Reuse/Recycle Old Wool/Fleece Socks?

[Simon Wurster]

I have several pairs of well-worn wool and fleece socks that are beyond repair… The fleece ones could probably dropped off at Patagonia for recycling, but I was thinking of a way to reuse them somehow. Any ideas?

[Lucas Boyer]

stitch up the holes and use them as sleeping socks.

Sew a piece of thin leather or similar durable material on the bottom and use as camp shoes

make a camera cozy.

make a koozie for your Ti Mug to keep hot drinks hot.

Add a thumb and make mittens to wear under silnylon shell mittens.

???????

[Simon Wurster]

"Sew a piece of thin leather or similar durable material on the bottom and use as camp shoes"

Like that one, thanks!

[Franco Darioli]

Yes, many use socks as lens and camera pouches. I suppose the same can be for phones/mp3 players and whatever gadget you must have with you.
Franco

[David Dixon]

I use an old pair with the ends cut out as sleeves when i Kayak in the mornings. I can leave the life vest on and stil take them on and off.

[Michael Meiser]

I like the idea of knee or elbow warmers. It's not only practical but downright smart when it's freezing out. A good pair of my favorite worn out smart wool socks pulled up around my knees when it's freezing out just might be the downrigt best thing for keeping the od joints warm.

BTW… I guess you should know… I'm talking cycling here.

That said it was the idea of using them as camp shoes that really threw me. It just seemed a little ridiculous and I guess that's why it stuck in my head for so long.

has anyone tried fasioning a light sandle for around camp out of a shoe insole??

Particularly one that can still be used with the shoe during the day.

At the most basic level this could be as simple as throwing an insole in an old pair of socks that have been stitched up one to many times.

However it could get far more interesting.

1) paint or spray the bottom side of a pair of socks with plasticoat, slide your insoles from your hiking boots in and you have an instant camp sandle that's lighter and packs better then anything on the market.

2) optionally, you could sew a piece of leather to the bottom as another poster suggested, but you could still add the insoles from your boots while they're airing out at the end of the day and then you'd have a more comfortable ultralight sandle/sock.

3) They do actually make and sell socks with a rubberized bottom. Why not just take a pair of those hiking and slip your boot insole into them for a little added padding at the end of the day

4) If you take along crocs, why not simply take your insole out of your boot and put it in the crocs for some added comfort.

5) If you take along ultralight neoprene river shoes… they seem like the perfect place to use your hiking boot insoles.

5) Ultralight insole flip flop!?

This last one is really the reason I'm posting. The others were just to get you thinking so you wouldn't think this idea to crazy. :)

And this may be absolutely crazy, but it might lead to something absolutely brilliant if one was to keep brainstorming along this line.

Is there a way you can turn an insole, possibly a heavier insole into an ultralight sandle?

For example. What if you just put some simple cuts in the insole to thread through some nylon cord to make an estremely simple flip flop. The sandal would be so light the strap could simply cover your big toe.

Alternatively… duck tape might work but is too wasteful.

Alternatively you could start with the sandle… why not start with an ultralight flip flop and then cut it down and form it to work as an insole in your boot.

To crazy?

Well then why not think of it this way…. What if you could layer sandals and shoes like you layer clothing.

What if there was some sort of convertible sandle shoe, like a backpacker pant / short?

Sort of like a river or surf shoe the light sole and neoprene cover / straps would allow you to hang around camp in comfort. They might even work for walking light trail use… certainly great for river and stream crossings.

But when you came to those bolder hopping sections of the trail on would go your over-shoe.

They actually do make things called "over boots". They're popular with postal people in the lower 48. And up in alaska.

I guess this is now not looking so crazy as plausible. Like rubber shoe covers to cover your business shoes or waterproof shoe covers cyclists use to keep out cold and rain in te winter.

There are also cold weather foot covers for dry and wet suits of course.

Anyone ever use anyting like this?

Anyone make a sock wit more then a rubberized bottom.

Say a possum down sock with a leather bottom?

[Steven LeBlanc]

I was kinda thinking along the same lines. I got the idea from a youtube that I saw a few months back. I just searched and found the vid… here's the link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lyBvUGi2A_A&NR=1

I will be bringing a pair of insoles rigged as flip-flops. I would not want to use my boot insoles for anything. Especially anything wet. I would bring a second pair. I am always of the mind set to keep my feet/footwear as dry as possible.

[Michael Meiser]

Wow, I was right.

So, I'm not the first person to think of insole flip flops.

Watching the video ( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lyBvUGi2A_A&NR=1 ) It actually seems pretty practical to me. At least for summer use.

All you need for walking around camp is a little something to keep from cutting your feet.

The pop can tab seems like a good idea for the strap beneath the toes, but I wonder what he used to attach the strap to the sides of the insole.

[Mike M]

here's some more here:

http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-bin/backpackinglight/xdpy/forum_thread/11897/index.html?skip_to_post=89577#89577

[Joseph Morrison]

Teva made a womens shoe that had a removable Insole/flip flop. My faincee bought a pair for her mother a while back.
I can't remember the name of them. Not really hiking shoes, more of a casual design.

Joseph

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