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Just read a post on BJ recommending wool socks with Seal Skinz and sandals for wet weather riding. http://www.rei.com/product/620085
Sounds great to me! I already prefer riding in sandals, and they do dry a lot faster than shoes.
Anyone with opinions on Seal Skinz? Do they breathe enough that a major sweaty foot (mine) won't swelter?
KY, I got sealskinz socks and gloves while riding in Alaska. even there it was overkill for most days. they're neoprene and hold in sweat like crazy, so for long rides I felt incredibly waterlogged when I was finished. they're also thicker than my standard socks so my shoes didn't fit well (too tight). I don't think I've ever used them again since Alaska (certainly not here in CA).
Neoprene? The Sealskinz I have seen have a woolly inner, then a waterproof membrane, then an acrylic/polyester/something synthetic and hard-wearing outer. Have known several mtbers that use them and most either rate them quite highly or say nothing will keep your feet warm and dry-ish the way proper winter shoes/boots will.
www.sealskinz.com
I have StormSocks - a different brand, similar idea. They are much, much thinner than Sealskinz, so they fit into shoes easily. What I find is that they are good for a while, but little to nothing can stop water from coming down your leg and getting into your socks after an hour or two. The socks tend to hold in the water that comes in, so you swim a bit if you are out for a long time. (I had Sealskinz gloves for a little while and I hated them.... they were like wearing water balloons after a while.....) The Stormsocks are light and tight enough to not feel too bad even when soaked through and they are completely wind proof, which means they tend to keep warmth in.
Oooh, thanks Eden! And the Storm Socks are $10 cheaper than SealSkinz, too!
I bought a pair of these type of socks for our Austria trip; while I can't remember which brand they are, they are skinny enough to fit in my road shoes. They definitely kept my feet dry on the one very rainy morning. However, my feet were sweating like crazy. I have worn them mountain biking and hiking where I knew there might be stream crossing issues, but only in the spring or fall. They would be hot in the summer. Still, I'm glad I have them as a back up.
For what it's worth............I rode 20 miles today, in the process trying out new Sealskinz Chillblocker socks---the type that has a double layer of fleece inside. (Found 'em on eBay.) Wore them solo, without other socks or chem warmers, in Sidi Winter Freeze MTB shoes. 40-45F degrees today. To my delight, I was comfortably warm right up to the end. :)
.....When I got home and took them off, the fleece lining was a little damp inside from sweat.....Overall, very pleased with them for cold weather riding. Obviously, they are NOT meant for temps above, say, 50---you would probably be wayyyy too warm from the triple layer.
.....If I go out for a ride in temps in the 30 to 40F range, I would probably add a very thin wool liner sock for good measure, as long as doing so doesn't cramp circulation.