[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next][Date Index][Thread Index]

[at-l] re: rain gear / waterproofing boots

>>  I have have heard this familiar lament from every thru hiker I've ever
>>  talked with. My question is, did any of your carry waterproofing with
>>  you such as SnoSeal, Biwell, or Nikwax and apply it regularly? When I
>>  was hiking with a number of thru hikers, none of them had it and yogied
>>  some from me. I would think if you applied this stuff periodically, you
>>  could stem the flow. Maybe not. Let me know. Thanks.


and...

>My problem was not so much waterproofing, but keeping the water out of the
>top of my boots.  I used Nikwax on my boots and I'm sure they were quite
>waterproof, but when it is really hot out, you don't hike with rain pants
>on.  So the water runs down your legs and into the top of your boots.  I
>wore short gaiters, but they didn't help either - the water ran right past
>them.  Maybe long gaiters would have worked?       



here's my experience:

from springer to damascus, i wore fabiano mtn masters.  heavy leather
boots, about as heavy as they get before graduating to plastic
mountaineering boots (some of which are lighter!).  i carried small
quantities of snoseal with me, and religiously treated my boots.  this was
the closest i came to waterproof boots.  i never had soggy feet, and only a
couple times did i have damp socks.  but it takes a heavy (thick) boot and
lots of treatment, and i dread to think how long it would take to dry them
out if they really got soaked through.

i traded in these boots for some lightweight fabric/leather technicas.
after a few rainstorms, i didn't even try to stay dry.  it was amazing how
my attitude changed once i told myself that these boots were not
waterproof, and it was ok if my feet got wet.

in harpers ferry i got a pair of onesport moraines, pre treated with
silicone.  of all the medium-lightweight boots i have owned, these take the
longest to soak through, and the fastest to dry.  it takes about 3 hrs of
walking in the rain or wet grass before my feet squelch, and about two
hours walking in the dry for them to dry out (note, they dry faster if you
wear them).  i was the envy of my thruhiking family, cos my feet were dryer
longer.  again, regular treatment with the liquid silicone helps a great
deal.  i always had some in my mail drops, and often carried more.
treating these boots with snoseal etc will ruin the fast-drying feature of
the leather (and ruin it for good).


i wore a pair of EMS gortex gaiters, knee length.  these are not heavy duty
like the OR gaiters, just a single layer (and light).  in the colder
weather when wearing pants, these worked flawlessly.  in the summer, the
skin/gaiter seal is not watertight, so i discovered that a little vasilene
around the calf worked great (or any other petroleum based product - i
actually used my anti-bacterial gel).  i've thought of sewing in a neoprene
band that would do the trick just as well (i've seen other gaiters like this).


now, with my preference for lightweight footwear, i look for shoes that
will dry the fastest, fully expecting them to be soaked (lots of fabric, NO
GORTEX).  i'm at the point where i don't worry about creek crossings or
fords (plenty in the sierras in spring) - just walk right through and dry
out in an hour.  sure does increase your hiking speed when you don't have
to worry about picking your way across every watercourse and/or changing
into sandals.

just add this to the list of things you learn on a thruhike - no boots are
waterproof (as well as, gortex doesn't work when it's warm, tent weights
are understated, filter life is shorter than manufacturer's claim, etc...)

mike
ke kaahawe

 .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .
/ \  / \  / \  / \  / \  / \  / \  / \  / \  / \  / \
   \/   \/   \/   \/   \/   \/   \/   \/   \/   \/   \

Michael Henderson		mikeh@royalrobbins.com

Life is either a daring adventure or nothing at all. 
	- Helen Keller
=========================================================
-----------------------------------------------< http://www.hack.net/lists >--
This message is from the Appalachian Trail Mailing List             [AT-L]
To unsubscribe email at-l-request@saffron.hack.net with a message containing
the word UNSUBSCRIBE in the body.   List admin can be reached at ryan@inc.net

==============================================================================