Recommendations for sweaty feet

[Harvey_NW]

Looking for boot and sock recommendations to combat sweaty feet. For some reason in my late 20's my feet just decided they're going to sweat profusely in boots, and I wear boots everyday. I've tried cotton, cotton poly blend, multiple different ratios of hunting brand merino blends, everything I can find any information on. Nothing seems to even help. It started when I was wearing 400g insulated Meindl-Cabelas Alaskan Guides, so then bought an uninsulated pair of White's Locsah's because they're fairly cheap, and I even bought a pair of Crispi Lapponias halfway through the season because they were mentioned in a Shoot2Hunt podcast about lightweight and breathability. No difference.

SO, any suggestions?

 

[Outside]

Have you tried using antiperspirant? I know it sounds goofy, but it helps. Also might try synthetic liner socks, as it tends to move the sweat away from your foot better than merino or cotton.

 

[Jfarrell13]

Maybe try a liner plus wool socks. I recommend darn tough

 

[Choupique]

Spray em with antiperspirant deodorant. It does a fairly decent job.

 

[SloppyJ]

My feet do the same and unfortunately I don't have any fixes but I'm interested to see the answers you get.

 

[JohnJohnson]

Amputation. Or as a backup maybe antiperspirant.

 

[SteveAndTheCrigBoys]

I've been using the Injiji synthetic toe-sock liners paired with merino socks. That's worked well for me.

Been wondering if the Alpaca sock hype is real or not...

 

[Dented]

Steve nailed it. Injinji liners with merino wool. I'll add foot powder on occasion.

 

[Harvey_NW]

I've been using the Injiji synthetic toe-sock liners paired with merino socks. That's worked well for me.

Been wondering if the Alpaca sock hype is real or not...

I'll definitely look into that pair. I thought I had seen something about liners in the past but nothing specific. Thanks.

 

[TSAMP]

I ran into this also. I ended up doing an allergy test and am apparently allergic to a chemical used in rubber production. It's minor but it makes my feet sweat and itch, and eventually break out.

I got this via a prescription and it helped aton. It's cheap too.

 

[parshal]

I have this same problem. Even gore-tex causes my feet to sweat. No combination of socks and liners has ever resolve the issue for me. My socks are soaked when I remove them.

Like others have said, antiperspirant helps. It's just a daily routine if I want to do it. I've not used the Drysol pictured above but have used Certain Dri and Neat Feet, both which I got off Amazon.

 

[Frank Grimes]

The only thing I’ve found that helped was switching to leather lined boots, with no water proofing and no insulation.
I did this for work boots and I usually hike/hunt in a pair of logger style boots. It’s helped a lot, as well as using a sock liner and wool sock. My feet stay warmer too, because they are dryer.

 

[Harvey_NW]

The only thing I’ve found that helped was switching to leather lined boots, with no water proofing and no insulation.
I did this for work boots and I usually hike/hunt in a pair of logger style boots. It’s helped a lot, as well as using a sock liner and wool sock. My feet stay warmer too, because they are dryer.

Which brand/model of boot do you prefer? Do you just treat them with conditioner to help repel water? That's where I'm damned if I do and damned if I don't, I hunt some places that are notoriously wet so I'm either wet from sweaty feet or from tromping through wet brush..

 

[Frank Grimes]

My hiking boots are whites. The firefighting ones, smokejumpers I think. They are abit heavy but I don’t notice it and I can wear them all day. I treat the leather with hubberds shoe grease or obinaufs.
Sometimes my feet get wet from creeks or heavy rain. But the boots dry faster then gortex boots. I usually keep a dry pair of wool socks in my bag.

 

[Desk Jockey]

Yeah, so, I am right there with you. My feet sweat a lot. You may care to play with some uninsulated and non goretex boots. For example, I have gone through 10 pair of merrell Moab’s overs the years. My feet are fine and breathe Well in the unlined versions. The one pair of goretex versions I bought were like a sauna. That’s a lot of experimentation and personal feel. I had some good luck with non goretex and using old school wax to weather treat but most high end boots have a liner these days.

I use a synthetic liner and a good wool sock. It helps.

Also, two pair of socks and rotating helps. Dry the wet ones on you pack as you walk.

I like, most people hate to remove my boots when hunting but it is honestly a game changer. If you are doing a lot of walking and take a longer rest to glass or nap or eat or whatever, unlace your boots, take off you socks and let your feet air out for 15-20 mins. Apply powder, rotate your socks, lace up and go. Your feet will stay dryer, warmer and you will have less issues with blisters too. Also a good time to rotate your socks As above. Wear camp shoes if you like. I run a pair of crocs or flip flops when I backpack and will slip them on during long breaks. Cold weather obviously makes this more of a challenge.

 

[texag10]

Since we are in the trust tree here I will talk about my secret foot shame and something that's helped:
My feet would always feel clammy, even going barefoot in my house in the winter. It got to the point I'd get athlete's foot being barefoot most of the time. Apparently there's some condition you can have to varying degrees that makes hands, feet, or armpits sweat excessively.

Turns out you can mitigate the issues with electrical current, which can be accomplished by a $400 machine......or a golf cart battery, stainless steel trays, and alligator clips. I will fill 2 stainless steel trays with hot water, hook one up to the positive terminal, one to the negative, soak for 10 minutes, swap the terminals so each foot is getting equal amounts of positive and negative, and it greatly reduced the sweating over time.

 

[Michael54]

I've been using the Injiji synthetic toe-sock liners paired with merino socks. That's worked well for me.

Been wondering if the Alpaca sock hype is real or not...

Alpaca socks are awesome. My feet are sweating now just laying here on the couch with a pair of cotton socks on. I've been using them for years. They wick like crazy. However there are some downfalls. They don't hold up as well as merino over time, one round in the dryer will permanently ruin them, and even though your feet will be dry the outside of the socks and inside of your boots will be soaked. A drying rack for your hand washed socks and a boot dryer will be your best friend.

 

[doc holiday13]

Try a pair of toe socks under your regular socks. Toe socks are very thin and seem to help with moisture control

 

[Madstop14]

I had similar issues and put a lot of the suggestions given into place. I spray unscented antiperspirant on my feet, then a sock liner and good wool socks. I ditched the insulated boots too. If I'm not on the move, I bought some good battery powered socks where the heating element covers the whole toe box - they're great. Got em on Amazon.

 

[Harvey_NW]

I'm starting to think I'm just screwed. I'll try the toe sock liner, but they might drive me insane because I hate the feeling of material between my toes. I won't use anti-perspirant because of the chemicals and aluminum in it. Definitely gonna have to do some research on this stainless/electrolysis concept, that sounds interesting and a bit dicey, lol.