Mosquito Proof Socks?

Treating your socks with permethrin will help. I don't know if it'll help enough, so you'll just have to try it.

What about adding a cap to the bottom of your pants legs made from nanoseeum and 1/16" elastic cord treated with permethrin? They could snap in and out via KAMsnaps or velcro dots if you didn't want them to be permanent fixtures. Done properly I bet they would weigh less than 0.25 oz each.

Or you could make nanoseeum gaiters and treat those with permethrin.

I've tried perithrin but I sweat heavily and routinely wade through streams so it won't last on a multi day hike.

I've experimented with various dievices in the ankle area (e.g. dirty girl gatitors, netting and tyvek sock covers, etc.) but, ideally, would just like to slip on some mosquito proof socks at the beginning of each day and be done with it.

My neoprene socks appear to be bug proof but weigh about 3 ounces per pair. Wearing several pairs of thick wool socks will also do the trick but the weight adds up pretty quickly.

Last week in North Cascades NP I used some tyvek pants to keep the mosquitoes from biting through my nylon pants, and they worked really well. Cheap too. I bet it wouldn't be hard to fashion some simple tyvek gaiters or ankle sleeves that would do the trick.

I had the same problem when I first switched from boots to trail runners. I never even thought about the exposed ankles. My socks were much thicker (Smartwool PhD) but the little mosquito probosces still went right through! After my first trip with trail runners, I drove 850 miles home from Wyoming to Oregon trying NOT to scratch my ankles!

A permethrin spray treatment will last through 10-12 machine launderings (with detergent and thorough rinsing), so wading creeks and sweat shouldn't be a big deal unless it's a really long trip. Personally, I go with lightweight breathable gaiters, which also keep pebbles out of my shoes. Since you reject both of these alternatives, I don't know what else to suggest, except maybe Deet repellent on your ankles. Any socks that would be mosquito proof would also sweat your feet and ankles like crazy.

What if you cut the top sections off a pair of thicker socks and sewed them to the nylon socks. That way you'd still have the comfort of the thin socks inside your shoes but have some ankle protection and it would all be one piece.

I've had mosquitoes bite me through my shoes, though.

The mosquitoes where you folks live must be bigger and meaner than our Ohio versions.

I Permethrin my pants and socks (liners, which are very thin) and tuck my pants into my socks. That keeps the ticks and skeeters at bay. Even with significant wading, a Perm treatment seems to last a whole season.

Stargazer

+1 on the Permethrin. It will last through the stream crossings. Just re-treat after a few trips.

I have no idea if this is plausible, but an event oversock could work. I think the sweating could be bad but combine it with a liner might work. Worth a shot maybe.

Daryl,

I just saw this on sale at mountain gear.

http://www.mountaingear.com/pages/product/product.asp/imanf/Outdoor+Research/idesc/BugOut+Gaiter+-+Unisex/Store/MG/item/213873/N/0

Enjoy,

Dave

David,

I like the sound of that "insect shield" treatment on the fabric of the OR gaitors.

All,

Given the feedback I'm getting I think I may have to rethink prerithrin. I assumed my heavy sweating and stream crossings would quickly wash it off but maybe not? I need to try it again and pay more attention to the skeeters when they are on the perithrin covered socks.

Piper,

I'll give the sock anklets a try.

Thanks,

Daryl