UKC

I guess people are going to say 'if they are comfportable then wear them'. Has anyone walked the hills with wet suit socks knowing that they will be doing river crossings etc?

In reply to Phil1919:

Depends how tough your feet are I suppose.

Never tried them but Sealskinz socks as a comfier alternative?

In reply to butteredfrog:

Sealskinz are great for walking. I cave in wetsuit socks. In both situations I wear a medium thick pair of Smartwool socks. Very comfy and warm.

Friend of mine runs (fell) in neoprene and rates them.

In reply to butteredfrog: I've got Sealskinz but they take a lot of drying out if you haven't access to a drying room. I usually save them for the evening. I cave in wetsuit socks, and often walk along way in comfort with them on which made me think!

In reply to Phil1919:

Why not just carry some crocs for the river crossings? CHeaper than wetsuit socks and no worries about having wet feet for the rest of the day double bonus

In reply to peas65:

If I am out for a few days, I have a pair of tiva style sandals for river crossings etc. Light and take up little room.

In reply to Phil1919:

Give em a try and report back!

In reply to Phil1919: The wetsuit socks I've got are only for caving, they have stiching in them that would be a nightmare on long walks. If you can get ones w/o any stitching you'll probably be fine.....

In reply to butteredfrog: I might just do that....

In reply to Phil1919: I have been known to wear wetsuit socks with boots, but only when my feet have been in water most of the day. Could imagine they will get sweaty till they get wet.

In reply to Phil1919: Wetsuit boots do not keep your feet dry, designed to keep feet warm by trapping the water in them which your body/feet will warm up.
Sealskinzs designed to keep feet dry.

In reply to Phil1919:
In sprint to autumn, I generally wear running shoes, so my feet get wet on river crossings etc, but dry quickly afterwards. I've tried Sealskinz, but my feet overheat; they're good for winter running when cold feet hurt!
When wearing boots, for winter (non-snowy) walking or when cold and wet in summer, I just wear normal socks and take them off for river crossings (and put the boots back on over bare feet).
I'd expect wet suit socks to be very sweaty for walking.

In reply to Phil1919:
Similiar theme: has anyone worn 5:10 canyoneering boots hill walking? Designed to dry out quickly and for friction.

In reply to Phil1919: I have in Wales worked better than I expected - comfy - but soggy feet

In reply to Phil1919: As neoprene does not breathe at all, especially if you get a decent glued aswell as stitched pair your feet will sweat something awful pretty quickly. I do alot of spearfishing when the weathers decent and use these socks under my fins, i dont suit up until im at the waters edge though as I get way too hot. As other chaps have said seal skins are pretty decent. Or you could pick up a pair of issue gortex boot liners to pop on when needed, dirt cheap too! Failing that possiby a pair of diving booties to use at crossings, usually have a decent rubber sole so will grip nicely through a crossing and no issues if the water goes over the top of them either.

In reply to Richard88: Thanks all. I'm expecting Scotland to be too wet for sealskins which I usually wear. Sealskins aren't any good once water gets in over top. If I did take wet suit socks I would anticipate them getting wet at start, and staying wet all day. I'll probably give them a miss in the end I guess!

In reply to Phil1919:

On the contrary - once water gets in, it stays in, and warms up. A bit like neoprene, only less sweaty

In reply to Phil1919:

I wear the lightest fell running shoes for walking, with light, quick drying socks. Would never go back to anything waterproof.

In reply to Phil1919:
Another caver here. Wearing dry neoprene is awful. I had a particularly bad day up Ingleton where after tramping up in the blazing sun, I got stuck 20 feet into the cave. After half an hour of struggling, I got free again, and decided that caving could go **** itself, so walked back down the hill in search of a pub. Suffice it to say I had some epic blisters by the time I got back.

So in short, anything but neoprene socks for walking.