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AAhiker
05-16-2012, 08:39
I am thinking of switching over to quick dry shoes instead of waterproof ones and I am trying to pick a waterproof sock. I am curious if anyone has used these products and what they thought.

Alligator
05-16-2012, 09:10
I have used both. I prefer the goretex socks. They fit better, are lighter, and pack smaller. I gave my Sealskinz away.

Deacon
05-16-2012, 09:12
I have the Rocky waterproof socks and wear them with the Inov8 Rocklite 295s, with the Sole brand Ultra footbeds. I've walked through water completely covering my shoes, and my feet stay dry.
Keep in mind that the Rocky's are intended to wear as oversocks, with another light pair underneath, although in hot weather, I suppose you could just wear them alone. These socks fit loosely on the foot while the top band seems a little tight.


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BrianLe
05-16-2012, 10:13
Depends on the circumstances, but I suggest that in so many cases they right answer is "neither one". In snow I'll use the Rocky goretex socks sometimes, but am also typically happy without them. In the rare instance that I know that I'll be walking through or even in streams a lot, some sort of neoprene socks (like sealskinz) are the better choice. So walking the "narrows" in Zion national park would be a good example, except not so much in that a thicker neoprene sock is better than sealskinz in that case. A situation where you're doing wet crossings again and again would seem to fit, but again, depends on conditions --- if it's cold out, then yes, but in warm weather I'd rather not have the sealskinz on. If it's just a lot of rain and puddles and that sort of thing, go for the goretex, recognizing that at some point your feet will likely get wet anyway if it stays like that. I think of the goretex socks for such situations as just putting off the inevitable.

So more often these days I don't bother just due to anticipated wet, it has to be wet plus cold, and the much more important part of the solution to that is a good set of wool socks.

AAhiker
05-16-2012, 12:12
Sounds like I'll be dropping the extra coin for the Rocky gortex. Thanks for the input.

Deadeye
05-16-2012, 17:23
I have a pair of SealSkinz. I might use them for ice fishing, or something else sedentary, but I can't recommend them for hiking. The Skinz will trap all your sweat inside the sock, and both your feet and the socks will quickly (one day will do it) develop a very unpleasant - intolerable, really - funk.