Any alternatives?

Are merino socks any good? I understand even when wet they keep your feet warm, despite wearing a set of ‘waterproof’ socks today my feet were like ice cubes!

What do people use?

One of the best solutions I found was to wear plastic bags in between sock and shoe. I’m riding a bike, so I’m not that bothered that my feet might get a bit sweatier than usual. Also: do you wear a hat/head covering?

‘Waterproof’ is somewhat moot in most practical scenarios – warm when wet as you alluded to with bringing up merino is definitely the way to go – Carry something dry to change into for when your out of the rain ..

My mate actually wore a bag on his feet today, but would prefer something a little more breathable.

I don’t mind wet feet, as long as they’re relitively warm.

No head covering, other than my lid.

Winter boots. No contest. I’ve never had a pair of waterproof sealskinz

Neoprene socks for wet conditions. Designed to keep you warm and wet. Cheap from decathlon water sport section

I did carry spare gloves today but not socks, schoolboy error.

Neoprene is a really good idea, might nip to Decathalon tomorrow and see what they have.

Would love a good set of winter riding shoes, I just find they’re really expensive, but I suppose it’s a price I have to pay to stay warm!

Plastic bags! I remember them from the early 90’s. Can you still get them? The only thing(s) that keep my feet warmish in the wet are Sealskins AND a size too big, Shimano winter boots. If It’s cold & dry then I go for Wooly Boolies.

I think to be properly waterproof you need to stop ingress and wicking. So calf length long sealskin rather than ankle or mid length.

I like my mid lengths with winter boots, but they do let in water in a way that I am sure much longer ones would not.

I used the sealskins the other week ( the warmer ones) because I didn’t think it would be too cold and wet……..and realised why I love my Lake 303 boots and full length Altura Attacks so much, toasty warm, dry feet after several hours in very unpleasant wet weather.

esselgruntfuttock – Member
…The only thing(s) that keep my feet warmish in the wet are Sealskins AND a size too big…

The size too big is the important bit IMO – don’t stretch them and they don’t leak.

Make sure water isn’t getting in from the top – even welly boots get wet then.

If your feet sweat, your Sealskinz will get wet – try using a sweat inhibiter.

Winter boots, I have the northwave set and they are fantastic. Even put spds on the roadie so my feet are warmer on the road bike!

I bought the knee length sealskins and tuck the top under my knee pads. Completely dry feet. In my experience its water coming in the top rather than leakage.

The ones I use are ankle length and are a nice and snug fit.

Think I’ll try merino socks or maybe neoprene.

I have a pair of Shimano winter boots,must be approx 10 yrs old now & they’re fantastic at keeping the water out.They’re my favourite item of winter/wet weather gear.

I stopped using Sealskinz after a particularly cold and wet winter night ride some years ago. Water in the tops going through a deep puddle, it was so cold the water started to freeze in the socks. Not a pleasant ride!

Winter boots all the way for me now.

With sealskin socks wear a thin pair of socks underneath. Then they’re fine even if water comes over the top.

Must have been doing something wrong with the sealskinz. They keep my feet dry and warm, even when riding through a stream / deep muddy pools. Brilliant things.

Though if you have the ankle socks, you can get water in over the tops, so makes them useless.

And yeah, pair of regular sports socks inside if you like for extra warmth maybe, though I wear some usually for comfort rather than warmth.

Work fine for me, even in torrential rain, so long as I don’t dab in any ankle deep puddles. If I do then I’m ****ed from that moment.

Freezing temps get to my feet if my toes have no wiggle room. This is the main reason why I now wear shoe one size up in such conditions.

Were you wearing thin sealskinz with nothing underneath? That’s useless in winter, they’re designed to have no warmth so you can wear them year round… I always wear merinos underneath

(love my sealskinz, wouldn’t be without them but the short ones did leak a bit through the top. The long ones are bloomin marvellous)

I’ve got a set of goretex waterproof socks somewhere, the fit was terrible for me so I’ve never worn them outside but I could look them out if you’re interested..

No idea if they work for biking, but drymax socks have been a revelation from the point of view of running through mud and standing water.
All the ptfe in them means that although they get wet, the majority of water gets expelled pretty much instantly. Far warmer and dryer than sealskins in my experience.
http://www.centurionrunning.com/store/product/drymax-maximum-protection-running/

http://www.drymaxsocks.com/technology.php

Were you wearing thin sealskinz with nothing underneath? That’s useless in winter, they’re designed to have no warmth so you can wear them year round…

I’d agree that they are useless in winter, but the manufacturers don’t believe they’re are designed that way –
http://www.sealskinz.com/UK/socks/thick-mid-length-sock

Merino socks and neoprene overshoes. Tried sealskinz a long time ago and the bulk of them reduced circulation so I had cold feet, even if not soaked.

You get thin, mid and thick weight sealskins in all different lengths. Make sure you’ve got the correct pair on. I wear the thick ones in winter and mid ones in summer and they both have been excellent for many years now. Even if water gets in through the tops from wading etc the water inside heats up and doesn’t get cold. Probably because the wind doesn’t blow through them.

My winter boots cost £100 and lasted nearly 10 years. Not a bad investment.

goretex socks and winter boots FTW. mine are 7 or 8 years old now, and knackered, but they get thrown in with the pads and gloves on a 30 degree wash after each use, and the tape’s coming off etc.
they have a snug collar so water doesn’t just run in through the top.

kneelength thick merino sealskins do NOT let water in. used em for years without a problem.

Three Fish,

Yup done the plastic bags with duct tape around the top & it does work but after years of experimenting, wearing out a pair of Shimano MW81 boots which weren’t the warmest I bought the new 2015 NorthWave Extreme boots of bike discount DE & what a difference, they gape slightly at the top so I bought some of he following, see link & you cut them to suit your ankle & water just runs over the top of your shoes or boots, went for size large & cheap too.
Also I went for Mavic Inferno socks nice & toasty.

Cheers
Mark

Submerge

IanMunro – Member

I’d agree that they are useless in winter, but the manufacturers don’t believe they’re are designed that way –

You’ve linked the thick version which includes insulation, I was talking about the thin version

Old Spesh Trail 120 boots here, with Endura overshoes. Warm & dry.
Some woolen socks also, if it’s very cold.
If it’s a wet summer ride I might use sealskinz with summer shoes. No good for very cold though.
Warm & wet is fine for me.

Yak – Member
Merino socks and neoprene overshoes. Tried sealskinz a long time ago and the bulk of them reduced circulation so I had cold feet, even if not soaked.

Wrong size. Shouldn’t have to stretch them on.

A few years ago I tested mine thoroughly and they stayed toasty warm. Also I have done the ‘Puffer solo a few times wearing sandals and Sealskinz, and I reckon that’s a reasonable test.*

*(Sandals not because I ride a SS, but because they don’t trap icy water next to your foot like a boot does.)

We sell them in the store I work in,returns very rare,(they go back and are pressure tested for faults) Thin Sealskinz feel colder in this type of weather making you think they are leaking. You can add Sealskinz Merino liner socks to winterize them. If you want a pair pm me I can sort you out. 🙂

I used to have ankle-length sealskinz – water would just run down my leg and straight into the sock. Now I have knee-lengths, which is slightly better. But the water now runs down into the shoe instead. So I still have cold feet, just slightly longer into the ride.

My next move is slightly bigger shoes, with thicker merino socks, sealskinz and neoprene overshoes to divert the flow.

This morning (against better judgement) we went for a ride at the head of Wharfedale. Conditions were testing to say the least 🙄 After having had cold and wet feet on my previous rides I tried the following:

Coolmax socks covered by plastic bag (Morrisons’ very own freezer bags) with SealSkinz over the top. It worked pretty well. My feet did become wet though that was no different from the rest of me but they were, reasonably, warm. As martinhutch reckons – the knee length ones would be better.

Mulling over the problem in the bath (as you do) I reckon that my ideal winter setup for my lower half would be: full length bib tights with 3/4 waterproof baggies over the top; thin socks then plastic bags or vapour barrier socks then SealSkinz on my feet; then to stop water ingress from the top use full length gaiters the top of which should be overlapped by the lower part of the baggies. All that I need to figure out is a decent winter boot that I can attach the gaiters to.

Might be a bit warm for trail centres but for conditions like today it would be ideal.

I never really got on with sealskins, because theres not really much elasticity in them they’re not going to fit everyone – for me to have them long enough for my feet they end up to baggy round the calf so water just goes in through the top of them. Even in dry conditions they seem clammy and cold to me

Instead now I use Reed Chillcheaters over a pair of football socks.

martinhutch – Member
…But the water now runs down into the shoe instead…

Hence the counterintuitive answer being sandals. They don’t trap water. 🙂

I’ve been looking for something like a canyon boot with drain holes so that I can have less of the beardy weirdie look, but every one I have found is too narrow a fit to take SealSkinz and warm socks.

Sealskinz have been faultless for me

I think sealskins socks do a pretty good job. It’s the potential for wicking which is their downfall. Thickish tights, which come over the tops quite far , will help. On really wet days though even these can cause the socks to wick, although goretex waterproof trousers sort that out.
My g/f has a pair of knee length waterproof socks she bought from an ex military surplus place online a few weeks back for about a tenner and she has had no problem. I’m waiting for some to arrive and will report back.
I do wish that I had a pair of flat pedal shoes though, as said above, about a size bigger than normal, as a thin sock under sealskins can help with warmth, although I do find them just a bit restrictive in my right-size- for- the – summer shoes .