Viewing 37 posts - 1 through 37 (of 37 total)
  • A personal question about your socks…
  • Harry_the_Spider
    Full Member

    …do you have any of the Seal Skin type waterproof socks?

    The wife doesn’t have any winter cycling shoes and complains about cold wet toes (amongst other things).

    Are they any good?

    thomthumb
    Free Member

    ime. merino is much better; go for long ones to keep the shins warmer too.

    sealskins are ok in the dry but soak up water so then they feel cold.

    honeybadgerx
    Full Member

    Are you xmas shopping as well (was wondering about getting wor lass some too)?

    I had some years ago and remember them being a little sweaty but then I have quite hot feet which is probably less of a problem for the ladies.

    fadda
    Full Member

    I have some! I’d say that the socks can be as waterproof as you like, but while they still have a hole with your leg going in, the water will still get in to an extent.

    However, they then act a bit like a wetsuit, so your feet will still get (a bit) wet, but they’ll be warmer…

    postierich
    Free Member

    Yes I have a pair looking @ buying the knee length version as water is getting in @ the tops!
    Just remember to cut your/her toenails as they dont take long to wear through if you have a fine pair of talons!

    headfirst
    Free Member

    Yes I have.

    And No, they are not any good. I’ve had two pairs and both have failed after only a handful of rides. I kick myself for buying a second pair, as I thought maybe it was my fault for not washing or drying them correctly that the first pair became un-waterproof, but the same happened to the TLC’ed second pair too.

    Warm damp toes with merino wool socks are the best option.

    Kryton57
    Full Member

    Thing is, they aren’t waterproof. As you can see form the above they are a personal choice depending on how your feet react. Mine get wet but my feet stay warm. I can wear mine all year round, and find them good for “now” on the road. In fact I prefer them to overshoes.

    firestarter
    Free Member

    ive a pair they are nice and warm, keep the wind out and when you finally get water in them after it running down your leg it stays wet but warm. also use them on the motorbike in the cold to fight the wind.

    i did notice tho when i used them in the army they are no good for a forced march across undulating terrain, i had proper blisters that needed the iodene ;-(

    zippykona
    Full Member

    Over shoes?

    hora
    Free Member

    Core warm sorts out the rest I find. hora-Yoda.

    twinklydave
    Full Member

    Yes, I’ve got some (the ‘merino’ ones). They’re alright, not brilliant, but alright.

    They do (and will) fill with water. Once they’re full of water your feet get cold, but they are better than just wearing a bog standard pair of socks.

    For ‘proper’ winteriness I use a nice long pair of wool socks [product placement cough]Teko[/cough], with a long (i.e nearly up to my knees) pair of cheapo goretex ones off ebay.

    This combo keeps my whole lower leg warm (and doesn’t fill with water as easily cos they end just below my knee)while looking utterly, awesomely attractive too 🙂

    danielgroves
    Free Member

    Been running them for longer than I can remember now. I get very sweaty feet, and also very cold feet easily and absolutely love them. Yes, water goes in the top, and yes this is trapped once it gets in, but at least once it warms up it doesn’t get instantly replaced by more cold water, resulting in warmer feet in the long run.

    Love ’em.

    honourablegeorge
    Full Member

    Sealskinz are awful, awful things.

    w1zard
    Free Member

    I love Sealskinz, they are mostly waterproof, but water does get in over the top.

    Never had cold feet since I started wearing the thicker ones, as fadda mentioned, they seem to have a wetsuit-effect going on. Long toenails will cut through them though, and they take ages to dry out if you wash them.

    FuzzyWuzzy
    Full Member

    normal sealskinz + wet = colder than good merino socks (feet get wet in both scenarios)
    normal sealskinz + merino liner sock = about the same as a good merino sock (wet or dry)
    knee-length sealskinz + 3/4 baggies + wet = warmer than good merino socks (to a point anyway, my feet generally stay dry with this combo). If it’s dry then merino socks win out still
    knee-length sealskinz + merino liner socks + 3/4 baggies = warmer than good merino socks (whether it’s wet or dry)

    Above is from experience (the 3/4 baggies were gore waterproof ones, don’t think non-waterproof would make a whole lot of difference though) and by “good merino socks” I mean stuff like woolie boolies

    Northwind
    Full Member

    I have some, and they’ve always worked really well until worn out. Never had the problems some folks have with water getting in the top, except with the pair I killed with a radiator- a little gets in, but compared with regular socks it’s trivial.

    Oh aye, they’re all the lined version.

    Also bought a pair of the Gore ones, they’re so unpleasant that I’ve never even tried to wear them on the bike. Not remotely foot shaped.

    thepodge
    Free Member

    In my experience merino > Goretex

    plumber
    Free Member

    I have merino seal skins – don’t wear them often as I don’t suffer from cold feet generally but when I do they are super toasty

    For the right day I wouldn’t want to be without them

    IA
    Full Member

    Someone’s mentioned knee-length’s above, I have some (as well as a few other pairs) and they’re ace, like riding in wellies waterproof-ness wise, but do get hot. I only wear them riding in the snow. Look a bit special too.

    And if you do manage to fill them with water, they hold a lot!

    They work better than shorter ones as less spray that high up your leg so keeps more water out of them.

    bikebouy
    Free Member

    Erm.. cough.. erm… cough OVERSHOES/Belgian Booties..

    Dear God.

    Next you’ll be asking “what gloves for my pansy Mrs?”

    Get a decent pair of thermal socks, no need to spend loads, get yerself down to that there M&S and head over to the “thermal” section. Ok, so it’s not sexy like the in the Wimins undies dept but then you’d not really want to go there would you (would you??)

    Decent thermal sox, shoes, OVERSHOES.

    Not hard that is it, no not really.

    ton
    Full Member

    knee length merino lined seal skins work a treat

    avdave2
    Full Member

    On the short ones I use cut down marigolds to seal them. I’ve just bought the knee length ones to go with my 3/4 semi drys to keep my skins mud free, it’s a pain getting to work every day and home every night with the shins plastered.

    legend
    Free Member

    I’d highly recommend Point6 socks for cosy toes these days. Come in various shapes and sizes to suit all sorts.

    Seal Skinz are nasty when they start filling up with water, feels like your foot’s in frogspawn or something.

    FuzzyWuzzy
    Full Member

    Overshoes are shite if it’s properly wet, the water is ‘changed’ frequently so constantly chills your feet. If it’s dry then sure overshoes work great but anything more than the odd bit of splashing and knee-length sealskinz are a better solution (even with winter boots).

    julianwilson
    Free Member

    Mrs wilson has just sold off her Northwave goretex/winter boots having hardly worn them: she prefers sealskinz plus normal cycling shoes for mountain bike and has neoprene overshoes for her roadie shoes.

    FWIW from her experience with sealskinz/overshoes and min with waterproof winter boots/overshoes, all will get your feet wet eventually if your legs get wet enough for long enough over the top of them: I suppose waterproof trousers that come over the top of your boots/waterproof socks would work, also marigold “gaskets” as above! 😀 For me what is important is being warm as well as wet or not.

    Moe
    Full Member

    Running Bears, designed for fell running and cheap with it. Pete Bland Sports.

    last nights ride rain, rain and more rain, MBR free socks, shoes, overshoes = toasty 🙂

    scaredypants
    Full Member

    merino sealskins here, plus marigold flaps – all lovely under my splashproof tights and inside my waterproof booties 😳

    rOcKeTdOg
    Full Member

    Sealskins are ok if u gaffer tape the top to ur leg to stop them filling up, u might want to shave ur legs first though

    stumpy01
    Full Member

    I find sealskinz with tights/leggings on are pretty waterproof.

    Overshoes also help to keep the cold out (and help keep your shoes clean).

    This particular area of cycling clothing does tend to throw up a lot of disagreement. I think It shows that it’s down to personal preference.

    RustySpanner
    Full Member

    I like ’em, but your shoes have to be on the large side as they’re very bulky.
    Worth thinking about when budgetting for them.

    Have you thought about buying her a Scalextric set instead?

    PocketShepherd
    Free Member

    I love my sealskins. Calf-length, mid-thickness, pretty tatty now. Still my favourite bit of winter riding kit. They are super warm when it’s cold and even though they aren’t really waterproof because of the top opening, the water that gets in gets warmed up by you anyway so you get a wetsuit effect going on.

    Horses for courses though. I run pretty hot, never wear any more layers than just shorts on my legs and a baselayer and waterproof jacket on top.

    composite
    Free Member

    I wear short seal skins. I find that they are water proof to a certain point, but when it goes past that point they warm up in the same way as any sock does.

    So basically if it’s light rain or just splash water then they are great. Anything else and they are as good as any other type of sock.

    portlyone
    Full Member

    We need something akin to waders. Or something like those chemical hand warmers stitched into the sock to help warm them 🙂

    flatpat
    Free Member

    I quite like them BUT when I first had them, the tight shoe/bulky sealskins sock combo gave me numb & cold feet. With slightly roomier shoes, they’ve been fine. Also they are ridiculously expensive for socks.

    Zulu-Eleven
    Free Member

    my experience – the merino lined sealskins are bloody excellent – as long as you only wear them in a shoe that’s a size bigger than normal, and is *very* well ventilated

    I reckon half the problems come from people putting the inside boots that don’t breathe, then being surprised that they are wet inside!

    greggparker9
    Free Member

    I use the long ones and trainers for sailing instead of boots. Warmer and more comfortable moving around. Not used them cycling.

    jambalaya
    Free Member

    Yes I have two pairs, standard and knee length (useful in really wet weather then water can run down your legs and into the socks with the short ones from where it cannot escape)

    They are totally waterproof
    They are really warm
    They are a bit like wetsuit socks, quite bulky

Viewing 37 posts - 1 through 37 (of 37 total)

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