Vapor Barrier Socks - Your opinions

[peakbagger]

Over the years its been an ongoing battle to keep my feet warm during cold conditions. I have tried a couple of options including toe heaters on occasion but my normal conclusion at the end of the day is that the insulating value of the boot/sock combination tends to go down as my feet perspire into the boots and outer socks. I realize that Goretex liners are intended to allow moisture transmission but my experience is that the permeability is marginal at best during active hiking in snow. Probably great for some one sitting in tree stand with their boots out of the snow but definitely not a great asset while climbing up a mountain. I think a lot of folks get wet boots during a winter hike and attribute it to melting snow but my observations from ice fishing (with little or no snow present) is that the wet boots are caused by vapor inside them. Given all the water proofing treatments on most boots, I expect that most boots dont breathe very well to begin with.

Long ago I had a pair of VB socks that were sewn out of coated nylon with a draw string on top. They were definitely not form fitting and even with liner socks, folds and creases could cause blisters, plus they tended to slide down. I also have used "gator socks" made out of neoprene in the past but found that while they might have slowed wet outer socks somewhat they didnt seem to be impermeable. The old standby was plastic bread bags, they worked pretty well with liner socks but due to the lack of shape or fit they tended to end up in the toes of my outer socks near the end of the day. Of course there are the ultimate vapor barrier liners, the old military "mickey mouse" boots with the rubber inner liners but they sure wouldnt be considered very good hiking boots (although they used to be a mainstay for winter hikers). The alternative of having removable liners may make sense on multiday trips but not very practical for day trips.

I have attempted in the past to contact Stephensons Warm and Light but they dont seem to be interested in selling just socks so I havent had a chance to try their VB socks. I currently have some RBH design socks on order for this winter.

I do know that swapping out a pair of socks mid day really helps for foot warmth, but I find the the insulating layer in the boot and the leather itself tend to get wet eventually so even with dry socks I expect the R value is a lot lower than the AM.

So does anyone use VB socks and have a source other than I mentioned?

 

[Neil]

I wear VB socks made by Integral Designs.

I wear them whenever the mercury goes down. They work. When you remove them hold your nose.

 

[Tito Alba]

I have two pairs from Rocky Mountain and Sealtec. I never have used them for hiking just cycling (like todays 25F commute to work in gaslined Jersey). Hiking has always been wool and gaitors with spare sox in tow just in case.

 

[hikerbrian]

I wear thick ass Smartwool socks (expedition weight) next to my skin and plastic grocery bags over them. My feet then go directly into my plastic boots. I've tried every conceivable combination of liner socks, thick socks, and various types of VBL's between different layers of sock/boot, and this combination works the best for me in terms of keeping my feet warm and preventing blisters. The handles of the bags stick out of the tops of my boots a little bit, and I think that keeps them from bunching up at my toe. And the slippery-ness of the bag prevents blister formation. When I get into my sleeping bag, I keep the slightly (surprisingly, not VERY) damp socks on my feet and put a hot water bottle in the foot of my sleeping bag. The socks dry very quickly. For reasons I don't understand, my socks do not end up any more wet at the end of the day than they do in the absence of said plastic VBL's. But my feet are warmer, I don't have blisters, and my inner boot stays dry. The bags only last one day though.