Wool sock recommendations needed

[CapitanBlack]

I'd like some feedback on the various cold water socks everyone has chosen for use with their drysuit.

I have tried many no-name and hi-tech socks and stopped on a regular ski socks made by Salomon. They are the best what I had. I put them on top of regular socks. You can buy them from any ski/sport shop...

 

[fppf]

Do not put wool or any high tech socks over cotton socks. It defeats the whole purpose. Cotton does not wick moisture, it just holds it against the skin and makes you cold.

 

[tregrrr]

I have had much luck using "bama" socks... they are a low cut and fairly dense small boot liner that have yet to leave my feet less warm than the rest of me

widely available at work supply outlets... Marks carries them IIRC for about 15$

 

[drydiver]

another vote for smart wool, REI sells them, expensive, but worth it

Wigwams are a close second, they are bulkier.

 

[bighiller]

More insulation for your torso, but barring that, layer up a few pairs. I use a synthetic pair from MEC, then a good thick pair of woolies. Can't remember exactly where I got them though...

 

[elan]

Smart wool, + sometimes thin fleece under them. Smart wool ones work fine by themselves for an hour in 36F water, though at the end I feel a bit cold. With added fleece I feel no cold at all.

 

[BradnerBoy]

I'm going to try and double-up with two pair tonight, but my concern is with the extra thickness, there will be less air = cold feet.

Barring that, I'm going to hunt around for some thicker socks made with Merino wool.

Thanks everyone for the input.

 

[Peter_C]

I'm going to try and double-up with two pair tonight, but my concern is with the extra thickness, there will be less air = cold feet.

That is actually bass ackwards. Having two pairs of socks keeps the air pockets around your feet vs only having one pair creating a smaller air pocket. It may not be as much air, but the distance from the water to skin is increased.

I would strongly recommend a pair of these or something similar from another manufacturer if you have room inside your suit. They make a huge difference. Then again I am sold on the complete undergarment system.

 

[CapitanBlack]

Do not put wool or any high tech socks over cotton socks. It defeats the whole purpose. Cotton does not wick moisture, it just holds it against the skin and makes you cold.

Maybe you right, but since I've tried these Salomons on top of regular socks, I never had cold feet anymore. Before I even tried Whites Glacier socks, but they did not work well for me.

Now I usually stop diving, because my body is freezing, but feet are stay warm. fpfp - what do you recommend to put under the high-tech sock? Nothing?

 

[fppf]

I just wear a pair of medium or maybe heavy merino wool socks from EMS. But then again I have really hot feet to start with so my opinion is a little slanted.

EMS has a line of "Tech Wick", I believe they make socks out of the stuff too. I wear "T3" "Tech Wick" under my main undergarments. My wife wears 2 layers of T3 and a layer of T1 under her undergarments. I wear the tech wick glove liners then a pair of smart wool gloves under my dry gloves. I wear a tech wick beany under my helmet when I snowboard, can you tell I really like the stuff.

Anyway, back to the feet, any material that wicks moisture is a good first layer. Second that with any material that stays warm when its wet (wool) is good to. But cotton and some other materials just hold moisture where it is, and does little for insulation when its wet.