View Full Version : My Boots are wet
Flatpicker
07-04-2004, 11:54
Out of lurkdom to ask a gear question.
2 of the last 3 weekend hikes I have went out on have ended with wet feet. The first time this happened it was really pouring the rain on us. This weekend the rain had come at night but the area we were walking through (Shining Rock Wilderness) was so thick with brush/grass/laurels we were getting very wet as if it was raining. When we stopped and ate lunch Friday I took my boots off and wrung at least a half cup of water out of each sock. I can put up with most anything except wet feet. I have boots with a gore-tex lliner which are supposed to keep my feet dry. My socks come up above the top of my boot. Does the water soak down through my socks into my boots? Will gaiters help with this? My boots are Rocky's but I don't remember the style name. They are a 10" boot with Gore-Tex. Please don't tell me I am just expecting to much? Them wet socks give me blisters quick!
Lone Wolf
07-04-2004, 11:59
Gaiters will surely help. There ain't no such thing as 100% waterproof. Gore-Tex is fallable. Wet feet are part of the game.
Kerosene
07-04-2004, 12:10
Gaiters would help keep out the moisture from tall grass, although on a warm, humid day they may make your feet warmer, trading off socks soaked from dew for socks soaked from sweat.
The Gore-Tex boots should keep your feet drier initially, but once they're soaked they will stay wet until you can give them 2-3 hours in the sun to dry out. You may also want to periodically waterproof any large leather sections of your boots to keep them from sucking up moisture and increasing the weight of your boots.
Even with gaitors and waterproof boots you will still end up with wet socks given enough rain, heat and moisture. What works for me is to bring two pair of thicker socks (4 oz. each for SmartWools) with 3-4 thin liners (1.5 oz. each for Fox River X-Static liners). It's simply amazing how much better your feet feel with a semi-dry liner between your skin and a damp wool sock. In muggier conditions the liners have a chance of drying out, at least enough so that they aren't soaking wet.
Pencil Pusher
07-04-2004, 17:05
If wearing polypro pants with gaiters, pull the polypro up to the calf to keep it away from socks. If wearing rain pants, drape them over the gaiters so water doesn't trickle through gaiters over rainpants. I don't know how the exterior of the boot affects the breathability, as in wet suede or the seemingly constant moisture on smooth/beading leather.
Kozmic Zian
07-04-2004, 17:46
Yea....Wet feet again. Guys, when you get your boots, make sure you are buying an all leather boot with no stiching or seams on the sides, heel, or toe areas (a 'one piece' leather). Then use the manufacterers designated water proofing conditioner. Some use Snow Seal, Some use synthetics, some use bees wax, some neatsfoot oil, whatever, but use it when you're breaking in your boots, it also helps to soften the leather to where they're comfortable. If you 'goop up' the boots before you leave for a LDH and continue to do so, every two weeks or so. You should stay high and dry. Don't tell me you can't 'cause I know you can. It's all in the type of boot and how you condition it.
If you're gonna wear lightweights or 'trail-shoes', forgetaboutit. No way to keep out the water, and Gortex only makes the feet sweat more, by allowing less circulation and air into the boot. Gaters help, I wear 'em all the time. Keeps mud, stick and leaf particulate from getting into the sock and boot. When it rains, gaters are a must, keeps water from running down your leg into the boot. If it's not raining, I wear the gater 'low' to keep out the skree. That way, the leg dosen't sweat so much.
The right sock combo helps to. Good sock liners allow the moisture to pass back out of the sock into the shoe, drying the foot. Feel cool too. Help with blisters. That's what we're talkin' about here. Wet feet mean soft feet, soft feet mean blisters. Keep your boots dry, by proper conditioning, keep your feet dry to prevent blisters......They can put a quienus on your hike quicker than anything. KZ@;)
Blue Jay
07-05-2004, 08:53
Oh, my feet are wet, I'm gonna Die. You need to find a good house and stay in it.
smokymtnsteve
07-05-2004, 09:16
Oh, my feet are wet, I'm gonna Die.
sorry to hear that Blue Jay..can I pick up your next mail drop??? I hear you have interesting mail drops. :banana
magic_game03
07-05-2004, 12:22
A leather boot is like a steel boat; they are strong and durable and do exactly as they should. Under duress you can't hope for a better piece of equipment. But most of us don't go sailing in a storm. And like a steel boat, when the boot is waterproof you are good to go, but when one area fails to keep the water out.... well, you sink quicker.
After two thru-hikes I've realized I prefer nothing to be waterproof except the trash bag I use as a backpack liner. The problem with leather boots is they are hard to keep cleaning and sealing while on a long hike. Flathiker, I don't think you should be having this problem because you mentioned that you are only going out for weekends, so you should be fine if you clean and seal properly.
The good side of leather boots;
The leather material is durable, a great protector of toes and ankles, and it can be cleaned and waterproofed for a long lasting life.
The bad side of leather boots;
Due to its firm structure (dry) leather is a MAJOR cause of blisters. Once the waterproof barrier is broken your boot acts like a bucket and holds more water, of course this adds to the blister effect. A soaked boot will stay soaked for many days, usually until it becomes sunny or a dry wind blows. The firm construction of boots make them less dynamic, by this I mean that "spring" you get in a pair of trail shoes is lost because of the vibran (sp?) sole. At the end of a long day of hiking a 3 pound (or 5 pounds if wet)
Boot makes an enormous difference when compared to a 12 oz shoe.
I've kind of hinted at the synthetic vs. leather debate but I'm not downplaying anyone who uses leather. Your question about leather is hitting the nail on the head, leather is the only material that can be kept water proof over long periods of time (gortex looses it's water resistance after a few days, I don't care what you clean it with or spray on it or whatever) so you should not be experiencing wet boot on a weekend hike unless they are poorly sealed.
Also I recommend a "desert gaiter" for most any hiking condition and be sure to use high quality synthetic/wool hiking socks.
Blue Jay
07-05-2004, 16:43
Your question about leather is hitting the nail on the head, leather is the only material that can be kept water proof over long periods of time (gortex looses it's water resistance after a few days, I don't care what you clean it with or spray on it or whatever) so you should not be experiencing wet boot on a weekend hike unless they are poorly sealed.
I have several pairs of gortex trail runners that have no tread left on the bottom and holes in the exterior fabric right down to the GoreTex layer that you can stand in water below the tops and there are NO leaks. I am sick of leather freaks telling people goretex loses water resistance when clearly they have never used the product. Using goretex with leather makes you think they leak because your feet sweat and you think it's a leak, or the rain runs down your leg, duh.
Kozmic Zian
07-05-2004, 18:32
Oh, my feet are wet, I'm gonna Die. You need to find a good house and stay in it. You talkin' to me.....You need to grow up, boy.KZ@
Kozmic Zian
07-05-2004, 18:35
Yo......You're always sick of whatever opinion differs from your own.grow up!
:jump :jump :jumpI'm tired of you 'parroting' my posts. Don't you have anything else to do? Like work, or life or something? I guess I have my own 'troll', now!KZ@
smokymtnsteve
07-05-2004, 20:01
Yea...troll ..you heard that didn't ya BLUE JAY..troll..get a life, job..something SMS ;)
Lone Wolf
07-05-2004, 20:19
Koz is FOS. Paranoid. Thinks someone is always parroting? :cool:
Kozmic Zian
07-06-2004, 01:20
Yea....You seem to do a bit o that yo self, there P. wolf.... sscuse...me...don't shooott me. I'll get skeerdt... LOL.KZ@:jump
Kozmic Zian
07-06-2004, 01:29
Yea....Not 'someone'......Just you and 'Blue jayke'.....Two instagatin' peas in a pod. Got nothing intelligent to do, so you lerk around untill 'someone' makes a post that dosen't nessessarily agree with your sad agenda, then you ppppparot...up behind their post like a whiney little kid who got his marbles taken.....LOL. Too bad for you....Grow up! Thought you were a big Harley Rider...LOL...I guess some of us have to prove something to 'somebody'....LOL.KZ@:jumpoh yea....You're the one FOS(lots of it).
I love it when these guys get into their pissing contests. Loads of entertainment. :D
Blue Jay
07-06-2004, 07:27
I was clearly responding to Majic. Koz, you are paranoid. As for growing up, no thanks, there is nothing worse than a old guy trying to sound young, yeah.
squirrel bait
07-06-2004, 07:38
They are occasionally funny......interesting to read.......get a tad off the subject.....but like bbbbbears.....not anything to be scared of, just watch em. For wet feet follow these simple rules:
Don't walk in the rain.
Don't walk in the morning dew.
Don't wade the streams booted/shoed.
Don't leave home. :confused:
Lone Wolf
07-06-2004, 09:08
neener neener neeeenerrrr! :p
SGT Rock
07-06-2004, 09:22
Loose the boots, go for shoes.
Kozmic Zian
07-06-2004, 09:31
Yea.....If so how come you stuck it under my post? How else is one to determine who is 'trolling'......psychic or something? I think you're the one who's paranoid, BluJay.....and a 'lurker'.....or 'troll' or something of that nature....don't some of you have the same opin of this guy? Just wish you could be as nice acting as you try to appear after someone catches you it the act!KZ@ ....who the fongu is Majic, anyway?:o
Kozmic Zian
07-06-2004, 09:39
>>>>>>>>>.<<<<<<<<<
Sure sucks to have someone follow and bash someone w/ a different opion? KZ you have never done that right?
Kozmic Zian
07-14-2004, 08:23
Yea.....What or who is a ripple anywho? What do you know about it....stick your lil' nose in somebody elses bus, bud. Neeerrr..rrrnnnnerrrr.. Or try some Boones Farm...KZ@
good reply. really!
and answer to your question:
rip·pled, rip·pling, rip·ples
v. intr.
<LI type=a>To form or display little undulations or waves on the surface, as disturbed water does.
To flow with such undulations or waves on the surface.
To rise and fall gently in tone or volume.
v. tr.
To cause to form small waves or undulations.
n.
A small wave.
A wavelike motion; an undulation: the ripple of a flag.
A sound like that made by rippling water: a ripple of laughter.
dougmeredith
07-14-2004, 11:30
Oops sorry, I didn't mean to be on topic.
Doug
Kozmic Zian
07-14-2004, 19:48
Yea.....Cheeeszze! Why don ya get anal over it! It's only a joke, right! You must be a Republican or something like that.....KZ@:o
smokymtnsteve
07-14-2004, 19:50
..........<*>...........
???????????????. again nice reply
In March this year I met a couple of throuh hikers from Nova Scotia. The man had hiked from Springer to NOC through snow and rain with just a pair of slip on tennis shoes. No socks, even. He swore it was the way to go and that he would never wear boots. He said he had to buy a new pair every month or so, but who cares at $15 per pair? Like Sgt Rock said, use shoes. I still use boots but it really made an impression. I have seen folks in Mexico who hike miles every day bare-footed. Their feet are pretty gross, though.
APPLE in AUSTIN
SGT Rock
07-16-2004, 08:41
I saw people in Iraq that walked around on broken glass, trash, and scrap metal barefoot like it was a sidewalk. I suppose it only takes conditioning.
smokymtnsteve
07-16-2004, 08:57
My grandma Tallullah Tocca Queen McElreath who was raised up in the back of beyond and who wuz a growed up woman before she ever saw a motorcar.. she used to go hiking with me when I was a child we walked all over the smokies with her barefooted..she thought nothing of it...she would tell me the story of how they would carry thier sunday "go to meeting" shoes in thier suggin (sack/tote bag) and walk to church barefooted and only out their shoes on when they got to the meeting house yard,,,we always had trouble getting grandma to wear shoes and when we died and we buried her we buried her barefooted at her request as she couldn't stand the thought of having to wear shoes for time and all eternity. she wuz a real SOUTHERN HIGHLANDER of the bosum type :D