View Full Version : Staying Dry/Comfortable
I am headed up to Maine for some hiking and the weather is looking wet wet wet. I personally don't have experience in walking in prolonged rain.
My main concern I think is feet/socks.
Would gaiters help any with keeping boots dry. When I hiked in PA in a rainstorm, the rain just ran right into the boot.
I am planning on carrying 4 pair of socks, how bad is it going to be if all my socks get wet and I can't get them dry.
I know this is probably a common sense thing or something so please don't make fun of me for asking this :) I have been fortunate enough to not have had to hike in rain except for once.
Any other rain tips would be great as well.
Thanks
fiddlehead
08-04-2008, 22:33
Just get used to hiking in wet feet.
Always keep one pair of socks totally dry for sleeping in at night.
Wring out the wet ones and put them back on.
Wool and Fleece keep you warm even when wet.
You can't keep your feet dry in those conditions. (Unless you wear rubber boots)
Stir Fry
08-04-2008, 22:41
Rubber boots will just hold the water.
fiddlehead
08-05-2008, 01:33
Waders.
Hike in the rain long enough regardless of what you buy to keep dry, you are going to get wet. Expect and plan on it. Have a dry change of clothes packed away for night time is about the best you can do.
Blissful
08-05-2008, 10:43
I used boots for the first part of my hike. Gaiters gave me blisters by keeping my feet too warm. I had gore tex boots but they still got wet inside anyway and took forever to dry.
I then went to trail runners that dry quick and liked them very much. When you stop, dry out your insoles and shoes in the sun.
Yep, trail runners and change your socks... I carry three pair: one on my feet, one drying out, one dry pair for camp/sleeping. Switch the first two several times a day to ward off blisters.
BookBurner
08-05-2008, 10:50
Don't bother with all the extra socks. Even if you put a dry pair on in the morning, wet boots from the day before will soak them through in no time. Now you're toting wet socks from the day before and wearing wet socks at the same time. You'll get used to wet feet quickly. So keep something dry for bedtime but just walk the wet stuff dry once the weather clears. Good luck ad enjoy.
paradoxb3
08-05-2008, 10:52
i also bought into the gore tex hype thinking it would keep me dry in any conditions. hah, how silly i was. dont waste your time/money. dont get me wrong, my pair of Merrell gore tex boots are the nicest most comfortable pair of shoes i've ever put on my feet in my entire life! however, water just has a way of getting in EVERYTHING EVERYWHERE when you're standing under it. theres really nothing you can do if you want to hike in the rain (with the exception of maybe hiking indoors?), but as others have already said -- keep a DRY change of clothes tucked in your pack for sleeping.
minnesotasmith
08-05-2008, 10:56
1) Sealskins. These are impermeable thin neoprene socks with a fabric layer. I cannot imagine sustained walking in trail runners in slush without them.
2) Each morning, just before you start the day's hike, smear a thin layer of petroleum jelly over all of your feet (including between toes) up past your ankles.
3) As soon as you get to camp, get your feet out of socks and shoes, and into your Crocs or whatever you carried for camp shoes. Both your footwear and skin on your feet will have a chance to start drying.
4) Using either a small camp towel, or some paper towels, try to dry your socks and shoes as best you can. Wringing out socks, and putting the camp towel/paper towels in your shoes, then putting them on again and walking around in them for a minute, seem to work well for me. Then, put them out in the sun, if available.
5) When hiking each day, if you have wet socks, consider attaching them to the outside of your pack with safety pins so they can dry during the day's walk.
Plodderman
08-05-2008, 11:16
Hard to stay dry in prolonged rain. The best advice is to keep one pair or two dry for the shelter.
I always take a half hour or so in the morning and afternoon to set somewhere out of the rain to take my shoes and socks off to to rest my feet and dry them off.
After two or three days of raining you do not even try to stay dry and you forget about it some.
I like bringing a small (3 oz) container of Gold Bond powder and spreading it on my feet before I go to sleep. I've heard that some people put a 1/2 ounce or ounce of Gold Bond in a plastic baggie instead of the small-size container to save weight. Either way, your feet will appreciate being dried out for at least a couple of hours.
thanks for the advice.
Just curious what the petroleum jelly does?
Trail runners are not an option for me and I wouldn't want to try new shoes anyways when I leave in a week.
leeki pole
08-05-2008, 11:42
thanks for the advice.
Just curious what the petroleum jelly does?
Trail runners are not an option for me and I wouldn't want to try new shoes anyways when I leave in a week.
Petroleum jelly is a bad idea. Fosters fungus and actually can cause blisters as your feet slide around inside your boot or shoe. Powder, like green Gold Bond with a thin liner inside your regular sock is a much better alternative.
On trail you will be wet when hiking in prolonged rain. Wind protection is sometimes important to prevent hypothermia (can happen at 60* if wet and windy). Attitude is your best protection against rainy weather.
Keep some dry socks/clothes for in camp. Put wet socks/clothes back on when you resume hiking the next day - not as bad as it sounds once you get moving again.
An unavoidable fact of long distance hiking.
minnesotasmith
08-05-2008, 12:07
thanks for the advice.
Just curious what the petroleum jelly does?
Trail runners are not an option for me and I wouldn't want to try new shoes anyways when I leave in a week.
It keeps the water from turning your feet into prunes when they're wet all day. It's the same principle as people in old stories covering their bodies with grease before swimming long distances (especially in cold water) by reducing the water's ability to interact with your skin. It also reduces the friction from wet socks rubbing your skin all day. The sliding issue is largely dealt with IMO by having socks and footwear that fit well.
No, this isn't perfect, but anything that cheaply and considerably improves a pretty bad situation that's critical is worth considering. I used this technique substantially during prolonged wet spells during my thruhike, and found it helpful.
Kerosene
08-05-2008, 16:28
Petroleum jelly is a bad idea.Hydropel (http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-bin/backpackinglight/hydropel.html) and SportSlick (http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-bin/backpackinglight/sportslick_pocket.html) are widely accepted alternatives.
Kerosene
08-05-2008, 16:31
My feet sweat...a lot...so I always seem to have wet socks. Over time, I've found that it makes more sense to rotate between 4 lightweight liner socks (such as the Fox River X-Static Liners) under two pair of thicker wool socks. The wool socks get wet; I wring them out; and maybe after the first day they're damp at the start of the day. At least the liners have a chance to dry. While your feet will still get wet, putting on a damp pair of liners feels a whole lot better than starting out in all-wet socks.
leeki pole
08-05-2008, 17:23
Hydropel (http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-bin/backpackinglight/hydropel.html) and SportSlick (http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-bin/backpackinglight/sportslick_pocket.html) are widely accepted alternatives.
I still think dry is better, but to each his or her own. I'd pull those insoles out every day, powder them up and wear some good wicking socks. A neat trick with really wet footwear is to carry some newspaper and wad them up inside when you get to camp. If you turn them sideways, they'll dry faster, don't know why, but it works.
I still think dry is better, but to each his or her own. I'd pull those insoles out every day, powder them up and wear some good wicking socks. A neat trick with really wet footwear is to carry some newspaper and wad them up inside when you get to camp. If you turn them sideways, they'll dry faster, don't know why, but it works.
What's that saying old news is still good news i been doing that for years.
ChinMusic
08-05-2008, 18:21
Two of the ideas so far that I really like to do.
5) When hiking each day, if you have wet socks, consider attaching them to the outside of your pack with safety pins so they can dry during the day's walk.
I then went to trail runners that dry quick and liked them very much. When you stop, dry out your insoles and shoes in the sun.
Face it, your feet are gonna get wet. That said, dry is better and those two ideas will give you more dry time.
On trail you will be wet when hiking in prolonged rain. Wind protection is sometimes important to prevent hypothermia (can happen at 60* if wet and windy). Attitude is your best protection against rainy weather.
Keep some dry socks/clothes for in camp. Put wet socks/clothes back on when you resume hiking the next day - not as bad as it sounds once you get moving again.
An unavoidable fact of long distance hiking.
Then here is a question I have; assume it is not raining when you set up camp but you (and your shoes+socks) are soaked, do you hang your wet articles out to dry on a line or something or just apck them up and let them dry later? please forgive the lack of knowledge here, i'm new.
Take advantage of EVERY opportunity to dry wet gear. You may not get a second chance.
That said, if you hang damp gear out to dry, keep an eye on the weather. I have turned damp gear into soaked gear by not paying attention.
I would always wear the damp socks the next day. Your feet are amazing little furnaces while you are hiking. The fastest way to dry boots/socks/clothes is to wear them dry. (this is assuming the weather has cleared, but even if it hasn't, wear the wet clothes to avoid getting two of everything wet)
edit: One more thing, if you are at the end of a trip, or are heading into town where you will have laundry facilities, and the weather is dry, but boots and gear is wet (how's that for a long set-up): Go ahead and put your dry sleeping socks on to hike in. Dry socks and your feet(furnaces) inside the boots will go a very long way to drying them. You can then launder all your clothes and start your next leg with clean, dry socks, and dry boots.
ChinMusic
08-06-2008, 15:07
Depending on where you are hiking, you need to be careful regarding leaving your boots out. One of my buddies had a boot ruined by critters during the night. We were guessing a porcupine liked the salt and gnawed the heck out of it. I try to protect my shoes/boots from critters as I would my food bag.
I presume you will be hiking within the next couple weekss? (not clear in post)
If you are to be hiking in Maine this month (August 08) forget about being dry and comfortable! This is one of the wettest summers ever!
I might suggest though 1) put a 100% waterproof oversized garbage bag inside your pack (compacter type). Use a pack cover on the outside of the pack (packcover on its own will not be sufficient). With the pack lined on inside at least you can keep some gear dry.
You feet will get wet. period. Goretex boots will serve to keep the water in. You may want to consider hiking in sandles or even quick dry sneakers.
I don't care what you use for rain gear.. eventually you will get soaked.
Leave ALL cotten clothes at home. Use only quick dry matrials for clothing. Cotten almost never drys.
Depending on where you will be hiking in Me.. you may and probably will encounter LOTS of mud. You may also get to deal with very high stream levels.
On the positive side.. finding water for drinking and cooking will not be a problem.
DavidNH.
When hiking in prolonged wet weather, you should powder your feet after drying and before putting on your dry camp socks. Use an anti-fungal powder. I haven't used Gold Bond but if it is anti-fugal, it should do the job. You'll be amazed at how good that feels on your poor, tired, wet feet. You can feel and almost hear them thanking you! :)
As others have said, get used to wet feet during the day, but take care of them per above at night. Not taking acute care of your feet in day-after-day rainy weather can lead to problems you don't even want to have to deal with.
I will be heading out this Sunday. Start my drive tomorrow.
Thanks for all the advice.
Outahere