Neoprene Socks for cold weather

Hey,

I am doing a long trek (350+ miles) in Febuary in sub-zero temps.
Has anyone used neoprene socks with running shoes or any other combination to do such a thing? I really do not want to wear double boots .....

Has anyone snowshoed in running shoes or anything? Experience with putting snowmobile track studds on the bottom of your shoes to avoid crampons?

Let me know and thanks.
Kevin

Probably doesn't work too different than VBL's -- makes everything real sweaty inside and keeps your outer sock dry. If you continue to keep moving and generating heat -- you're fine. Stop, and your feet freeze.

One tip that I've heard but not used -- though it should work. Antiperspirant on the feet.

How about those tracker studded things that are made to go on shoes?

I have snowshoed multiple times in running shoes with neoprene socks (plus thin liners). The neoprene socks work fairly well, but my experience is limited to half day trips in above zero (Fahrenheit)conditions. The running shoes get wet, and water gradually seeps into the neoprene, so I think you would have problems on a longer and colder trip.

Thanks guys:

I ordered a pair and I will see what happens. In theory they do not make too much sense if your ever scuba dived. Neoprene is to keep you warm for short periods ...... I may be wrong.

So far I think I will try (on multiple cold windy days in Indian peaks):

1) north face gortex shoes
2) super gaiters over them with tons of glue holding them
3) sock liner and dalgren socks.
4) also see if this neoprene sock works ....

Growing up poor as hell in Canada, we used IGA plastic grocery bags for our waterproofing liner. I am also think about taking the liners out of my double boots and just band-sawing the uppers off and throwing them in gor-tex running shoes.

Hey, I am doing the Iditarod trail on foot in Febuary (I bet I stop in McCathy though: 350 miles from anchorage) and if anyone wants to come along, this would be cool. It is a flat trail at sea level and one has to do around 40-50 miles a day (to be at the lower end of the pack). I can give details.

Kevin

Everytime I go into a really cold environment and especially when I've climbed in Alaska I rub anti-perspirant (the stick type) onto my feet and soles, slide them into a pair of liner socks and then put either GTX socks or a medium weight sock onto my feet. The anti-persperant keeps my feet from sweating and getting cold and the GTX keeps the moisture out. My feet never get cold using this technique. I've used neoprene socks and yes, they work so long as you keep truckin' but the skin on my feet wrinkles something horrible and I get pinch blisters. Plus sometimes the fit in my boots is not exactly right so I just don't use them or recommend them.

Good luck on your trip

Wow that really sounds like an awesome adventure.

I own a few pairs of neoprene socks which I have mainly used for the purpose of winter fishing and cold water scuba but have also tried on occasion for skiing and snowboarding. For the purpose of fishing they are used under my breathable waders where I will be standing still for periods of time and they seem to add a lot of warmth as opposed to using my regular teko or smartwool socks and I haven't had a problem with getting too much vapor lock.

My thought is that for your mission it would be worthwhile to bring a pair of back up boots in the event that you run into a problem and your feet/running shoes get wet. Integrating your double boots would be ideal. That way if something happened and you were in jeopardy of serious frost bite you have a back up.

turvajalkine.fi/index.php?d…
gopre.com/store/icebug6.html

Here are a couple of links for specific cold weather shoes.

If the Neoprene socks vapor lock too badly I'd suggest a similar system to those proposed above, liner sock, with heavy ply synthetic like Teko makes. Bring lots of back ups and change frequently to prevent getting wet. If you're committed to just not bringing your boots consider bringing two pairs of shoes. Seems like Feb in AK unless you make a fire you are not going to have much success drying out anything aside from what you can fit in your sleeping bag and some frozen wet shoes don't make the best bedmates.

As an aside, I wouldn't recommend neoprene gloves. They didn't work so well.

I used some waterproof/neoprene socks on one of those cold Indian Peaks days, and my feet were completely wet from sweat, and freezing cold. What's worked the best are running shoes with thin nylon fabric sewn over the mesh vents, with gaiters covering the ankle. It breaths well enough to let sweat out, but also keeps the wind and powder out. I'm going to experiment with them more this winter. I've also used this combo with snowshoes, and it worked out well. Though the bindings of some snowshoes are not so nice with just thin material between you and the bindings. I like the original MSR Denali's for this. The Lightning and Evo binding systems have a reversed buckle that pokes into the foot, rather than away like the original Denali.

Though it is somewhat porous neoprene is still a vapor barrier. Wetsuits are designed to keep a thin layer of warm water close to your body working in water much like a windbreaker works on air. Water moves heat away from the human body 20% faster than air unless it is trapped against the skin (with these socks you are inviting water into your shoe). Every major gear manufacturer I have sat in with on a clinic always says wet=cold, that is why technical outerwear (from an insulative perspective) is typically a poly variant or merino wool. Personally, in subzero temps I would use something a bit more adequate than a combo of neoprene and gtx running shoes. The risks really outweigh the benefits when you put this up against a pair of Koflachs. I know they suck and they are heavy, but they work. I suppose in the end it all really comes down to how attached you are to your toes.

Dan,

Your comments interest me a little and spark a question. The intuition liners are supposed to be the warmest thing you can get for your boots. I have Spantiks with intuitions but when I slog in them for any extended period of time they get soaked with sweat and my feet were not very warm on Denali this last summer. I would have to think that these liners are creating a vapor barrier and in turn were making my toes cold and I saw a lot of other people on the mountain hanging theirs out to dry as well.

Has anyone else had this experience? Is there a way to avoid? What is the warmest set up possible? I thought that my combo would be but my toes were still cold...although I am more subject to cold feet than most from a few nips. If the intuitions are already creating a barrier would it be better to use a neoprene sock versus a liner and synthetic?

In 2008 La Sportiva has a hob nail set coming out. It was designed like rally racing studs. They screw into the bottom of your running shoes and provide extra traction for muddy or snowy terrain. This may work but I am not sure what all your trip entails.
Best of Luck.
sal

Daniel, water conducts heat 30 times faster than air...thats 3000% not 20%. But, like you said, if a VBL has a good insulating layer over it, the trapped vapor from your body prevents heat loss from evaporation, at least that is the theory. I've used VBLs in a sleeping bag system (as a bag liner), and it does work until it is time to get up in the morning and you and your wicking layer are soaked. VBLs and running shoes in snow didn't work for me, but I didn't try neoprene socks.

Kevin, let us know the results of the winter tests of whatever system you decide on before you go and also we are looking forward to your trek reports! Good Luck!

Kevin Friesen wrote:Daniel, water conducts heat 30 times faster than air...thats 3000% not 20%. But, like you said, if a VBL has a good insulating layer over it, the trapped vapor from your body prevents heat loss from evaporation, at least that is the theory. I've used VBLs in a sleeping bag system, and it does work until it is time to get up in the morning and you and your wicking layer are soaked. VBLs and running shoes in snow didn't work for me, but I didn't try neoprene socks. Kevin, let us know the results of the winter tests of whatever system you decide on before you go and also we are looking forward to your trek reports! Good Luck!

My bad, you said what I almost meant.

Yeah dude, I'd do the 2x plastic.

I was a snowmaker in vt for a while and when we worked in -0 we all carried an extra pair of socks and wore koflachs. When we got a chance we'd swap our socks if they were sweaty or not and placed the pair we just removed flat in our long undies along our thighs to keep em warm and dry them a bit. Not quite a monster trek in AK but just as fucking cold.

OK,

I am told by people who have did the iditarod race to get new england overshoes .....

overshoe.com/recreational/p…

Here they are and thanks for everyone's feedback on socks and stuff. I actually did trailridge road today with neoprene socks and my feet where wet .... Just wear a sock liner and a good wool sock.

If anyone is up to some cool adventures this winter, please let me know. I will hike trailridge to grand lake in the winter and I will also do Rollins Pass .... I am sure my kids will do anything to avoid these ones ...

Kevin