Wet Feet - Advice From the Experienced Please!

Secteur

Hi all,

I have sealskin socks which are fantastic at keeping the wet out, however, if water does manage get in, they are absolutely terrible as the plastic membrane stops it draining back out.

I have found that water soaks down my tights like water-up-litmus-paper and down the inner cotton lining of the sealskin sock, leaving my foot squelching all the way.

Therefore, I am beginning to wonder if there is any point wearing these for heavy rain whatsoever.

That said, they did keep my foot nice and warm, despite being in a perpetual puddle.

As far as I can see, all it would take is a tight rubber strip around the top of the sock to prevent this, like in wet/dry suits. Why has no-one invented this yet?!

rolf_f

Does your bike have mudguards?

MattC59

Tights with a waterproof shin, worn over the top of your socks.
(ok, so that might be a slightly expensive solution !)

Monkeypump

Waterproof overshoes?

They're not absolutely watertight, but mine do a pretty good job.

Secteur

mudguards - yes (clip on raceblades, as my bike wont take normal guards)

waterproof overshoes - yes, but these aren't the problem (the problem is the water being "sucked" down the tights from the knee / shin into the inner layer of the sock)

I wear my socks under my tights, but this still happens.

I am sure that if the sock has a 1" tight rubber band around the top, then no water would get in.

I could wear normal socks which would allow the water to drain away, but I think they I'd get cold feet.

I dont imagine every cyclist has this problem, so I wonder if I'm doing something wrong?!

dawebbo

If they were water tight sweat wouldn't be able to escape, so you'd have wet feet anyway. In my experience in heavy rain nothing will keep you fully dry - staying warm is the best you can hope for.

rolf_f

Secteur wrote:

mudguards - yes (clip on raceblades, as my bike wont take normal guards)

Do Cruds fit? Basically, half the battle is stopping your legs from getting wet in the first place and much of the source of water is spray from your front wheel. If you can fit a Crudracer to the front at leat, then you'll be half way there.

As for the rest of the way - I do use Sealskins in really bad weather but normal wet days and I'm fine with BBB overshoes and tights over my socks.

Chris James

I'd echo the call about mudguards as I never get unpleasantly wet feet with guards and overshoes.

When running bikes without guards in the wet my feet are soaking, with the spraying coming off the down tube and on to the tops of my feet.

you might want to review how effective your race blades are?

Pross

Don't bother with waterproof socks. As long as you have decent overshoes your feet will stay warm. My feet are usually soaked at the end of a ride either from water or sweat but I don't notice it until I take my shoes off.

cougie

Yes mudguards and a decent flap and thats about the best you can do. Then just keep the feet warm - you'll get water running down the legs - but its spray that is the worst for wetting the feet.

MichaelW

sealskins work best with wproof overpants that overlap.

nferrar

+1 for not trying to keep your feet dry - it's keeping them warm once damp that matters (merino socks, and decent overshoes). Some people use waterproof fronted tights over the tops of sealskinz, some gaiters, some duct tape think someone even did something with a dry boot seal but none of it's necessary IMO...

Secteur

OK, thanks for the advice.

My mudguards aren't brilliantly effective, I must admit, but I'm not sure "proper" guards would fare any better.

I think from now on I will ditch the seal skins in heavy rain conditions and just aim to go for wet-but-warm (rather than puddle-trapped-inside-sealskin-causing-squelching!!!)

cougie

My full guards are brilliant for the winter - and I've fashioned a nice long flap out of duck tape and straws and weighted it too. Hardly any spray comes off it - and costs nothing.

Bordersroadie

cougie wrote:

I've fashioned a nice long flap out of duck tape and straws and weighted it too. Hardly any spray comes off it - and costs nothing.

Me too. Full length SKS chromoplastic with a long mudflap made from a strip of an old Flash bottle. Makes a massive difference, I can ride through puddles without getting any water on my feet. I've got the flap as low as 50mm from the ground - try it, it really works wonders.

Amazes me that people ride through the winter either without guards or with so-called full mudguards that are neither use nor ornament - is it uncool these days to be dry, or what?

Also I use Altura NIght Vision Race overshoes, absolutely brilliant, properly waterproof, I did a 4 hour ride with them last weekend in drizzle and had dry feet at the end of the ride.

HasselHough

I have suffered the same issue with puddles appearing in the bottom of my sealskinz socks. Good old black insulation tape around the top of my overshoes stops any water getting in.

essjaydee

Not tried sealskinz socks, but was nearly tempted to buy some. Think I'll give it a miss now though :!:

I have sks full guards fitted. Used altura race overshoes, but returned them as they where rubbish. Now use BBB waterflex overshoes and still get wet in a downpour (eventually) but they are lot better.

As has been said.....your feet will get wet eventually, so more important to keep them warm :!: