WanderLearn Forum with Francis Tapon

I did a short overnight hike in West Virginia a couple days ago. I had to cross a stream 5 min into my hike, there was standing/running water ON the trail almost the entire hike. Point being....there was no way in the world I was keeping my feet dry on this hike. I wear a non-gortex midcut montrails...but gortex wouldnt have mattered. How do you deal with wet feet. without adding the extra weight of camp shoes. Drying my boots by a fire would have taken hours.

Great question! Three solutions:

1. Don't buy Goretex shoes. Favor lightweight, highly breathable train runners. Inov-8 has several nice ones. The downside with such shoes is that they get wet quickly (whereas Goretex ones can shed water for a while). However, when it's pouring rain (or when you're trekking through streams), Goretex won't keep you dry - what's worse is that it will keep you wet longer. The Goretex membrane makes it hard for water to get in.... AND OUT! That's why I favor breathable, non-Goretex shoes. If you know you're going to do many river crossings, you might get sandals with decent traction.

2. To prevent trench foot, put some Hydropel on your feet. I used this everyday in when I walked through nearly 1,000 miles of snow in Colorado in boots. It worked well.

3. If you really want something water proof, get either rubber boots (that fishermen use) or plastic boots (that mountaineers use). Goretex is a crappy compromise; save your money and avoid it.

Stay dry!

I guess to add to the question and topic. How many pairs of socks do you carry with you at any time. I currently have been carrying 2 (1 dedicated dry/sleeping pair). I am thinking of adding another pair to the equation.

I'm like you: I survive with two pairs of socks. However, I use them differently.

Once every 24-48 hours I wash one pair, hang it on my pack to dry while I walk, and wear the other pair. At the end of the day, I put on the freshly washed pair. If it's not dry yet, then I just leave on the pair I have been hiking with, or, more likely, I sleep barefoot.

In fact, sleeping barefoot is one of the best things you can do for your feet during a long hike. They breathe and dry out faster than if you're wearing socks. Of course, if it's snowing outside, you'll probably wear socks.

Since you've proven you can survive with just two pairs, I would stick with that, unless you're heading to a very rainy or cold place, in which case you should bring the third pair.

Finally, get the thinest socks you can tolerate so they dry fast and let your feet breathe.

Happy trails,