a lot of the runs were during the winter and I'd use SealSkinz socks and they were great. I'd be running through snow and slush for hours and get back home or to the car with dry, warm feet. This would have been 2004 or so. Recent Sealskinz have been poor so I wonder if the aforementioned fallout with Dexshell has resulted in this?
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redefined_cycles
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Re: Keeping feet warm while wet

Post by redefined_cycles »

ripio wrote:
ScotRoutes wrote:
pb2 wrote:Dex is a new name to me, unfortunately "sealskinz" is not - what a triumph of marketing over substance. I have yet to use any sealshit product that has come close to doing what its meant to do :oops:
In which case avoid Dex Shell. Seakskinz used the Dex Shell liner up to about 4 years ago and then they fell out.
Dexshell use a Porelle membrane, and as far as I know so do Sealskinz, or they certainly used to, has this changed?
Pretty sure the current membrane inside the sealskinz doesnt look Porelle (gutted an earlier model of sealskinz aswell as some Madison gloves that I think also had porelle stamped somewhere or all over but twas a long time)... current (bought and stopped using in the past 3 or 4 years) crappy seallskinz dont look to be same membrane as them porelle ones I gutted.. pic below
redefined_cycles
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Re: Keeping feet warm while wet

Post by redefined_cycles »

Image

Looks more like Chinorelle from where I'm sat. Fits in with how their first editi9ns used to work well as they were famous for Made in the UK and then suddenly manufacturing went to china and they all became (less crumply but) crap...

Image
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