Keeping feet dry

olliestokes

Its coming up to winter and i am in need of some advice as to how too keep my feet dry and warm. Overshoes? or is that just a roadie thing, Waterproof socks? I'm skeptical as to wheter these actually work or Waterproof shoes?
Thanks for any help

Andy B

Sealskinz socks, they work very well if you can't afford waterproof shoes

overshoes are not much cop at all for MTBing

lovewales

+1 for sealskinz socks.

I ended up stood up to my ankle in water and still had a dry if slightly heavier foot :?

Joe_Pineapples

SealSkinz and Shimano MP56's.

The big flap on the shoes does it's best to keep the water out and the Sealskinz keep you dry and warm. If it's really cold I'll wear thermal socks under the Sealskinz. They're expensive, but they work.

scale20

I've tried everything appart from the sealskin socks.

I've got a pair of Endura overboots which are brilliant at keeping the water out providing your riding a trail where you know your not on and off your bike to go over or through obstacles. If you get of your bike and stand in a puddle or mud the water seeps through the cut outs on the bottom of the overshoe and gets your feet wet.

I have since bought a pair of Shimano MW80 Gore Tex shoes and they are not the best. If the rains heavy and the puddles are big water flows in through the nepoprene ankle cuff. There has been times where I have had to stop to take the shoes off to empty the water out!. Good if you have to walk through ankle deep mud or water though.

Are the seal skin socks worth it? Ive had the gloves and after some months of hard use they were useless.

Tank-slapper

The Sealskinz socks work well against splashes and ankle deep puddles. They can be cold though if you do your shoes up too tight and restrict circulation.

Andy B

scale20, how did you wash & dry your Sealskinz gloves?

scale20

I don't tend to wash things like that in the machine, the most they got was a soak in some warm water and a rinse without detergent.

Andy B

Sounds about right for washing them (I do them in the machine with non bio & no softener)

How did you dry them?

If you dried them on a radiator or in a tumble drier that will knacker them.

Zeroman_IR

Sealskinz socks and neoprene leg warmers to stop water getting in the top of them. It's a great feeling to peel of filthy, dripping socks when you get back to the car and your feet are still perfectly dry

dave_hill

Sealskinz now do a Mid Lite in calf length, so the old problem of getting them full of water should be a thing of the past.

That said, I find that if they do get wet inside the "wet-suit" effect soon kicks in.

Sealskinz all the way for me!!

rhann

dont cycle through a ford, bit deeper then I was expecting esp as there was a bridge next to the ford, but....

Joe_Pineapples

I tried cycling through a ford once. Ended up on the bonnet.

bomberesque

Just back from wales, where I think I drowned 3 times yesterday.

3 of us out there, 2 in sealskins, one of those with Northwave winterboots on top. I had summer shoes (Shim MT31) and merino socks on.

our conclusions;

sealskins are great until water gets in the top then they make very good waterbags
ditto for the northwave boots

Taking no precautions (ie; me) leads to immediately wet feet but less discomfort in the long run as the water circulates out again and the merino stays warm.

However, this is summer wet advice. For winter I would (and do) go with sealskins, merino liners (dep on temp), my MT31s (or similar) and neoprene overshoes.

The overshoes are hopelessly Ghey and roadie like and an absolute cow to get on and off, but they stop the water getting in the top of my sealskins or constantly circulating through my shoes and freezing my feet. This works for me in all weathers down to -15 (the coldest we rode in last winter). I would like to find a better solution to the overshoes though as they are not very practical/easy to get on and off

fundamentally; sealskins work, but you need to stop them filling with water.

oooh, plus the goretex liner in sealskins is good for a limited number of machine washes IME. I get around this by wearing thin liners, which I wash every ride and airing out the sealskins rather than washing them.

Dowse40

These.

http://www.allterraincycles.co.uk/product/113831.html

Ok they're not cheap but they are worth the money. Haven't had cold feet since i bought a pair.

cee

I find goretext oversocks much better than the sealskinz....

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/TREKMATES-AMPHIBIAN-GORETEX-WATERPROOF-SOCKS-SIZE-6-7_W0QQitemZ350178958715QQcmdZViewItem

They are very thin oversocks, so you do need a light sock underneath, but the are much harder wearing than the the sealskinz.

The issue with sealskinz is this....

they are basically a waterproof membrane sandwiched between two layers of fabric. repeated washing menas that the membrane will eventually separate from the fabric and when it moves about inside the sock, it starts to leak.

You do get the wetsuit feeling, though, so at elast feet stay warm...

The goretext ones are just a single skin, and last longer.

marinman1

+1 for sealskin socks, when its real wet i wear waterproof trousers too, dry as f**k 8)

passout

Not really a big fan of sealskins. I ride the Lakes in winter and the water goes over the top of the socks through water splashes and rain. The longer versions (mid chin) may work better but look really strange. They can keep you dry when it's a little wet but in 'extreme' conditions I think that they actually collect water! Rain comes over the top and can't escape. They are quite warm when wet though which is important but regular merino wool (very fine wool) does that anyway and are probably a better bet.

I'd invest in waterproof boots (again won't keep all the water out) and a couple of pairs of high quality woollen socks. Overshoes are no good for off road - especially when you have to walk your bike.

passout

marinman1 wrote:

+1 for sealskin socks, when its real wet i wear waterproof trousers too, dry as f**k 8)

This would work as water couldn't go over the top but I find my endura waterproof trousers too hot for all but the very coldest of wet days.

Darkstar62

Hi, I have been thinking about trying my Raichelle walking boots with some Yeti Gaiters. Sounds crazy but I think that would be warm and dry. The Raichelles are not that heavy and my feet are very small, so no probs on the pedals with the Vibram sole.

Anybody tried anything similar? Anybody tried any type of Gaiter. Since April I commute down forest tracks every day (10 mile) and don't want the cold/wet to be a problem...

wordnumb

I don't generally wear socks out riding three seasons, find it far more comfortable barefoot so long as my shoes are kept clean. In winter or for rides I know involve deep water it's sealskins + cheap shoes. While it's true that waterproof shoes / goretex gear is more effective I reckon ss stuff gives the best balance between comfort and cost.

bomberesque

passout wrote:

Overshoes are no good for off road - especially when you have to walk your bike.

I disagree but your mileage may vary ofc. Much depends on the terrain I suppose. Certainly they get in the way of the tread to an extent but "no good" is a bit strong IME. Still, I'd like a better solution to stopping water getting over the top of the sock then I probably wouldn't bother with the overshoes at all

and .....You have socks that come up to mid-chin?

.....anyone any exp on those Lake boots Dowse40 linked? they say something about laces sealing the top of the boot against the calf but IME this sin't easy as the calf is constantly changing shape and the ankle moving. If they're effective at sealing water ingress over the top then I'd be willing to give them a punt

passout

I wear my road overshoes away just walking to the shed! Perhaps it's me.....

I don't have the really tall (mid chin) seal skins BUT I o have some Lake boots - although not the ones you mention. They are not 100% waterproof but pretty good.

passout

Darkstar62 wrote:

Hi, I have been thinking about trying my Raichelle walking boots with some Yeti Gaiters. Sounds crazy but I think that would be warm and dry. The Raichelles are not that heavy and my feet are very small, so no probs on the pedals with the Vibram sole.

Anybody tried anything similar? Anybody tried any type of Gaiter. Since April I commute down forest tracks every day (10 mile) and don't want the cold/wet to be a problem...

Never seen it in action but worth a try I'd say.

Jon8a

Don't know if anyone has said this yet but keeping your feet dry is a futile battle. What you want to achieve is warm feet. You aren't going to get trenchfoot over the course of a ride.

I use neoprene socks made for kayaking and my normal shoes.

They're made by nookie.

They do equally well whether I'm doing safety standing with my feet in icy water for a few hours in winter or on the bike.

realnumber 1

cee wrote:

I find goretext oversocks much better than the sealskinz....

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/TREKMATES-AMPHIBIAN-GORETEX-WATERPROOF-SOCKS-SIZE-6-7_W0QQitemZ350178958715QQcmdZViewItem

They are very thin oversocks, so you do need a light sock underneath, but the are much harder wearing than the the sealskinz.

The issue with sealskinz is this....

they are basically a waterproof membrane sandwiched between two layers of fabric. repeated washing menas that the membrane will eventually separate from the fabric and when it moves about inside the sock, it starts to leak.

You do get the wetsuit feeling, though, so at elast feet stay warm...

The goretext ones are just a single skin, and last longer.

I've been sticking my sealskinz in the wash after every ride for over 18 months. They're one of the best things I've bought for riding.

Northwind

Never had any issues with my sealskins, except for when I've actually stuck my feet in deep water- they do leak a little round the top from rain or splashing but not drastically for me.

Darkstar62

I wrote :

Hi, I have been thinking about trying my Raichelle walking boots with some Yeti Gaiters. ... Anybody tried any type of Gaiter...

My thinking is when I get wet the silt ruins trainers, socks etc and stinks. Will be worse in winter - not completely waterproof is alright, but less silt and general crap will mean less wear and tear and less stink on the train :-o

I guess nobody has tried a gaiter, was wondering if they would snag the chainset etc.. I will try it - will post what I find - may be some time as will have to wait for some really bad weather (being rather hopeful there methinks )

llamafarmer

I like neoprene overshoes personally. They look very gay, but they do have the advantage of keeping your shoes dry and clean as well as your feet. As has been said, they're not perfect, but it's nice to pull off a set of mud-caked overshoes and find your shoes spotless underneath instead of soaking wet and needing a couple of days and an entire broadsheet to dry out

scale20

I have Raichle walking boots ad I'd say they are lighter than my shimano MW80 gore boots!

Try the walking boots, I would say that the soles will have a cracking grip on some quality flats but I would be weary of using gaitors on the bike, depending on what sort you have, there is a chance of the straps getting caught in the drivetrain.

I reckon that the Endura overboots I have are brilliant to keep the water out while you are on your bike until you have to get off in a puddle! Pair them with a goretex riding shoe and you should be on to a winner.

MrChuck

Jon8a wrote:

Don't know if anyone has said this yet but keeping your feet dry is a futile battle. What you want to achieve is warm feet. You aren't going to get trenchfoot over the course of a ride.

+1

Same as the rest of your body really- I try and avoid full waterproofs wherever possible.

I've found Endura overshoes and merino socks to keep me most comfortable so far, although you do need to treat the overshoes as seasonal consumables really! But they're relatievly cheap so I suppose it's not too bad.

I didn't get on with Sealskinz at all, they didn't seem to keep my feet any warmer than regular hiking socks and were a bit uncomfortable to boot.