VBL Socks as Camp Shoes

[Bob Gabbart]

Like most people on this site I’m sure, I don’t bring seperate camp shoes. I usually just hang out in my wet shoes and socks until I’m ready to go to bed at which point I change into my comfy PossumDown socks. But on my last trip, my feet were totally soaked and it was getting very cold and I had to put on warm socks, so I put on my socks and stuck my feet in silnylon stuff sacks. I had the thought – instead of bringing camp shoes, what about bring Vapor Barrier socks to put over your warm socks and then put your feet back in your soggy wet shoes. This would keep your feet warm and dry and allow you to bassicaly bring camp shoes for under 1 ounce. Anyone do this?

Bob

[paul johnson]

haven’t tried your suggested approach, but i do have some small amount of experience with VB socks.

since i don’t like wet feet, i wear VB socks while hiking in the rain. however, depending upon how long i hike, they still get wet – from perspiration.

since you’re talking around camp wear and not hiking, you will experience less sweating of the feet, i would imagine. i’m guessing that it will also take longer for your footwear to dry out just wearing them around camp, rather than hiking, since less heat is being produced. again, just an assumption on my part – haven’t done a “side-by-side” experiment.

if, as you suggest/ask, you wore them in camp for a long enough period of time, then you might want another pair of socks for sleeping, since these dry and warm camp socks will be somewhat sweat-soaked by “turn-in” time. or, you’ll just take off the VB socks in warmer weather and dry out the camp socks while sleeping.

does any of this make any sense to anyone?

[Bob Gabbart]

I don’t have any experience with VBL, but would my feet realy sweat that much just hanging around camp that I would nead seperate socks for sleeping?

[paul johnson]

Bob,

like i said, i haven’t tried that. i use them while hiking in the rain. my guess is that your feet would sweat. how much? i guess each person is a bit different. also, how long you wear them and what the OAT is will, in part, determine how much perspiration your socks draw up.

i can tell you i have one pair of GTX light hikers that i sometimes wear to work if i notice that the weather forecast predicts heavy rain (it’s a 7-10min. walk from car to factory). if i leave this, basically unbreathable, footwear on while sitting at my desk, my feet sweat some. perhaps, temp. has something to do with this as well as individual characteristics. sorry, i can’t be more help. maybe someone else with more knowledge and experience will Post some good info.

[Al Shaver]

Bob
Rather than drying your wet socks, how about putting on GTX socks before you expose your feet and socks to water so that they never get wet in the first place? my feet sweat alot and I can spend all day in rain and puddles and at night I pull off my GTX socks and find dry, warm socks and feet.
Rocky GTX Socks $50, 2.5 oz./pair <rei.com>
Cheers, Al

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