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16 Jun 2007
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Wool socks, MX boots & wet weather. My idea but maybe is what you all do.
Hi there,
I read somewhere here in the forum about wearing woll socks with mx boots while travelling in hot countries, is it because they would dry quicker? But they are not a bit too hot?
Also, how do you guys keep your feet dry in wet weather? I heard that most of the travellers wear mx boots which are not waterproof. Do you carry an extra set of waterproof footwear?
I will be travelling through Iran/Pakistan all the way to OZ in September/Oct and I was thinking about carrying (apart from walking shoes and sandals) only one pair of mx Alpinestars tech6, in case of heavy rain the idea was to use some gaiters which will go under a thin pair of pvc trousers and apply some water repellent wax to the bottom part of the boots exposed to the water, a bit like mountaineers.
Is what you guys do or there is a much simpler way? I don't think waterproof footwear is confortable at 40-45 degrees.
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17 Jun 2007
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Same with sock Expensive but convenient.
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Patrick passed Dec 2018. RIP Patrick!
Last edited by mollydog; 26 Mar 2009 at 06:10.
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17 Jun 2007
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For the wet try some cheap over boots i used these & over gloves on the way back form Dakar this year even though i had gortex boots. Also used cheap light weight waterproofs over my jacket because once your textile/ gortex jacket/boots/gloves gets wet it also gets cold even if you are dry & it also take a long time to dry . This worked well for me through a 1000miles of snow in Spain & France on the way back. I used a HG Tuareg Jacket good in the hot & cold the water proof linner is on the inside if i get caught in the rain without a over jacket i put the liner on the out side this drys much qucker than the whole Jacket & i stay alot warmer.
Kev
Ps remember to take the over boots/gloves off the boots/gloves over night to let any sweat dry out.
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17 Jun 2007
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Waterproof
Yup! it is possible
I have Alpine Stars Tech 8's and I use Seal Skins
(short ones in summer and tall ones with extra inner cotton sock in winter)
Perfect, warm and dry 
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18 Jun 2007
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If you're fording high waters, even the waterproof boots won't do the trick....unless you're wearing fly fishing gear. 
I wish there were some waterproof MX style boots that you could walk around in for an hour or so. I also wish I had a jillion dollars....
I prefer high quality wool socks. They will dry fairly quickly, and as Patrick stated, they still maintain some insulating properties when wet. I was in the hosiery mfg'ing biz for many years and haven't found anything better that meets my needs. Your feet are going to be abused, that's a fact.
I've never tried the waterproof 'skins' or 'liners', and really don't understand the marketed benefits.
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18 Jun 2007
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Low tech
Plastic bags over your socks and inside the boots. Stream crossings take off your socks and keep them dry (plastic bag) get across the stream and dump out/wipe out the boots and put the dry socks back on.
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18 Jun 2007
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The most effective water-proof gear of all the time!
Thank you for your advice guys, very helpful.
I did try the plastic bags trick once in the past but they rip especially if you are pushing your bike or even after a short walk sometimes. I find that the plastic hasn't got much grip inside your boots, it slips and it tears very easily, of course there are different types of plastic bags, I have tried with the standard hypermarket shopping bags. They are good as a "low tech" emergency solution, though.
Maybe a solution would be temporary taking your boots off and wear some sandals while fording a river?
I was riding from the UK to Venice last summer in a 3 days trip through France, Switzerland and the Alps, weather-wise one of my worst trips ever: it rained CONSTANTLY from Croydon to Verona 100% of the time!!! I couldn't believe it.
It was mid July, the temperature in central Europe dropped consistently because of the bad weather and the waterproof gear I was carrying was a set of light bicycle foldaway jacket/pants (I was going toward the beaches and the summer, right?.. ).
While the semi-waterproofs were OK for short commuting in central London, they turned out to be totally unsuitable to sustain the pressure of the rain at 60mph, the water was just filtering through the fabric, my gore-tex trekking shoes gave up too, my leather jacket was a 20kg sponge by the time I reached Folkestone.
I didn't want to buy expensive gear on the way as I had already waterproofs at both locations.
Then riding through the French countryside I saw a farmer working on his tractor under the heavy rain and I had the idea that did "save my trip (and wallet)" or at least made it more comfortable (the trip only): I stopped at the next village and searched for a shop that would sell seeds, farming tools and stuff like that, quite common in the rural north-east France, and I bought a really heavy duty pvc suit with high collar, long front zip, elasticised wrists and a pair of half-length wellington boots, 10euros or less for the suit and 5 for the boots.
The suit goes over the boots then you close the clips on the legs, all not very fashionable (the suit has a big logo of a tractors manufacturer at the back but who cares?), but the MOST EFFECTIVE WATERPROOF GEAR OF ALL THE TIME! Also the pvc suit, being made quite loose to allow movements when u work doesn't stick too much to your body so it's not so sweaty after all, in addition because of the tick pvc that is made from, it doesn't flap around much while riding.
OK, OK I know the boots are not safe in case of a spill but regarding the suit I saw similar ones in motorcycle shops for 10 times the price.
I still keep these in my treasure chest for the universal flood.
Sorry this post went on forever... just wanted to share this little story and just to say if you are going to spend you £££ on a pvc suit you may want to check one of these shops first.
If you ever see a tenere with a big LANDINI logo on the back of the rider in central London... he is a dry rider...
Best wishes.
P.S. cooking your mx in the oven??? The rubber sole doesn't melt?
__________________
... and Nelly The Elephant packed the trunk and said goodbye to the circus...
Last edited by alexpezzi; 18 Jun 2007 at 15:23.
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18 Jun 2007
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no socks at all
Most of the time I just use talcum powder and no socks, preferring to keep my boots as waterproof as possible, feet dry pretty quickly out on their own, and wet socks are colder than no socks. I was taught this as a boy scout by a LRDG/SAS scout leader 45 yrs ago. Not so good if you are going on a long hike in ammo boots, but very good with canvas shoes around camp as well. Only been in temperate climates so no idea yet about hot or cold ones, guess I'll be finding out. One benifit of poor circulation, which I have, is my feet don't get cold, they just go numb!! Knowing this I do keep an eye on them though, and elevate them for a few minutes during my stops.
Last trip I rode 1000km over 24hrs with a break about every 90 mins,(including Channel Tunnel time) no probs, weather was wet and cold for last 5 hrs on return 1000km, fingers were cold, feet fine.
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18 Jun 2007
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The French Farmers' rain suit is a great idea!
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Patrick passed Dec 2018. RIP Patrick!
Last edited by mollydog; 26 Mar 2009 at 06:11.
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18 Jun 2007
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In the OLD DAYS trials riders used to wear steel toed and reinforced wellies [rubber boots ] and Barbour [ or Belstaff ] Jackets and trousers .They would seal the gap between the boots and tousers with with a thick strip cut from an inner tube .[the trousers would fit over the boots btw]
It's not always 100% effective if you want to go wading for long periods but it does stop the rain water from being driven up the gap.
The heavy wellies provided good protection against rocks etc.
Years of farming in the rain taught me that Barbour gear is the best .
Barbour still make the International Jacket as worn by ISDT competitors of long ago .They are not so fashionable these days.
But the rain has not changed - it is still wet .
I still wear heavy wellies if I have a long way to go in the rain.You can buy them anywhere that construction and farming gear is sold .They are much cheaper than biking boots and if you don't need them anymore you can always donate them to a worthy indigenous farmer on your travels .
PVC rainsuits don't work for me because I find the arms too short and the wind drives the rain in through the zippers and flaps ,although the better ones have good seals .
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Blessed are the cracked, for they let in the light. - Spike Milligan
"When you come to a fork in the road ,take it ! When you come to a spoon in the road ,take that also ."
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18 Jun 2007
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Dodger
In the OLD DAYS trials riders used to wear steel toed and reinforced wellies [rubber boots ] and Barbour [ or Belstaff ] Jackets and trousers .They would seal the gap between the boots and tousers with with a thick strip cut from an inner tube .[the trousers would fit over the boots btw]
It's not always 100% effective if you want to go wading for long periods but it does stop the rain water from being driven up the gap.
The heavy wellies provided good protection against rocks etc.
Years of farming in the rain taught me that Barbour gear is the best .
Barbour still make the International Jacket as worn by ISDT competitors of long ago .They are not so fashionable these days.
But the rain has not changed - it is still wet .
I still wear heavy wellies if I have a long way to go in the rain.You can buy them anywhere that construction and farming gear is sold .They are much cheaper than biking boots and if you don't need them anymore you can always donate them to a worthy indigenous farmer on your travels .
PVC rainsuits don't work for me because I find the arms too short and the wind drives the rain in through the zippers and flaps ,although the better ones have good seals .
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That brings back memories, To add a little, use big wellies and wear sea boot socks, turned down over the tops. Flannelette pyjamas bottoms under your jeans were great for keeping out the cold. Over everything I wore a welded seam pvc over suit. It kept out both the rain, and wind so kept me warm as i went home on leave during the winter weekends in the early sixties.
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18 Jun 2007
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On waterproofs once again
Sometimes a waterproof works OK under the rain (out fishing for example) but it may misebly disappoint you "under attack" of a constant shower riding on a motorway.
Just wanted to follow up adding 3 pics:
PIC 1- wet in the eurotunnel  by the way the yellow T-shirt reads "YOU NEVER RUN OUT OF THINGS THAT CAN GO WRONG" never worn again while riding...
PIC 2- dry. at the Swiss border with the farmers rainsuit on (a hint of a
smile is showing). 
PIC 3- I how I test my equipment now (use warm water to do a full test
- plastic tend to get soft and "permissive" when warm) -
just kidding... I am not such a maniac, i needed to clean it....! 
best regards to all.
__________________
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19 Jun 2007
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Personally Hein Gericke Touareg Gore plus sealskins. Comfy, dry, easy to walk in.
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“Never argue with an idiot - we'll drag you down to our level, then beat you with experience”
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19 Jun 2007
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Hydrodynamics
Thing is, if you are riding at 80mph into a 20mph headwind, those raindrops are hitting you at 100mph, so no wonder they push through woven fabric, even 'waterproof' woven fabric. I think that the consensus bears this out; a lightweight impermiable membrane is best. Only thing is, they do get awfully sweaty, don't they!!
I think you need to turn the pressure up in your shower Alex 
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19 Jun 2007
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Stagbeetle
Thing is, if you are riding at 80mph into a 20mph headwind, those raindrops are hitting you at 100mph, so no wonder they push through woven fabric, even 'waterproof' woven fabric. I think that the consensus bears this out; a lightweight impermiable membrane is best. Only thing is, they do get awfully sweaty, don't they!!
I think you need to turn the pressure up in your shower Alex |
Nope, just ride witha full touring fairing Its a whole world different.
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