Sock sag question

Pitlamp

Well-known member
Does anyone else find that wool socks in wellies migrate down and bunch up under your feet? This is a minor irritation normally but if you're carrying a 50 kg rucsack, which is difficult to take off and on, it becomes quite a problem.

Anyone know any easy solutions? (Wearing two pairs of socks rather than just one seems to help but isn't 100% successful.)
 

Pitlamp

Well-known member
I didn't think "Home of the elegant gentleman" websites were intended fior scruffy potholers like me!  :LOL:
 

wellyjen

Well-known member
It could be a whole new market for them. Elegant double breasted oversuits in a narrow pin stripe. Wellington boot polish. Cravats instead of buffs for neck warmth. Cuff links to stop water running down your arms on wet climbs.
 

aricooperdavis

Moderator
This tends to happen to me when I'm wearing the wrong size shoe - something about the movement of my foot in the shoe seems to cause the problem. Could you wear a low profile insole in your wellie? There's some discussion of the problem on The Great Outdoors StackExchange (a good resource for this type of question).
 

Fishes

New member
I get the same problem with unlined wellies which are probably the best for caving. A loose wellie liner sock seems to solve the problem for me.
 

braveduck

Active member
Elastic garters , never had a problem worn them for years .Make your own or
buy football sock garters  :)
 
Everyday problem for me as I wear my wellies all the time. Tuck your trouser legs in the socks. It works well for me as long as the socks are not too long. Nothing worse than socks ?going to sleep? in your wellies.
 

badger

Active member
fortunately this is a problem that seems not to effect me, although saying that dunlop wellies are so tight around my legs not sure the socks have room to fall down, which is great whilst caving in wellies, not great when I am trying to get them off when changing.
 

mrodoc

Well-known member
Splash out on some Sealskinz.  They are not cheap but they last a long time and I have been wearing them in walking boots with no other socks for years and seem to avoid blisters. I have on occasion worn them caving but they will get soggy in a wet cave.  Her is a link: https://www.sealskinz.com
 

Pitlamp

Well-known member
Hi MRODoc - that's an answer to a slightly different question. I'm only wanting to ask for ideas about wearing wool socks specifically, in normal wellies. (I do have a pair of waterproof socks - not Sealskins - another brand, which I use for fell running. They're great in winter when splashing through muddy puddles.)

Wellyjen - be careful what you suggest, even in jest! The outdoor community is already bombarded with advertising for loads of items which are basically unnecessary rubbish.
 

moletta

Member
I wear shortish walking socks with a pair of shorter waterproof ones over the top. I've never had slippage! Of course its not a waterproof combination but its warm and no wrinkles  ;)
 

wormster

Active member
Get a pair of Kermit's knee length wetsuit socks - drill a few holes in the instep of your wellies. Result: nice warm feets (with no sock slipping) and self bailing wellies (no more "lead legs" after stomping up the streameay on the way out of GB when it's full of water)
 

Pitlamp

Well-known member
Reckon that's the best suggestion so far Paul.
I'm a big adviocate of duct tape, inner tubes and cable ties!
 

Paul Marvin

Member
Pitlamp said:
Reckon that's the best suggestion so far Paul.
I'm a big adviocate of duct tape, inner tubes and cable ties!

You nearly got the full tool box there John just missing the WD40  (y) ;)
 

caving_fox

Active member
wormster said:
Get a pair of Kermit's knee length wetsuit socks - drill a few holes in the instep of your wellies. Result: nice warm feets (with no sock slipping) and self bailing wellies (no more "lead legs" after stomping up the streameay on the way out of GB when it's full of water)

Both Tony and Inglesport have these. Only socks I've ever used for caving in *mumble* years.
 

Cantclimbtom

Well-known member
wormster said:
Get a pair of Kermit's knee length wetsuit socks - drill a few holes in the instep of your wellies. Result: nice warm feets (with no sock slipping) and self bailing wellies (no more "lead legs" after stomping up the streameay on the way out of GB when it's full of water)
I was wondering about drilling instep holes only the other day but I wasn't sure if holes would just act as a one-way/admittance valve for sticky mud - then you'd still have lead feet anyway?
 

Pitlamp

Well-known member
Going back a few posts the idea of waterproof socks was raised.

A short while ago I invested a pair of Dexshell waterproof socks: https://dexshell.co.uk/

They got their first test today on a decidedly autumnal run over Ingleborough. The ground is very wet at the moment, with loads of puddles to splash through. I could feel the water sloshing around in my fell shoes (as usual) but my tootsies stayed warm and dry (which is far from usual!).

I didn't go in over the tops of the socks and I don't know yet how durable these are, so this isn't a "review" as such. But heck, they were certainly comfortable!

The above is slightly off topic but may be of interest to some. Back on topic, it was suggested above that tucking trousers into socks might cure the sock sag problem. I often walk up to potholes in a pair of Ron Hill Tracksters, which are so thin I doubt it'd work. But the suggestion gave me the idea of trying the foot tape over socks, which I've never bothered with before. (This is the nylon "strap" that goes under your foot to stop the Tracksters riding up.) I wonder if that'd help?

 

Paul Marvin

Member
Cantclimbtom said:
wormster said:
Get a pair of Kermit's knee length wetsuit socks - drill a few holes in the instep of your wellies. Result: nice warm feets (with no sock slipping) and self bailing wellies (no more "lead legs" after stomping up the streameay on the way out of GB when it's full of water)
I was wondering about drilling instep holes only the other day but I wasn't sure if holes would just act as a one-way/admittance valve for sticky mud - then you'd still have lead feet anyway?

We have a row along the foot length of 5mm holes drilled in hours for wet trips and it make a BIG difference, no more tipping legs up to drain only to get them filled up again as water drift south , holed wellies are self draining the more you walk when you are out of the water the more you body presses the water out. Add some two bare feet neoprene socks ( 5 mm ) and your feet will be like toast the whole trip . Recommended to Tom Ferry and he also loves them  (y) :D

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/290947058036?var=591874594262&hash=item43bdcbc974:g:r3MAAOSwAfheFLYL

 
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