Wet feet

[warrigal]

I think this the better place to ask this thread then WSS.
I have a RAAF ( Air Force. Jeff, Same one who went to Viet) mate who has just deployed to the " 'Gahn" He is having trouble with wet feet He is wearing a Converse Mil boot. The Issue Terra boots aren't the best for his feet. He is wearing woolen socks. Under Sealskins but the water is seeping down his leg after creek crossings. He is a snr NCO ( He is 47 he's getting old and creaky)
Anybody got any suggestions. On how to stop/minimise this?
The only thought I have are lower leg Gaitors Similar to what the Brits use.
Thanks Carl

 

[C_Kyle]

Unfortunately, you're pretty SOL when the water is higher than the boots. I used to wear the green jungles with Rocky Goretex socks over the issue wool socks with the top of the sock folded so that it's lower than the elastic Goretex top. The Rocky socks felt strange at first, but I liked them better than the neoprene Seal Skins.

Then I evolved and bought a pair of Matterhorn ATD boots. They are really tall, and have a padded cuff around the top that seals well to your bare leg. Again, fold the top of your socks so that it's lower than the cuff of the boot.

I'd sh!tcan those Converse and Seal Skins and pick up a better pair of boots. If he's good with a more traditional boot, I go with Matterhorn 8602494. If he'd be better with a more shoe-like boot, then it's probably going to have to be a lower-top boot. Garmont T8's or Merrell Moab's with a different goretex sock are probably as good as it's going to get.

Change socks and use foot powder every chance you get. My preference is Gold Bond Medicated Powder. You can liberally apply it to your feet and your balls and crack. Laugh it up. That powder is worth it's weight in gold.

 

[warrigal]

Thanks for the the input.
I'll pass that on.
Carl

 

[jw2n]

Man, fom feet to balls to crack. Remind me not to be around when you change your socks. As a friend of mine always says - Daaaaaaammmmmmnnnnn!

 

[1066vik]

I second the taller, lace to toe, Matterhorns - good boots!

 

[OwenM]

Sealskins make a sock that is supposed to seal at the top, and disallow water from entering. Their products are expensive, and get VERY mixed reviews, though.
If the problem is not just wet feet, but cold feet as a result...if the wet part is unavoidable, you might be able to do something about the cold with a wetsock. I have a couple, and keep a pair in my bag when I know my feet are likely to get wet at work where I'll be stuck for 8-16 hours, plus wear them under sandals in cooler weather when kayaking.
Mine are the NRS 2mm wetsock. They fit under boots, and keep my feet warm, and pretty comfortable, even when soaked. NRS also offers .5mm Hydroskin, and 3mm "Expedition" versions.
Once wet inside, you're not going to "wear them dry". Not something I'd want to wear day in and day out, though I've read about people actually using them for hiking, but my feet have suffered no ill effects from wearing them for several hours at a time, and I've tried them like a regular sock with a Fox River liner sock inside.
Neoprene with a fleecy inside, they're warm wet or dry.
Here's a couple of quotes from the 26 reviews here(which is where I bought mine): http://www.altrec.com/nrs/wetsocks-2mm#
"I used these wet socks in conjunction with the Hood River Water Boot in a 41 mile backpacking trip in the Paria Canyon via the Wire Pass and Buckskin Gulch. Though they did not keep my feet dry, they did keep my feet warm the entire trip. They performed very well under the gruelling conditions of never ending water crossings, crossing the never ending boulder fields and even kept out the sand while hiking in the deep sand of the River Trail at the end of the hike. I was very impressed with them."

"very good quality construction-reliable at low temperature-
do you spend a lot of time in the snow at zero degrees?--this type of vapor barrier sock is excellent in keeping your foot insulation layers functioning and not soggy or frozen with vapor-sweat--I use several pairs and the superior performance in low temp is safer than cloth socks if you break thru ice into running water and get soaked--just put socks back on they are waterproof"

 

[BWSkipper]

Here's a trick I learned from my Grunts. Wear the dress type socks next to the skin on the foot then take a cotton sock and turn it inside out and slip it over the dress type sock. The inside out cotton sock wicks the moisture away from the inner sock. We just wore the plain Jane issue combat boots. This was back in the 80's so it's before a lot of the modern stuff that's available now so we just looked for any edge we could get.

Water crossings your pretty much gonna get your piggys wet and like Wulf mentioned drying, powder, and changing to dry socks is probably best.

 

[C_Kyle]

Like Skipper said, you can try dress socks with wool or cotton inside out, or pantyhose and another sock, etc. There are a ton of different configurations to try. Heck, I knew a guy that would pull the insoles out of his Jungles and go sockless. It sounds retarded, but it worked for him. The problem is that everyone's different and there's probably only one variation that works as well as possible.

I was blessed to be born with pretty good feet, and all the little tricks didn't work at all. Back in the day, I could throw on some brand new POS, all leather issue boots, hump all day and run miles and have not one blister. The best, and still the best for me is good wool socks, Gold Bond powder, and changing often.

 

[myright]

I second the taller, lace to toe, Matterhorns - good boots!

:thumbup:

I was just sloshing around in the snow shoveling 20" inches of snow. They kept my feet warm and BONE dry. They are a great pair of boots, just a little heavy.

 

[akabu]

wool dress socks as the inner wool, ,Synthetic wool mix outer and have 3 pairs outer. change out One foot at a Time {combat Zone} alcohol wipe and let breath.
Hang the wet on back of pack to dry. have a spare light weight foot gear when the the Boots have to dry...not always doable but a choice at base camp.
Foot Powder... dust the boots and socks! Trench foot can do you down time quick.
this is from an NCO Viet Vet

 

[Mannlicher]

a poly wicking sock 'liner' under the wool socks is what I like to use.

 

[baldtaco-II]

The best gaiters I know of are the Berghaus Yetis. They can be got in an appropriate color. You do need the right boots to go with them though.

 

[ROCK6]

Now that I'm living around a lake and some marshy areas, I'll be in the same boat. I have several pair of Danner and Matternhorn boots I need to go dig out today, but gaiters are only good at keeping, snow, dew and rain from seeping into your boots, they don't serve as waders (I guess they do in the snow). I've done my share of patrolling and hiking in wet areas and getting wet feet. Best fix was to carry a couple pair of dry wool socks and change them when you get a chance. The problem with the goretex boots and socks is that if they get water in them, the water stays in them. If he's hiking through a lot of water ways and the water is going to be above the boot, I would opt for quality, thick wool socks and some decent boots that will drain well...not necessarily waterproof. If the water is not going to be above the boot, tall goretex boots would work, just add a good set of gaiters to keep the dew and rain from running down into them.

ROCK6

 

[Joezilla]

If this is in response to my wedding coming up, it ain't going to happen.


If it is in response to the soggy feet I have from trekking in the snow, i hear it. Luckily these tennis shoes don't have much in the way of cotton in them.