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Looking at buying some to wear with non waterproof shoes. There are just so many from winter to summer, short to long, hiking to biking.
Do I need to buy hydrostop or are they all waterproof? Are they a good investment?
I rely on mine for warmer feet with the merino liner and membrane more for windproofing rather than waterproofing.
Sometimes. Plus there's a big hole at the top. Best to think of them as an aid to staying warm rather than dry.
Have some winter and summer ones they are all waterproof
Your question uses the incorrect three letter word beginning with 'a'!
Don't bother with anything less than knee length imo. Everything else just let it in the big hole at the top.
Yes...ish....but you have to wash & dry them according to the instructions. Also the longer they are the more chance your feet of staying dry.
No, I bought some on a discount deal, they are not remotely waterproof, and not advertised as such on the packaging. Regular socks, the price is a giveaway!
When you buy SealSkinz (or any other waterproof sock) just make the shop hasn't pinned the security tag through the fabric, otherwise it has just been made non-waterproof.
If they have woken up to this, then you may find some SealSkinz in the bargain-no-return-50%-off bin.
No
I've been using Bridgedale waterproof socks this winter and am well impressed. Waterproof and warm.
When they're new, yes! But as above, it's fairly essential to have something over them, otherwise water can run down your leg into the sock, and while it's not terrible, it's not ideal
They now make whole ranges that dont even claim to be waterproof - so the answer is a definite no.
IMO the 'water proof' ones are pretty clammy in the dry - but do delay the ingress of water when it's properly wet. If you wear long bibs over the tops of the socks - that works better. Or get the knee length ones.
Okay so I need knee length and they might work
I’ve seen some On sports pursuit that aren’t waterproof so read the description.
I reckon they are good for 5-10 washes. I know that sounds terrible but actually if you only wear them when it’s properly lashing down (wear merino socks at other times) they’ll last at least a year. And yeah longer = better.
I think even the calf length ones are great. All I need in the winter down South. I always wear socks under them though to help with warmth and the aforementioned clamminess.
Thanks all, do basically they are a plastic bag trapped in a sock. So people wear more socks to avoid them being to sweaty
Doubled up
Is there a reason your not considering overshoe cover rather than socks? My Sealskinz shoe covers keep my feet dry in all but the heaviest rain and surface water although they do get hot which I find uncomfortable.
Okay so I need knee length and they might work
No might about it, they work. Knee length sit just under my knee pads, keep my feet dry all day, they're brilliant.
Had sealskins and dexshell. Dexshell are far better and we're also considerably cheaper when I got mine. Knee length for going under 3/4 length baggies.
Even the dexshell line up is a bit cluttered. Why can't decathlon make some.
I found that my Sealskin waterproof certaily are.
Paddling in streams doesn't let water in, and with faily constant rain they seemed to keep my feet dry.
I did get cold feet in the end though, not as quickly as without them though.
Knee length is great, long enough to go under my knee pads which means no gap to fill up with water and no mud band in winter.
I bought sealskinz gloves (Waterproof All Weather Glove) and socks in the last couple of years as my job takes me out into the wilds of the Highlands on habitat surveys. The gloves were worse than useless in anything more than a shower (great for biking in though as they dont sweat like mad).
The gloves disappeared in a contractors wagon in the end and I didnt even bother asking for them back I was so fed up with them.
The socks on the other hand help to keep the feet dry when you are mooching about in bogs day after day (I rotate though three pairs of goretex boots during the week), but if its wet enough, then eventually they give up the ghost as well.
To be honest, most "recreational" kit is crap for anything other than lightweight usage. A lot of the Keepers and Ghillies I work with are usually kitted in the very best of kit and even that gets replaced every other year as it cant stand up to hard usage.