ArcticDry Xtreme Waterproof Socks – My best bit of gear for 2019

GEAR & EQUIPMENT

ArcticDry Xtreme Waterproof Socks – My best bit of gear for 2019

Wednesday 15 January 2020

Waterproof socks are not new. They have been around for ages. For some reason, I can’t quite recall; they just never made it on to my kit list.

I have always had a pair of waterproof boots and a pair of waterproof hiking or approach shoes, so why would I want to waste money on waterproof socks? After all, they are quite expensive as socks go.

Everything changed at the end of 2018 when I decided to do the Camino Portuguese the following year. I knew that I would be doing a lot of the two hundred miles or so on paths and roads and I knew or hoped at least, that I would be walking those miles in the heat of some glorious sunshine.

Leather, waterproof walking boots, or even waterproof shoes were not going to be suitable footwear for long hot days on the tarmac.

I was fortunate to have found Kipprun Trail running shoes at Decathlon. I had spent a few weeks trying all of the big-name outdoor shoe manufacturers with no luck. Nothing I tried on was comfortable or a good fit for my feet.

The Kiprun Trail running shoes were by far the best fit and at £39.99, by far the cheapest!

I bought a pair and started to wear them every day. They were great!

The only drawback with the Kiprun Trail shoes is that they are incredibly breathable. So breathable that you can feel the breeze on your toes which of course means that they are as waterproof as a teabag.

These were going to be perfect for my Camino unless it rained, which of course was bound to happen sooner or later. Because I was only taking a thirty-eight-litre rucksack for the whole two-week trek, I did not have the space to carry an extra pair of waterproof shoes and, to be honest, I did not want to carry the extra weight either. In fact, the only other footwear I was planning on taking were flip flops which were even less waterproof than the Kiprun Trail shoes.

Waterproof socks were the obvious answer, although it took me a while to think of it! I did some searching on the internet and eventually decided on a pair of ArcticDry Xtreme waterproof socks. They seemed to have the most positive reviews and were priced in the mid-range at £26.

The arrived promptly and, to be honest, felt a little odd. I did a test walk to see how well the socks would work with the Kiprun Trail shoes and they seemed fine. Unremarkable, but okay.

I packed them and thought no more about them.

I was in Armenteira on the Variante Espiritual before I encountered any rain. I stepped out on to the terrace of the Albergue at around six in the morning. It was dark and raining heavily. I pulled my waterproofs out from my rucksack and was immediately thankful that I had packed my waterproof socks with them. My ‘normal’ clothes sat buried in the bottom of my rucksack inside a drybag which was itself inside a drybag.

I put on my socks, waterproof trousers, jacket and head torch and stepped into the dark. It rained all day. I walked for the best part of thirty miles, and the rain didn’t let up for one second.

I had only walked a mile or so when I noticed just how comfortable the socks were. Far more than I had ever expected.

They were still comfortable thirty miles later when I removed them from my aching feet. Perhaps more importantly, my feet were dry. They were a little clammy but dry.

I have worn them a few times since my Camino, and on each occasion, they have performed flawlessly.

David Welch – View Profile

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