VB socks

Yup.

Thanks..had a little brain fart.

Was reading up on winter footware options today, and re-read 2007 winter footware articles. I would like to get out more this winter as well. Are people still just wearing their regular trail runners? Should I look at an overboot for when there is snow on the ground? What about when you go with snowshoes?

I am experimenting with 40 below overboots this winter for my snow shoeing. Trail runners and that's why I am also gonna try the VB socks with this system.

I thought the 40 Below overboot effectively is a VBL, as it's neoprene. Not sure you need to use both at the same time.

For the maximum warmth as well as turning your hiking boots into winter boots TRY THIS: 1. VBL-> light neoprene (closed cell foam) diver's socks – I'm now using US Divers. (Be SURE to have all seams sealed with polyurethane tent seam sealer.) 2. VBL liner-> thin polypro liner socks (NOT polyester if possible) – carry two extra pair so you can rinse one out daily and have extra dry liners. Wring out the rinsed pair very well and dry inside sleeping bag overnight. Polypro dries amazingly fast. This combo is warmer than standard coated ripstop VBLs and heavy socks. Plus it won't slide down and bunch up. – don't ask… If winter camping remove VBLS and liners at bed time, turn the VBLs inside-out and place in foot of sleeping bag to dry overnight. ** Put skanky used polypro liners in a small dry bag OR rinse them out, wring out and place in sleeping bag to dry.

Hi Eric, Good topic with winter just over the horizon. I've been content with Warmlite VBL socks but try to keep an open mind. re: VBL-> light neoprene (closed cell foam) diver's socks – I'm now using US Divers. I'm not finding socks listed at usdivers.com today, some dive boots though. I'm wondering how thin a sock you are using. I'm seeing other sources with socks of thicknesses of 0.5mm, 2mm (I think), 2.5mm and 3mm. Where do yours fall in that range? re: Put skanky used polypro liners … OR rinse them out, wring out and place in sleeping bag to dry. My first reaction to that was that the water vapor would condense in the bag's insulation … But maybe polypro absorbs so little water that it isn't a factor for a few nights?

Jim, My US Divers socks are the slightly heavier 3 mm version. My old ones are 2 mm. Both fit inside my 3 season Merrill Moab Mid boots but I have only used the heavier ones in those boots. The older, thinner sox are for my felt pac liners. P.S. my US Divers socks also are marked "right" and "left". This means they fit my toe area better than the other, thinner divers' sox I have.

Thanks Eric. I suspected they wouldn't be 0.5mm like the NRS Hydroskins when you said they were warmer than coated nylon VB sox plus heavy wools but it is good to have confirmation.