Hi guys after some good socks for mountain biking in, need to be warm and waterproof I know most people will say sealskinz but are there any cheaper socks out there as good?

waterproof and cheap?

I don’t think so.

Seal skinz are terrible. Just like wearing plastic bagz. Any sock will do the job unless you want to buy into marketing hype and brain washing.
Isn’t one of the magazines giving some away at Sainsburys?

waterproof and cheap

That would be plastic bags then. It works if your not going to far, I used them for a few winters while commuting on the road.

I use the Merino thermal Sealskinz now, combined with rubber gloves cut down they work pretty well. Your feet won’t stay completely dry but they will be warmer.

The problem with sealskinz is half the insulation is outside the membrane, when that gets wet it transmits heat and half the insulation is lost, and keeps cold water close to your foot and keeps on moving heat away.

Merino wool is even worse when wet, they are great in the cold and dry, but when wet its the water that transmits heat away. People will go on about the naturally hollow fibre, but that doesn’t make that much difference, it just makes them 10% less worse than normal wool, and 20% less worse than cotton*.

If your socks are going to get wet something with a mix of merino and man made fibres is best, so the man made fibres can wick quickly and aid drying.

If you want to keep your feet dry without boots, the get some gore goretex socks, or even better the rocky goretex socks from america.

Defeet Woolie Bollie, best socks ever. Made out of merino lambs wool, they will get wet but keep your feet warm if they are.

Been using them for years,all seasons, mark my words, just buy a pair. They cost about 12 green queens.

I told you so 😆

bottom of the pile is sealskinz – tried one pair of the thermals – they are not even footshaped ! and as said above – cold

second level my prefered option in summer rain/boghiking – coolmax socks – what ever brand. with normal shoes. – water in – drains out and the sock drys quickly.

third level . enduras thermalite sock with winter boots. these are a winner for almost any condition in winter for sub 3 hour rides

top level of warm feetedness and been tested down to -28c commuting and racing of the strathpuffer solo was the woolie boolie merino inside shimano mw02s with a pair of endura MT500 neoprene overshoes

pikey level and one i actually prefer to wearing than my sealskinz is merino sock , tesco bag , coolmax sock , normal shoe. – worked for my first strathpuffer and cheap.

>waterproof and cheap?

I don’t think so.<

Waterproof at any price? I don’t think so.

Sealskinz are chronic – had several pairs and none of them worked. Gore Goretex socks are ok if you get lucky and find a pair that actually seal around your calf but you’ll soon knacker the membrane pulling them on and off. And if water comes down your leg or over the cuff its getting in…

This years attempted solution will be industrial grade Marigold cuffs over Nookie Ti kayak sox.

another vote for Woolie Boolies

If you are riding in really wet conditions it is nigh on impossible to keep dry. A mate successfully uses gaitors over the top of his boots and this does seem to work.

I uses sealskins and at the end of the ride empty the water out of the plastic bag sock.

If there is another way someone tell me!

bridgedales

I tried sealskins too and didn’t rate them + I seem to wore holes in the ends after a couple of rides too. not for me

I like Sealskins and have recenty bought some woolie boolies – they aren’t quite thick enough under my winter boots, so have just this lunchtime bought some bridgedale lines to try under them.

oh, and looking at your user name are you my unknown offspring ? 😛

I use similar to these (long ones)
http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/Clothes-Shoes-Accessories-/11450/i.html?_sac=1&_from=R40&_nkw=waterproof+boot+liners

they were called (*I think) welloes, and I got them X years ago for inside motorbike trail riding boots, imho better than other stuff (porelles etc) and thin enough to not knacker your shoe sizing

Has anyone tried x socks?