Experience with waterproof socks

[PaulMCP]

Hi all. Apologies for another footwear question, but I'm interested in hearing what experiences people have had wearing waterproof socks for long periods on rainy days. I bought a pair of cheap Chinese waterproof socks, 110g - seems to be layers of fabric and neoprene - and now wondering whether they'll be useful. Shoes will be fabric trail runners, Camino will be Via de la Plata, Sept-Oct next year. Any advice appreciated.

 

[Bradypus]

I have used Sealskinz heavy duty "waterproof" socks in the past and still own a pair. The waterproof feature didn't seem to last long but they still act like a neoprene wetsuit and provide a good insulation for my occasionally damp feet. I no longer worry about getting my feet wet while walking if I have a reasonable chance of drying them properly at the end of the day. Keeping them warm is far more important to me. I find that wet or dry makes very little difference to me with regard to blisters which I very rarely suffer these days

 

[OzAnnie]

Any advice appreciated

Ok - my opinion ‘for vdlp’ at that time of the year(sep/oct) you might be happy to get your feet wet and cooler.
I’ve never used waterproof socks but have read positive comments about them on this forum. Maybe I’d be tempted to take a light pair in Feb March or April on the Vdlp.
I agree with @Bradypus … getting feet wet doesn’t bother me but it’s not too comfortable in the cooler months.

 

[trecile]

I have used waterproof socks and my last few Caminos. Combined with hiking sandals they have worked brilliantly. One issue though is that when you wash them they take a long time to dry, and can't be put into a dryer. So I wear a pair of regular socks underneath and just knock any dirt off the outside of the waterproofs until I have a couple of clear days available to wash and dry them.

 

[PaulMCP]

I have used Sealskinz heavy duty "waterproof" socks in the past and still own a pair. The waterproof feature didn't seem to last long but they still act like a neoprene wetsuit and provide a good insulation for my occasionally damp feet. I no longer worry about getting my feet wet while walking if I have a reasonable chance of drying them properly at the end of the day. Keeping them warm is far more important to me. I find that wet or dry makes very little difference to me with regard to blisters which I very rarely suffer these days

Thanks Bradypus, interesting. I'd assumed that walking with wet feet would be a major blister risk. I'll have to give it a try and see how my feet respond.

 

[PaulMCP]

I have used waterproof socks and my last few Caminos. Combined with hiking sandals they have worked brilliantly. One issue though is that when you wash them they take a long time to dry, and can't be put into a dryer. So I wear a pair of regular socks underneath and just knock any dirt off the outside of the waterproofs until I have a couple of clear days available to wash and dry them.

Sounds like a good combination, something I hadn't considered.

 

[PaulMCP]

Ok - my opinion ‘for vdlp’ at that time of the year(sep/oct) you might be happy to get your feet wet and cooler.
I’ve never used waterproof socks but have read positive comments about them on this forum. Maybe I’d be tempted to take a light pair in Feb March or April on the Vdlp.
I agree with @Bradypus … getting feet wet doesn’t bother me but it’s not too comfortable in the cooler months.

Thanks OzAnnie, maybe I'll take them along in case of cold weather. Or maybe not if walking with wet feet isn't so bad, particularly in warmer weather.

 

[KDub]

I have used waterproof socks and my last few Caminos. Combined with hiking sandals they have worked brilliantly. One issue though is that when you wash them they take a long time to dry, and can't be put into a dryer. So I wear a pair of regular socks underneath and just knock any dirt off the outside of the waterproofs until I have a couple of clear days available to wash and dry them.

That’s how I used them too, over my regular socks. It is nice to have the extra insulation when hiking in sandals. They worked especially well in the snow up and over O’Cebreiro.

 

[WalkingPadre]

I walked in leather Keen Newport sandals most of the way from SJPP last spring. On the very few days it was very wet, cold, muddy, and/or snowy I wore a pair of inexpensive waterproof socks from China and was happy to have them. I was especially thankful for them on the first day—May 1–over the Pyrenees. I wore a pair of light liner socks underneath. As others have mentioned, they lost some of their waterproofness in time but continued to be worth wearing.

My local REI didn’t have anything comparable so I ordered a pair to try them. With sandals in extreme conditions I recommend them.

 

[Karen Landow]

Hi all. Apologies for another footwear question, but I'm interested in hearing what experiences people have had wearing waterproof socks for long periods on rainy days. I bought a pair of cheap Chinese waterproof socks, 110g - seems to be layers of fabric and neoprene - and now wondering whether they'll be useful. Shoes will be fabric trail runners, Camino will be Via de la Plata, Sept-Oct next year. Any advice appreciated.

Like others have mentioned, I also wear a pair of lightweight wool socks under my sealskinz when there is more than just light drizzle and find they keep my feet dry and comfortable. I have a pair packed for the VdlP in March/April.