View Full Version : Wool Socks or Down Booties
wordstew
01-25-2018, 11:31
So I bought myself a pair of down booties for cold weather use with my quilt. To my surprise I find that knee high wool socks feel warmer to me.
What are folks using on their feet for extra warmth under their quilt.
Your perception may relate to your wool socks offering greater coverage hence possibly greater warmth because they are knee high when down booties or down socks are lower cut.
If it's that cold on longer hikes I'll be carrying two pr of merino socks and down socks(for sleeping in only not wandering around outside the quilt/sleeping bag) so it's not always a matter of choosing. I'll wear both but often GooseFeet Down Socks are enough and offer some change appreciated by my feet. If there's any wetness or snow in the forecast, one of those pr of merino socks will be switched out for WP Hanz or Seal Skinz insulated calf height socks. I'm a sock person. :)
There're many versions of both wool and down socks so making comparisons based solely on wool vs down without offering details will be misleading. If you can keep the down dry I'd surmise they will be the lighter and warmer when compared with a low cut merino wool sock.
nsherry61
01-25-2018, 12:03
I find puffy booties much warmer than my thick wool socks, and I can walk around in my booties (which have a thin sole on them), which I can't do in my socks. In winter, I generally prefer my booties which I wear over socks of some kind, not next to skin because of clammy sweaty skin against the booty inners when I don't wear socks.
That being said, I use my thick wool socks more than I use my booties, because the socks are warm enough most of the time and they can double, in an emergency, as another pair of socks.
MacBrave
01-25-2018, 14:41
I recently received a pair of EE Sidekicks (https://enlightenedequipment.com/sidekicks/) as a Christmas present. Had the first opportunity to try them out on a winter campout with the Boy Scouts this past weekend. They completely exceeded my expectations. Wore them with a pair of thick smartwool socks and my feet stayed toasty warm while sleeping.
The first time I ever wore real wool socks my feet were sweating all day long they were so warm. I was sold. I never knew there was anything that could keep your feet so warm.
peakbagger
01-25-2018, 16:39
Try a pair of these Darn Tuff socks
https://www.govx.com/p/37776/darn-tough-over-the-calf-extra-cushion-mountaineering-socks.
I got a bag of them at the factory sale a few years ago and they are hard to beat for warmth.
Also lifetime guarantee. Down booties can be warm but reality is they are going to get beat up on a hike as the temptation is always going to leave them on instead of switching to something else in the middle of the night.
Only speculation here...maybe the down is getting overly compressed inside the sleeping bag. No loft...no warmth.
Old Grouse
01-25-2018, 16:52
On MassDrop Goosefoot Gear Booties are currently on offer.
nsherry61
01-25-2018, 19:34
Last week, at 10 degrees in a 20 degree bag my son wanted to put his trash compactor bag over the foot of his bag to add warmth. I talked him out of that as it was compressing his footbox insulation and it would have held moisture in the footbox. Instead, he stuck his feet inside the plastic bag inside his sleeping bag and was absolutely amazed at how warm it kept his feet. Hmm. I just slept with a hot water bottle for the same reason, but I'm intrigued by the plastic bag over feet idea.
fastfoxengineering
01-25-2018, 23:20
Possum down socks and goosefoot down socks.
Plush warmth
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MuddyWaters
01-26-2018, 03:45
Last week, at 10 degrees in a 20 degree bag my son wanted to put his trash compactor bag over the foot of his bag to add warmth. I talked him out of that as it was compressing his footbox insulation and it would have held moisture in the footbox. Instead, he stuck his feet inside the plastic bag inside his sleeping bag and was absolutely amazed at how warm it kept his feet. Hmm. I just slept with a hot water bottle for the same reason, but I'm intrigued by the plastic bag over feet idea.
Ive wrapped my feet in raingear before .
Even if only 1 degree, you can feel it.
Actually try this sometime. Close your eyes and just shine a normal low power flashlight on your ear or side of face. You can feel it. When called to, we can be very sensitive to small increnental changes in temperature. Even just placing your hand close to your face skin which is almost the exact same temperature..... You can feel instant change in skin temp as the cooling of skin is reduced.
bigcranky
01-26-2018, 08:07
The plastic bag over the feet *inside* the sleeping bag is an old trick that works well -- just be aware that anything inside the plastic bag can be pretty wet in the morning.
For socks vs down booties, I always take some nice warm wool socks to wear when sleeping. I add down booties when it's cold out. So my answer is, "why choose?"
Try a pair of these Darn Tuff socks
https://www.govx.com/p/37776/darn-tough-over-the-calf-extra-cushion-mountaineering-socks.
I got a bag of them at the factory sale a few years ago and they are hard to beat for warmth.
Also lifetime guarantee. Down booties can be warm but reality is they are going to get beat up on a hike as the temptation is always going to leave them on instead of switching to something else in the middle of the night.There are ways I've found to get around that. Nearby pee bottle is obvious. Next 1 piece down socks and 1 piece down booties are different. I'm guessing most folks don't want to be sleeping in a down bootie if they have a tendency to be more a camper wandering around in camp in them. Two possible solutions are to opt for a down sock that has some type of integrated sole protection realizing they still need TLC. Or, opt for a UL type down sock for in the bag that has a separate "over bootie" held nearby for quickly slipping on for those midnight calls. The two can be worn around camp when it's cold or just the over bootie when it's warmer. That's one reason why I like Ben's Goose Feet sock and bootie combination. I also like the UL wt. And, since once done hiking I'm in a bag or quilt within 15-20 mins especially in winter when I tend to take the down socks they aren't subjected to the wandering around a camp rigors. Even with the UL materials of the Goose Feet down socks I'm still using the original pr in almost out of the box condition since Ben sent them to me in 2007-2008. And, I darn well use them. Even though I'm a wool fanatic I can't say that about ANY wool sock I've used for sleeping.
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Possum down socks and goosefoot down socks.
Plush warmth
Sent from my Moto G (5) Plus using TapatalkThat sounds like an intriguing warm combo to demo.
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fastfoxengineering
01-26-2018, 17:56
That sounds like an intriguing warm combo to demo.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G900A using TapatalkYupp. Been using my goosefeet gear down socks for a year now. Had them paired with smartwool socks. Got a pair of possumdown socks from Zpacks for Xmas. I couldn't imagine hiking in the possumdown socks but they we're instantly the most comfortable sleep socks I've put on. They fit my feet loosely. Are super warm and breathe and softer than most thick wool socks I've tried. They feel plenty durable for sleep socks and I expect I'll get a few seasons out of them.
Slipped them into my down socks and yupp. Luxury.
Ill leave the down socks home during warmer weather. I suffer from cold feet.
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