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Rocky GTX Socks Discontinued. Alternatives?


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Home Forums Gear Forums Gear (General) Rocky GTX Socks Discontinued. Alternatives?

Viewing 8 posts - 1 through 8 (of 8 total)
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  • #3781703
    Atif Khan
    BPL Member

    @atifethica-institute-2

    Customer service at Rocky Brands, Inc. confirms that the Rocky GTX socks have been discontinued. What is the closest alternative? They came highly recommended among BPL’ers and I am wary to try just any “waterproof” sock.

    #3781719
    David C
    BPL Member

    @dosenfeld

    The most equivalent I’ve found are Montbell goretex socks. They are the only socks I’ve found that are just the fabric and goretex, which is what I think the Rocky GTX were. Most of the other waterproof socks I found are an actual knit sock with membrane which I’ve tried but aren’t comfortable for me.

    I bought a pair of the Montbell recently but haven’t used them much. First impressions are that they are high quality, fit well (have a left and right foot sock), and are comfortable with a pair of light hiker socks  underneath in a trail runner. Downsides: very expensive; small sizing so the XL is size US 11. Others may have more experience with them, but so far so good for my uses.

    #3781726
    Alex Wallace
    BPL Member

    @feetfirst

    Locale: Sierra Nevada North

    Oh no! I’ve had a pair for a few years now and they work great for early season trips where I’m dealing with wet trails and snow. Hopefully the Monbell’s work.

    #3781738
    Taylor GW
    BPL Member

    @tgregoirewright

    As an alternative, we tried goretex socks but ditched them in favor of neoprene socks. Your feet do get wet, but we’ve always been able to avoid maceration with proper nightly footcare even on multi-week hikes. We did a springtime (during breakup) hike in the Brooks Range with neoprene socks and our normal hiking shoe, and our feet were quite happy, even trudging through slushy ice and soaked tussock fields. They were also great for packrafting and walking over gravel bars while at camp. Downside: added weight over goretex socks. Upside: warmer feet, at least in our experiences.

    #3781799
    Eric Blanche
    BPL Member

    @eblanche

    Locale: Northeast US

    Taylor, what flavor of neoprene socks have you used and prefer? Specifically, what is the thickness?

     

    I have been using Rocky GTX socks for a number of years now but just recently bought a thin pair of neoprene socks. I’ve yet to use them.

    #3781863
    Taylor GW
    BPL Member

    @tgregoirewright

    In AK we used 5mm, which was due to a mistake I made in the ordering process. They worked out well for us, but I think 5mm is too thick because I had to remove my insole liner to be comfortable when walking. That said, our feet were basically immune to walking through icy water. We did some 12h+ days in and out of rivers and swampy tundra with zero discomfort due to cold feet. We were also able to use them going over snow-covered passes where we would sometimes step into meltwater running down hills — again, our feet were essentially immune to the cold. We did try walking without the socks and our feet were numb in a half hour. I’m still stunned by how effective they were for us.

    I now have 3mm neoprene socks, which I think would have worked well enough on our Brooks Range hike. I haven’t had a chance to test them in really icy conditions though.

    You will need to try them with whatever footwear you use, and you may want to consider sizing up your shoes by half a size, depending on how tight things are now, how flexible the your shoes’ fabric is, etc.

    Here are the situations in which I plan on continuing to use neoprene socks:

    • Hikes where my feet will be wet and cold most days of the hike (e.g. AK in spring)
    • Packrafting on cold rivers
    • Hikes where I’ll have a couple days of travel through moist snow

    I have the Omer 3mm socks and I bought them from House of Scuba. I highly recommend House of Scuba now because of how good their customer service is. You can call them, talk to a real person who actually knows about the gear they sell (or will grab someone who is knowledgeable), and they’re happy to help you pick out whatever is right for you.

    #3781902
    Sam Farrington
    BPL Member

    @scfhome

    Locale: Chocorua NH, USA

    It sounds like no one has had success with WPB liners in footwear, with WPB gaiters if needed. But I’ve found the WPB liners in Keen’s and Salomons effective; which may have something to do with the fact that these brands fit me well.
    Good WPB liners and fit allow use of socks that both breathe and are made of nonabsorbent materials, such as polyester, which for me are far more comfortable and dry out quicker. No wool or the like.

    #3782411
    Paul McLaughlin
    BPL Member

    @paul-1

    I have had great luck with WPB liners in boots – for a short time. The problem is that the waterproofness does not last anywhere near as long as the boots do, so I have a nice boot with plenty of life left that is no longer waterproof. If the sock starts leaking, I can replace the sock for  lot less than the price of new boots.

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