[pct-l] Waterproof Socks

[CHUCK CHELIN]

Good morning, Brad,



I’ve used SealSkinz quite a bit, but only for training hikes here in the
damp Pacific NW where I’m not too concerned about weight.  I agree with
Steady’s assessment.  I always keep them in mind when gearing-up for the
Sierras or for possible late-season rain and/or slush in Washington, but so
far they haven’t made the cut.  Mine weigh 4.7 oz. per pair, which is not
ruinously heavy, but still more than I want for the value added.



 I’m not a fan of any Gore-Tex type product for extended hiking, but I was
pleasantly surprised at how well they work.  That’s mostly because my
expectations were so low.  Over many hours my feet get quite damp, probably
due more to sweat than to leaking, but they are warmer in spite of that.  I
don’t wear other socks inside of them because my shoes don’t have sufficient
room for the additional layer(s). I have never tried to step in water that
was deep trying to rely upon the claimed sealing function at their tops.  If
I did, my expectations of success would be really low.



On one pair I’ve worn through the inner liner at the ball of my foot, and
now I have the quirky feel of duct tape against my bare feet.  It seems to
work OK.



Steel-Eye

Hiking the Pct since before it was the PCT -- 1965

http://www.trailjournals.com/steel-eye

http://www.trailjournals.com/SteelEye09


On Wed, Mar 18, 2009 at 7:33 AM, Rod Belshee <rbelshee at hotmail.com> wrote:

> I used Sealskinz on some sections of the CDT (e.g. the Gila River section).
> They were okay at keeping out rain, but soon developed leaks crossing
> streams. Regardless, my feet got sweaty wet inside, so I had another pair
> of
> socks inside of the SealSkinz to absorb the moisture, which only worked
> partially. SealSkinz are rather heavy and do not count in your normal
> rotation of socks, so are extra weight.
>
> For Sierras most people just slosh through the streams and their feet dry
> out okay. Some people are more susceptible to blisters and have to take
> extra measures to keep feet drier. I'd consider SealSkinz as a heavy,
> non-ideal solution if your feet require it. I learned another alternative
> from Billy Goat, which takes more time but is less weight -- stuff a set of
> insoles from old shoes into sock liners and viola you have very lightweight
> stream crossing foot gear. That worked for me, though it is a hassle to
> change foot gear at each crossing. SealSkinz avoids that hassle at the cost
> of weight.
>
> Steady Sr
>
>
> --------------------------------------------------
> From: "Bradley Issler" <bradley.issler at gmail.com>
> Sent: Tuesday, March 17, 2009 11:50 PM
> To: "PCT-1" <pct-l at backcountry.net>
> Subject: [pct-l] Waterproof Socks
>
> > Greetings all,
> >
> > Tick Tock.  Anyhow, I think I want to get a pair of Waterproof socks for
> > the
> > Sierra.  Does anybody have any experience with the following that could
> > offer an opinion?
> >
> > Gore-tex Socks
> > http://www.botachtactical.com/rocgorsoc.html
> >
> > SealSkinz
> > http://www.botachtactical.com/sewaso.html
> >
> > Thanks,
> > Brad.
> >
> >
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