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Pairing Injinji toe socks with waterproof socks - experiences and advice?

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OK, for some background before my question: I know what shoe/sock/shoe combination works for me. Normally I wear Injinji toe sock liners paired with a pair of cushioned merino wool sock (Darn Tough or Injinji brand) and Altra Lone Peak trail runners sized up. This combination is perfect for me. And I don't do waterproof trail runners - I prefer the breathability and quick drying of non-gortex shoes. I am not interested in replacing this shoe sock combination because it works. And my socks/shoes usually dry quickly. Most of the time - it is a perfect system for me. I don't even need to change socks mid-day or vaseline my feet or tape my feet or anything else.

Now for rainy days - most of the time - this sock/shoe combination if just fine. Even if my feet do get wet, shoes and socks usually dry quickly and/or I can usually put on a fresh pair of dry socks. That said - on the Camino Norte I did have one day in particular when my system failed me terribly. It had been raining off and on for days. I had been handwashing my clothes in the afternoon but they were NOT drying by morning. And because it was raining off and on, I couldn't just dry things on the outside of my pack. And I hadn't had an opportunity to machine wash/dry for a few days. This particular day -it did rain on and off... but that wasn't the problem. The problem was I was leaving the Norte and heading towards the Primitivo and the trails weren't a nice worn path - but instead barely existing narrow paths through lots of tall wet grass (in addition to the unavoidable puddles). My feet didn't just get wet - they were SOAKED. And I couldn't change my socks because my socks were still wet. By the end of the day,I was lucky that Oviedo had a Decathlon where I could buy more socks on my way to the albergue. I was forced to take a rest day (and to find a laundrymat) because my feet were so painful.

Anyhow - that is the background. For a Camino Frances or some other routes with lots of services, I will stick to my shoe/sock combination. But for some routes - going forward - I will now bring one pair of lightweight waterproof ankle socks that I can wear on VERY wet days and will probably use as a sock with my hiking sandals in the evening - so they aren't just sitting in my pack not being used. And again - I don't need advise about changing my normal shoe sock/combination and the decision to bring one pair of waterproof socks has been made (and yay - they weigh 4 grams LESS than my darn tough socks!). And no - I don't want to simply put a plastic bag on my feet inside my shoes. (Sorry - I tried asking my question on a facebook group and got all sorts of answers to questions I wasn't asking lol)

Now to my question - I know you aren't supposed to wear sock liners under these socks, but I really want to wear my injini toe socks when I need to hike in my waterproof socks. Not only are they more comfortable against my skin - but I am worried if I don't wear the Injinjis - I will end up with blisters around the toe areas which were a problem before I started wearing them. Has anyone worn sock liners under their waterproof socks? Did your feet still stay dry? Did you have any other problems that I should consider? I did wear them together all day yesterday at work with a shoe that is warm and not very breathable - and sweating wasn't an issue. But since I live in a desert - I may not have an opportunity to test them out in wet conditions, which is why I am asking others. I just don't want to learn the hard way that wearing sock liners under them will add to my problem. And my next pilgrimage is on a trail with less services and is less travelled - so I do want to be prepared for very wet days.
 
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Can you try it out at home first? I would do that. Maybe an experiment involving a garden hose to simulate rain?
Yes - I can always stand in the bathtub for a "puddle" or spray a hose on my feet for "rain" - but I may not be able to simulate walking all day in wet conditions. If I do get rain - it is often Monsoon rain - in which it is dangerous to hike. Some years we get normal rain between now and May - other years we don't get any rain at all. And like I said - I do know that sweaty feet doesn't seem to be a problem since I wore them for about 9 hours yesterday.
 
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I had recurrent blisters on my first camino 9 years ago until I encountered a Danish walker who looked at me like I was truly a rookie who didn't know the secrets of non-blister walking. So...what is that secret? All you need is gauze and paper tape, both of which are available at every pharmacy on the camino, are super cheap and weigh next to nothing. Every morning, you double over the gauze so it's twice its normal thickness and weave it in and out between your toes. Secure one end with paper tape. E voila! No blisters. We have walked thousands and thousands of miles all over the world blister-free since we started doing this every morning before setting out. From 14ers in Colorado to the Pembrokeshire coast, it never fails.

Next camino secret: Diaper pins. I'll wait till Ivar creates a "Camino Secrets" thread before describing how incredibly versatile these little buggers are. And then there's hair ties. The list is long.
 
Is it really prevention from wetness that you are looking for or protection from cold wetness?

I think that the reason it was said not to wear socks under the liners is because your socks will get wet from perspiration that can't get out. If you do wear things this way your feet and socks will be wet but warm as cold water from the outside wetness will not be mixing with the warmer perspiration. In general I don't really see much difference in having wet socks on the outside or the inside except for the warmth factor. In your specific case though it seems to me best to have your toed socks on underneath for their blister protection.
 
Is it really prevention from wetness that you are looking for or protection from cold wetness?

I think that the reason it was said not to wear socks under the liners is because your socks will get wet from perspiration that can't get out. If you do wear things this way your feet and socks will be wet but warm as cold water from the outside wetness will not be mixing with the warmer perspiration. In general I don't really see much difference in having wet socks on the outside or the inside except for the warmth factor. In your specific case though it seems to me best to have your toed socks on underneath for their blister protection.
Perhaps a bit of both. I am not worried about my feet being a little wet. I can deal with that. But my socks got very wet and there was no drying them or changing into dry socks. Yes - that made my feet cold. But they were so white and wrinkled and torn up by the end of the day which was the bigger problem. And they HURT. That is what I need to prevent with waterproof socks in conditions like I described in the first post.

And yes - I am thinking sweat is probably the reason for the advice. Again - I live in the desert so I can at least test that piece. Yesterday it was fine, but I was in average temps. And by sometime in March through May (depending on the year), temps here will climb to 100 degrees Fahrenheit - so I should know that part before I leave. It is the rain that I might not be able to test until I am in Europe for the VF.

And yes - the sock liners are for the blister prevention - not necessarily for warmth (but in the Alps - maybe for warmth too).
 
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I had recurrent blisters on my first camino 9 years ago until I encountered a Danish walker who looked at me like I was truly a rookie who didn't know the secrets of non-blister walking. So...what is that secret? All you need is gauze and paper tape, both of which are available at every pharmacy on the camino, are super cheap and weigh next to nothing. Every morning, you double over the gauze so it's twice its normal thickness and weave it in and out between your toes. Secure one end with paper tape. E voila! No blisters. We have walked thousands and thousands of miles all over the world blister-free since we started doing this every morning before setting out. From 14ers in Colorado to the Pembrokeshire coast, it never fails.

Next camino secret: Diaper pins. I'll wait till Ivar creates a "Camino Secrets" thread before describing how incredibly versatile these little buggers are. And then there's hair ties. The list is long.
Like I said - my shoe/sock combination works for preventing blisters. I just need to know if I can wear my Injinji with waterproof socks for very wet days. Don't need gauze and tape if the socks work.

And yes - I carry diaper pins and use to secure laundry to lines and to my pack as needed - but if it is raining out - they don't do much good. As was the case on the Norte/Primitivo - my clothes were damp for days in one section.
 
Here's a possible solution, anti-perspirant (or petroleum jelly or grease) on the foot, then the sock and then the liner. When really cold a thin sock over all. Mainly I'm thinking of this to avoid wear on the liner, if not a bread bag.
 
Hi, Sealskinz sell a merino liner sock for wear under their waterproof socks, so I would suppose any sock used as a liner would be ok.
A word of caution though, on my recent Camino Mozárabe/VdeLP I tried Sealskinz on a very wet day to Latin and ended the day with socks full of water and I mean full, not sure why but I think the rain ran down my leg and filled the sock up. Next time I might be tempted to use some tape to seal the big hole at the top where your foot goes in!!
Was wearing shorts, should have worn rain pants but didn’t have any
 
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Hi, Sealskinz sell a merino liner sock for wear under their waterproof socks, so I would suppose any sock used as a liner would be ok.
A word of caution though, on my recent Camino Mozárabe/VdeLP I tried Sealskinz on a very wet day to Latin and ended the day with socks full of water and I mean full, not sure why but I think the rain ran down my leg and filled the sock up. Next time I might be tempted to use some tape to seal the big hole at the top where your foot goes in!!
Was wearing shorts, should have worn rain pants but didn’t have any
Thanks! Yeah - don't want to end up with a pool of water inside the socks. Curious - were you going through a lot of puddles/tall wet grass? Or just very wet from the rain?

Don't know what I will be wearing to hike in in the rain. I have a lightweight hiking dress that dries fast that I walked in last year (plus rain jacket as needed). I also will have a pair of shorts and a pair of quick drying yoga pants. I usually don't take rain pants - but have them at home if I change my mind. Again - I don't mind getting wet. I do mind if my feet are so wet all day they are torn up and painful at the end of the day.
 
Here's a possible solution, anti-perspirant (or petroleum jelly or grease) on the foot, then the sock and then the liner.
To see other peoples' experience and advice about this Google the terms
"anti-perspirant" waterproof vapor barrier socks

Use anti-perspirant in quotes and first in the list to have Google give it more importance.
 
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This is a complicated topic for several reasons:
1. One is that feet and what is good for one's feet is highly individual. This is the reason why one reads some 100% foolproof advice and it sometimes fails utterly when applied to one's own feet. For the same reason there is also sometimes some contradiction in the information you find out there. So it is always a lot of trial and error.
2. A lot can go wrong in the details when you combine several layers of socks and shoes. Such as sizes, sock-lengths, materials and even your trousers might play a role when we talk wet socks.

To give you a good example for no.1: I personally am least likely to get blisters when my feet and socks are soaking wet. I found out about this by accident on a 2 weeks wilderness hike when my shoes broke on day 2 and I had wet feet every day ... it was so bad that I did not even bother to take off my shoes when wading knee deep through water. This was my first rough hike with zero blisters ever as I usually are highly prone to blisters whatever I try.
However, this is highly unusual as for most people dry feet are most important, but it demonstrates that there are individual exceptions to almost every "rule".

I personally like to keep it simple at temperatures over freezing point: Boot (all leather and greased/waxed to death ... or Goretex) and a thick merino (or other woollen sock). Nothing else. But as I said, that is just me, and you found something else that works for you.

I have no experience with vapour barrier socks at all, but there is one thing that should generally apply to all setups: People often underestimate the amount of water that simply gets into the shoes/boots from above:
Where does this water come from? Well it either comes from
a) the ground (splashing through puddles, or in torrential rain it might be backspraying water from the hard ground or it may be from wet vegetation such as long grass)
b) from your body: Most of the rain that hits your body will end up on your trousers and find its way towards your ankles. This is worst with rain trousers actually. So you need to get that water past your shoes, not into your shoes.

Hence it is well worth inspecting the geometry down there.
- Socks that are longer than the shaft of your shoes / boots will always be in danger of sucking water from the zone above your shoes down directly to your feet. Wet ankles/legs will then often mean soaking wet feet.
- If your rain trousers are too short, you might have a constant flow of water right into your shoes.

I personally prefer longer trousers that ideally attach to the shoes, or even gaiters over the shoes and under your trousers.

While this might not be your problem, I would at least check if it maybe is part of your problem. You could dress for rain-walking and try it under the shower. Do not stand still then but move your legs, tramp around and see if you quickly fill up your shoes with water that way.
 
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Like I said - my shoe/sock combination works for preventing blisters. I just need to know if I can wear my Injinji with waterproof socks for very wet days. Don't need gauze and tape if the socks work.

And yes - I carry diaper pins and use to secure laundry to lines and to my pack as needed - but if it is raining out - they don't do much good. As was the case on the Norte/Primitivo - my clothes were damp for days in one section.
If it's raining all the time, there's no solution other than a laundromat to get dry clothes. But so often, the rain is intermittent, so attaching wet socks with diaper pins to the backpack works beautifully.
 
Hi, Sealskinz sell a merino liner sock for wear under their waterproof socks, so I would suppose any sock used as a liner would be ok.
A word of caution though, on my recent Camino Mozárabe/VdeLP I tried Sealskinz on a very wet day to Latin and ended the day with socks full of water and I mean full, not sure why but I think the rain ran down my leg and filled the sock up. Next time I might be tempted to use some tape to seal the big hole at the top where your foot goes in!!
Was wearing shorts, should have worn rain pants but didn’t have any
Reminds me of why I counsel wannabe peregrinos not to buy waterproof hiking shoes. Once the water gets in, it won't go out. I learned early on with my ventilated shoes that it's no big deal to walk straight through a creek rather than dance on the rocks. The socks and shoes dry quickly.
 
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I agree with others that what is good for the goose may not be good for the gander. Whatever a gander is. I walk in late fall and there are many days that are wet and my shoes and socks get soaked. I do not wear anything waterproof on my feet. When it looks like there is no chance that my socks (or underwear or shirt) will dry in the morning if I hand wash them. I just don't wash them in the albergue and wear them over again. Nothing ever smells and it is the camino where 100% hygiene is pretty much impossible. (Even 50% sometimes;)) Take a good shower every night and you will not smell like the albergue needs to be fumigated.
 
@jeanineonthecamino, I've just thought about an experiment you can try in the desert and without any rain. Use your waterproof socks if you have them already and bread bags if you don't. Put on your Injinjis and then the socks/bags and then the shoes/boots. You might want to tape the bags to be wrinkle-free wherever there will be rubbing. Go out and take a good walk on a warm day. We are going to pretend it is raining and the waterproofing works 100%. When done examine the wetness of you feet and Injinjis. Repeat the next day or so when your soles and toes are no longer waterlogged but this time put on whatever you want to use as an antiperspirant first. Compare the results of each trial to see if you get the results you want with the antiperspirant.

Take a small towel and an extra pair of dry socks with you in case things get too uncomfortable inside your shoes during your walks.

Good luck.
 
On Camino I wore Lone Peaks with Injinji liners with light merino hiking socks over them. Worked really well for me. Now I'm back in the wet UK I have worn them with Injinji liners and Sealskin waterproof socks. No issues at all and the feel was the same, except my feet stay dry 😊 I can't see why you aren't supposed to wear liners inside them, just get the size of waterproof socks that fit; in my experience they are smaller than the label says.

To answer your question; I have worn Injinji liner socks inside waterproof socks, my feet stayed dry and I had no problems. The only caveat is that I was not wearing them on several days in a row.
 
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If it's raining all the time, there's no solution other than a laundromat to get dry clothes. But so often, the rain is intermittent, so attaching wet socks with diaper pins to the backpack works beautifully.
Yep - that is what I do - once I finally got to a place with a laundrymat! Another reason for my rest day :). Laundry - I have figured out. Thanks!
 
I agree with others that what is good for the goose may not be good for the gander. Whatever a gander is. I walk in late fall and there are many days that are wet and my shoes and socks get soaked. I do not wear anything waterproof on my feet. When it looks like there is no chance that my socks (or underwear or shirt) will dry in the morning if I hand wash them. I just don't wash them in the albergue and wear them over again. Nothing ever smells and it is the camino where 100% hygiene is pretty much impossible. (Even 50% sometimes;)) Take a good shower every night and you will not smell like the albergue needs to be fumigated.
I do the same - I was wearing the same socks multiple days in a row quite often because laundry wouldn't dry. But this particular day I think I had done some laundry and then the next day my socks that I was wearing got wet - it was a disaster until I got to the laundry mat - could have ruined my trip.

I just need to be more careful on my next route - there aren't a lot of "pilgrim" accommodations and other services will be iffy.
 
@jeanineonthecamino, I've just thought about an experiment you can try in the desert and without any rain. Use your waterproof socks if you have them already and bread bags if you don't. Put on your Injinjis and then the socks/bags and then the shoes/boots. You might want to tape the bags to be wrinkle-free wherever there will be rubbing. Go out and take a good walk on a warm day. We are going to pretend it is raining and the waterproofing works 100%. When done examine the wetness of you feet and Injinjis. Repeat the next day or so when your soles and toes are no longer waterlogged but this time put on whatever you want to use as an antiperspirant first. Compare the results of each trial to see if you get the results you want with the antiperspirant.

Take a small towel and an extra pair of dry socks with you in case things get too uncomfortable inside your shoes during your walks.

Good luck.
Thanks. Yes - I have the waterproof socks. Wearing them for a second day with the injinji toe socks and a pair of less breathable shoes. Will continue to experiment as I can.

And yes - I might start out with multiple extra socks just in case! Right now I have 4 sets of injinji and 4 sets of darn tough in my pack - would rather bring 2 sets and a waterproof if I can - but if I am still not sure about the waterproofs before I leave I will probably end up brining all of them and ditching whichever I don't need or doesn't work. I know socks don't weigh much - but 9 pairs of socks/liners would be a bit much lol. But I can already tell I am going to be without a lot of services on many days - and I am looking at having to stealth camp for at least half a dozen days (or pay $$$$ for more expensive hotels).
 
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On Camino I wore Lone Peaks with Injinji liners with light merino hiking socks over them. Worked really well for me. Now I'm back in the wet UK I have worn them with Injinji liners and Sealskin waterproof socks. No issues at all and the feel was the same, except my feet stay dry 😊 I can't see why you aren't supposed to wear liners inside them, just get the size of waterproof socks that fit; in my experience they are smaller than the label says.

To answer your question; I have worn Injinji liner socks inside waterproof socks, my feet stayed dry and I had no problems. The only caveat is that I was not wearing them on several days in a row.
Perfect - you have the experience I need to hear about! Yeah - I don't know why you shouldn't wear liners other than the theory that maybe they might make your feet sweat more and therefore trap moisture. And I don't "intend" to wear them several days in a row - but if I have day where walking through puddles in tall grass seems to be the theme of the day - will definitely wear them.
 
No better advice than ‘give it a go at home and see what happens’.

I’ve tried waterproof socks in the past - I climb in Scotland in the winter and the cold and damp there are on a par with the worst conditions you will find. Despite their claims to ‘breathability’ I found that mine (sealskins) were next to useless. The ‘breathability’ needs airflow to have a chance of working and when confined in a close-fitting boot or shoe the vapour-transmission simply cannot function. In my experience they were akin to a plastic bag.

You may find otherwise.
 
And yes - I might start out with multiple extra socks just in case! Right now I have 4 sets of injinji and 4 sets of darn tough in my pack - would rather bring 2 sets and a waterproof if I can -
:) I figured you would do that on the camino; I meant bring an extra pair on each of the trial days in the desert. With waterproofs in the heat even short walks could get uncomfortable.
 
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:) I figured you would do that on the camino; I meant bring an extra pair on each of the trial days in the desert. With waterproofs in the heat even short walks could get uncomfortable.
Gottcha! Yea - my feet feel slightly warm today - and it is still cold out! But again - these are my not so breathable shoes I like to wear in the winter.
 
OK, for some background before my question: I know what shoe/sock/shoe combination works for me. Normally I wear Injinji toe sock liners paired with a pair of cushioned merino wool sock (Darn Tough or Injinji brand) and Altra Lone Peak trail runners sized up. This combination is perfect for me. And I don't do waterproof trail runners - I prefer the breathability and quick drying of non-gortex shoes. I am not interested in replacing this shoe sock combination because it works. And my socks/shoes usually dry quickly. Most of the time - it is a perfect system for me. I don't even need to change socks mid-day or vaseline my feet or tape my feet or anything else.

Now for rainy days - most of the time - this sock/shoe combination if just fine. Even if my feet do get wet, shoes and socks usually dry quickly and/or I can usually put on a fresh pair of dry socks. That said - on the Camino Norte I did have one day in particular when my system failed me terribly. It had been raining off and on for days. I had been handwashing my clothes in the afternoon but they were NOT drying by morning. And because it was raining off and on, I couldn't just dry things on the outside of my pack. And I hadn't had an opportunity to machine wash/dry for a few days. This particular day -it did rain on and off... but that wasn't the problem. The problem was I was leaving the Norte and heading towards the Primitivo and the trails weren't a nice worn path - but instead barely existing narrow paths through lots of tall wet grass (in addition to the unavoidable puddles). My feet didn't just get wet - they were SOAKED. And I couldn't change my socks because my socks were still wet. By the end of the day,I was lucky that Oviedo had a Decathlon where I could buy more socks on my way to the albergue. I was forced to take a rest day (and to find a laundrymat) because my feet were so painful.

Anyhow - that is the background. For a Camino Frances or some other routes with lots of services, I will stick to my shoe/sock combination. But for some routes - going forward - I will now bring one pair of lightweight waterproof ankle socks that I can wear on VERY wet days and will probably use as a sock with my hiking sandals in the evening - so they aren't just sitting in my pack not being used. And again - I don't need advise about changing my normal shoe sock/combination and the decision to bring one pair of waterproof socks has been made (and yay - they weigh 4 grams LESS than my darn tough socks!). And no - I don't want to simply put a plastic bag on my feet inside my shoes. (Sorry - I tried asking my question on a facebook group and got all sorts of answers to questions I wasn't asking lol)

Now to my question - I know you aren't supposed to wear sock liners under these socks, but I really want to wear my injini toe socks when I need to hike in my waterproof socks. Not only are they more comfortable against my skin - but I am worried if I don't wear the Injinjis - I will end up with blisters around the toe areas which were a problem before I started wearing them. Has anyone worn sock liners under their waterproof socks? Did your feet still stay dry? Did you have any other problems that I should consider? I did wear them together all day yesterday at work with a shoe that is warm and not very breathable - and sweating wasn't an issue. But since I live in a desert - I may not have an opportunity to test them out in wet conditions, which is why I am asking others. I just don't want to learn the hard way that wearing sock liners under them will add to my problem. And my next pilgrimage is on a trail with less services and is less travelled - so I do want to be prepared for very wet days.

The short answer is "yes". You can wear the toe socks with the waterproof socks. You want the Ininji's to not ruck up inside the waterproof sock and to provide an interface where the injinji will remain snug to your feet and toes while the waterproof socks are a bit (slightly) able to move over the Injinji. that will keep the shear force interface BETWEEN the socks and not between the Injinji and your skin.

Keep in mind that if truly waterproof the Injinji socks will get damp from perspiration. How much dampness depends on your own foots response to the environment inside the socks. This is not necessarily a bad thing if actions are taken to protect the skin from maceration caused by the moisture.

At rest breaks, take off both pairs and wipe your feet down. I would also encourage observation of any macerating signs, like pruning, of the skin and if found to rub a small amount of a hike goo into the skin to help prevent moisture related damage to the feet. You can also do this prior to starting walking for the day.

I never take extra footwear of any kind on a camino, but I do take extra insoles. At the end of the day, I remove the walking insoles (which are usually a third party insole) and wipe out the inside of my footwear to remove excess moisture. I set aside the walking insoles and stuff the inside of my shoes tightly with toilet paper or paper towels and then go shower.

After showering I slather my feet with alcohol or alcohol based hand sanitizer like 'Purell'. After letting the alcohol dry itself, I apply a bit of a hike goo or a vaseline product and gently massage it into the skin. . .. If you need to deal with a blister requiring any type of adhesive dressing do not get goop on that area of the skin as any goop will keep the adhesive of a dressing like moleskin or tapes from properly adhering to the skin around the blister.

I'll eat a bit of a snack, lay down and rest a bit to catch my breath, think about the day's walk, and to assess where I want to walk to the next day. After that short laydown, remove the stuffing from inside the shoe. By that time, with non-gortex shoes, the soaking moisture has been dried out with perhaps a bit of minor dampness left. That is no big deal.

I'll grab a fresh pair of socks, I put in the dry, extra insoles and then put on my footwear to do chores and roam around the town and grab dinner later. By the time I am ready for bed, I find that the heat from my feet and the walking have pretty much dried out the footwear enough so that by morning any residual dampness will be gone for the new day's walk.
 
Thanks @davebugg Good tips! And generally - my feet don't sweat too much. I normally don't have to take my shoes off mid-day for my feet breath, but am more than willing to do so if needed.

So far I am doing good with wearing them in dry weather and non-breathable shoes. Will probably try them on my weekly 17 mile hike this Sunday. Looks like there is a chance for rain too - with any luck it will rain in the early morning hours when I can walk. I leave around 4am and walk to my husbands work so he can drive me home lol.
 
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I wore Sealskin waterproof socks on really wet days on the CF in March 2016 and did find that the constant water running down my legs eventually filled inside the socks with rainwater. Tended to take all morning for this to happen but once the insides were soaked the water was kept there by the waterproof layer in the sock. My feet did stay warm although wet. A bit like wearing a wetsuit, but felt a bit squelchy! Wearing a liner inside the Sealskins would also have ended up soaked. If I took Sealskins again I would take two pairs and swap out during the day.
Hi, Sealskinz sell a merino liner sock for wear under their waterproof socks, so I would suppose any sock used as a liner would be ok.
A word of caution though, on my recent Camino Mozárabe/VdeLP I tried Sealskinz on a very wet day to Latin and ended the day with socks full of water and I mean full, not sure why but I think the rain ran down my leg and filled the sock up. Next time I might be tempted to use some tape to seal the big hole at the top where your foot goes in!!
Was wearing shorts, should have worn rain pants but didn’t have any
 
I used Injnji socks, Smartwool socks over them, and - for the first time - waterproof Merrell boots. It was a very good combination for a very stormy recent Camino. I usually quite comfortably wear Merrell Moab Ventilators.

Bring more socks and carry them in zip loc plastic baggies. Your feet are your most important equipment and you can't do too much to keep them comfortable. Weather is unpredictable - you may have the driest, sunniest Camino on record in your future and not need any precautions! But be ready to sacrifice your daily distance if the weather turns nasty. Blisters will slow you down more than wet shoes and socks ever will.
 
€2,-/day will present your project to thousands of visitors each day. All interested in the Camino de Santiago.
I don't believe there's any one, absolute solution for keeping feet dry. I prefer to wear wool socks over thin breathable liners and in wet conditions carry a sufficient quantity of wool socks that I can change to a dry pair multiple times throughout the day. If there are no drying facilities at night (as often is the case when backpacking in rain or on wet snow), I wring out the wet socks and bring them into my sleeping bag at night, placing them on top of me and letting body heat to drive off most of the moisture by morning - one makes do with what one has...

In extreme conditions, hiking in wet snow (probably not Camino conditions) and crossing streams with boots on, I resort to plastic bread bags to keep water out but try not to wear them for long periods due to interior moisture build up.
 
Very light, comfortable and compressible poncho. Specially designed for protection against water for any activity.

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I don't believe there's any one, absolute solution for keeping feet dry. I prefer to wear wool socks over thin breathable liners and in wet conditions carry a sufficient quantity of wool socks that I can change to a dry pair multiple times throughout the day. If there are no drying facilities at night (as often is the case when backpacking in rain or on wet snow), I wring out the wet socks and bring them into my sleeping bag at night, placing them on top of me and letting body heat to drive off most of the moisture by morning - one makes do with what one has...

In extreme conditions, hiking in wet snow (probably not Camino conditions) and crossing streams with boots on, I resort to plastic bread bags to keep water out but try not to wear them for long periods due to interior moisture build up.
That is one way to survive…humans are often finding solutions to problems that technology can’t.
 

That is one way to survive…humans are often finding solutions to problems that technology can’t.
We hike/walk thousands of miles every year. It was a long time ago that we decided that wet feet is not the end of the world. So we now walk through streams, puddles, whatever. If you have ventilated socks and shoes, they will dry quickly. Even if you are in snow or constant rain, as long as your feet aren't blistering, you will be fine. As someone else comments, blisters make caminos painful; infections caused by untreated blisters can put you in the hospital.
 

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