PDA

View Full Version : gore tex sock?



Bear Cables
04-26-2010, 17:50
Has anyone used gore tex sock to wear with non waterproof hikers? How did they work for you? I love my low quarter trail shoes but they are not WP and my feet stayed pretty wet during last summer's hike . Hoping to be able to use them anyway.

garlic08
04-26-2010, 18:22
I've only used mine in snow, and I've been pleased with that in my trail runners.

The problem I see with Goretex is that the membrane only breathes when it's both clean and dry. That's not very common with footwear. It also works on vapor pressure--one side must be dryer than the other for vapor transfer to occur. A Goretex garment is great on a cold dry day when you're sweating on a climb, but as soon as it gets wet you're wearing a plastic bag. Same thing if it's humid. So inside a shoe, I can't see it working very well most of the time. Dirt can be a problem, too.

garbanz
04-26-2010, 18:34
I too was looking for waterproof sox a couple years ago to wear with low cuts. If feasible it would have been a comfortable way to withdraw from wearing boots in colder, wet weather. I would think the waterproof sox would be ultra clammy in warm or even mild temps and feet would sweat profusely.
The 2 most mentioned "waterproof" socks here on WB were Rocky Gore Tex and Sealskinz. I first ordered the gore tex ones and a hole appeared after I pulled them on a foot. Even without the hole the fit was uncomfortable being loose on the foot and real tight on the lower calf. Needless to say I returned them for a refund.
Next came the sealskinz. The fit was superb even with a pair of smartwool sox underneath. They fit perfectly inside the shoe-not too tight. I bragged about them to friends in my hiking club when we were sloshing thru wet snow. My feet were warm and dry. Unfortunately it didnt last---with normal usage and in just a few outings the sealskins leaked. I retested them to see if my feet had sweated---no the moisture came from outside. Thus ended my search for waterproof sox. Hope you have better luck.

GeneralLee10
04-26-2010, 18:48
Okay, as far as I know not any GoreTex will work when dirty.
So for the other thread too about this, keep that in mind. Garlic is very correct about what he has said. Just need to man up and deal with the elements people. Not to be rude but it's the truth.

TIDE-HSV
04-26-2010, 21:00
I've had a pair of the Rocky Gore Tex socks for years. In fact, the last time I used them, I found that the seam tape had failed, so I resealed them. I do not use them on the trail. I use them under crocs or sandals around camp. Used that way, they've kept my feet warm and dry, even when I've had to stand in water to filter, etc. I'm holding on to mine, but I'm not going to try to hike in them...

Kerosene
04-27-2010, 10:07
I used a new pair of GoreTex booties on a rainy 7-mile day between Maupin Field Shelter and the Tye River (over Three Ridges). Temperature was in the 50s, and I was trying to move slowly because it was a short day (after a 25-miler the prior day) and I was trying to not overheat. Even so, I literally poured several ounces of from each sock when I took them off. They might prove useful in winter hiking, but I saw no reason to subject my feet to this even in cold wet weather, as long as I keep walking.