Fast drying liners for sweaty feet?

[mattgoyer]

My feet get super sweaty when skiing and on multi-day tours it gets pretty uncomfortable because I am unable to dry the liners of my Dynafit Titans in my sleeping bag (I've tried warm Nalgene's, heater packs, newspaper,...). I recently bought some Scarpa Freedom SLs but before I wear them I was wondering if anyone know of a liner that would dry fast? If so, I'll swap out the ones that come with it.

I'll also take tips on managing sweaty feet. I've tried Rab VBL socks but sweated them out. I wear a super thin sock. I tried anti-persipirant once and likely need to give it another shot.

[Lindahl]

Bread bag vapor barrier with thin liner sock?

[I've seen black diamonds!]

Maybe try one of those super-powered antiperspirants, like Certain Dri? A friend of mine tried that stuff back in high school and his armpits didn't sweat for days.

[skimaxpower]

Vent your legs better! Layer appropriately. The easiest path to dry boots (or at least less wet) is not overheating.

[keith-stone]

I use an antiperspirant spray on my feet in the morning right before putting on my ski sock...works like a charm. Also a thinner sock could help too.

Sent from my DROID2 using TGR Forums

[Flyin'shoes]

The closed cell foam used in Intuitions don't absorb moisture (i.e. sweat) that is one reason why they have become the default replacement liners in high altitude mountaineering boots. Definitely better than the Dyna liners.

[Shorty_J]

Bread bag vapor barrier with thin liner sock?

^^^ This.

I've also seen vapour barrier socks for sale at MEC... looked like silnylon to me.

[mattgoyer]

I try hard not to overheat: I'm normally in a t-shirt when everyone else has two layers on, side vents in pants, no hat + gloves, etc. Still the feet sweat. In terms of socks, I wear Bridgedale Micro Fit Ultra Light Ski Sock. I don't think you could get thinner without wearing panythose!

I'll try bread bags and spray anti-perspirant. Glad to hear that the Intuition liners won't absorb as much!

[GeezerSteve]

I use Certain Dri, which helps, but IME, VB sox are the only way to keep boot liners dry on multi-day tours. There several VB sox options, including: bread bags over ultrathin ski sox (sox will get soaked but they dry out at night and a second pair of sox is light); or any of various sox marketed as "waterproof." I currently use Seirus Hyperlite Stormsocks with nylon tape loops sewn on the tops, fore and aft, to help keep them up during the tour. They are marketed as "waterproof/breatheable" but, like most things so marketed, they are neither. Nonetheless, they contain nearly all moisture away from the liner and dry out fast at night. I've also tried thin neoprene socks, but beware of the NRS ones because they are not tall enough and have a rolled seam at the top.

There are other advantages to VB sox: Your liners will last much longer before rotting out, you'll stay warmer and they are great for avoiding blisters.

[Swine]

I made my own VB socks from silnylon. Underneath I wear a super thin (almost pantyhose thin) bamboo sock. That combo goes straight into my Intuition. The socks will get wet, but dry quickly, and my feet stay warm. You can pick up a yard of silnylon for super cheap online.

Sent from a rotary phone.

[Moralkaka]

I just use the thin TLT5 liner, dries just fine in the sleeping bag.

[mattgoyer]

Swine, can you post a pic of your homemade socks? I tried the Rab VB socks but they wetted out on me.

[Swine]

Yeah, I'll shoot a couple pics tonight. I actually bought two thicknesses of silnylon from here (1.35 oz and 2.3 oz) and made socks out of the thinner material - I want to try the thicker next. I think over time the coating does breakdown and they will wet out; still a good cheap solution that works well with all other combined materials in my case. Pics forthcoming after work...

[mobygrape]

thin liner -> breadbag ->wool sock worked well for winter outdoor work years ago.

Might work OK with ski boots, if you have a thin oversock, and the boots are not already fit without room for that ( ie fit with just one layer, and very tightly).

[skibum193]

Maybe not as solid of a solution for multi day tours, but baby powder has really helped keep my sweaty ass feet dry.

[johngfc]

I did the antiperspirant thing and found that it only worked for me if applied to clean feet, first thing in the morning. If I waited until getting to the ski are, just before putting on boots it didn't work.

[Swine]

Here ya go. Not pretty, but functional. Silnylon doesn't stretch so it's more of a loose condom. I cut apart a sock for the pattern, but then had to alter it because of the no stretch feature. I'm sure there is some bunching when in my boot but that material is so thin I can't feel it. I've since torn out a seam in one of them - hence wanting to do up another pair out of the thicker material (and I'm thinking the thicker will stay waterproof longer).

[Horu]

I use Certain Dri, which helps, but IME, VB sox are the only way to keep boot liners dry on multi-day tours. There several VB sox options, including: bread bags over ultrathin ski sox (sox will get soaked but they dry out at night and a second pair of sox is light); or any of various sox marketed as "waterproof." I currently use Seirus Hyperlite Stormsocks with nylon tape loops sewn on the tops, fore and aft, to help keep them up during the tour. They are marketed as "waterproof/breatheable" but, like most things so marketed, they are neither. Nonetheless, they contain nearly all moisture away from the liner and dry out fast at night. I've also tried thin neoprene socks, but beware of the NRS ones because they are not tall enough and have a rolled seam at the top.

There are other advantages to VB sox: Your liners will last much longer before rotting out, you'll stay warmer and they are great for avoiding blisters.

^QFT. I am also a sweaty bastard and find my boots feel sloppy on the way down if I don't use a VB. Bread bags work well, but I've been using the sealskins brand sock and had good luck. I have a pretty snug fit on the boots and they only seem slightly bulkier than the ordinary smartwool ski sock I wear for lift-served. They also come high on the calf, no problems with length or sag. Oddly, for as much sweat as I've pumped into those socks they don't smell. I always leave them inside-out to dry and have never had a problem.

[ratboy]

+1 on sealskins - used these on a climbing trip to the Andes years ago and they worked well. Also very comfortable.

[mattgoyer]

Horu and Ratboy, which model of the Sealskinz do you use? The seem to get mixed reviews on Amazon.

Swine, thanks for the photo! Much simpler than I thought, which means I'm more likely to try and make em .

[Horu]

Horu and Ratboy, which model of the Sealskinz do you use? The seem to get mixed reviews on Amazon.

Swine, thanks for the photo! Much simpler than I thought, which means I'm more likely to try and make em .

This looks like the right package, but other than being waterproof, over the calf, and sealskinz brand, not sure what else to tell you. The only options I had at the local store were ankle or calf height. One reviewer said the socks were not waterproof as advertised because water pooled in the foot area and produced drag... sounds like they were swimming in them. The top of the cuff is not a drysuit gasket, what do they expect?

[ak_powder_monkey]

find a couple larger silica gel packets, put them in boots after skiing.

[shafty85]

Despite the fact that my feet smell like flowers on a clear summer morning, they can still get sweaty when I tour. While I suffer this single imperfection to my sublime self with only a smidgen of a grudge, I thought it would be worthwhile to bump this old thread and see if anyone had any new ideas for VBL socks. This is a topics that has become of more and more interest to me the more I read. The VBL theory seems accurate and I'm determined to give it a try this coming fall/winter.

http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-...l#.VgIefctViko
This claims that the Serius Storm Socks are not waterproof, thus defeating the purpose of the VBL, I would imagine?

Though they visually, and perhaps materially, appear to be the most likely 'best candidate' RBH says not to use their VBL socks in alpine boots (thought I would primarily use in touring, and they do recommend them for tele-boots )
http://www.rbhdesigns.com/product/20...ated-socks.htm

And Sealskinz claims their socks 'breathe' through osmosis (allowing the water molecules to pass through the barrier into your dry liner)
http://www.sealskinz.com/CA/faqs

So what say ye, oh wise TGR maggots? Is there a VBL sock that will work with ski boots? Bonus points to any of you who can point me to a product available in Canada and won't cost more than my first unborn child (though, I guess that would be free if I never have any, eh?)