Waterproof/breathable materials have membranes with microscopic holes which are great at keeping water out, but they breathe and move moisture vapor out of the footwear at a much slower rate than nylon or nylon-mesh. This situation makes it very important to wear Drymax Socks because they actually move moisture away from the skin and truly keep your feet dry. Therefore, the Drymax Socks are the very best socks to wear with shoes or boots made with waterproof/breathable materials.

Our True Fit Sizing causes our socks to look relatively smaller. To achieve a more custom fit, we designed our individual sock sizes to include fewer shoe sizes than other sock manufacturers. For example, our Women's size Small is made for Women's shoe sizes 5-7. Our competitors' socks are typically made to include Women's shoe sizes 5 ? -10 ?.

Gore-Tex fabric is created when Gore laminates their patented Gore-Tex membrane to high-performance textiles, which are then used by garment manufacturers to make outerwear, accessories, and footwear. The Gore-Tex membrane has 9 billion pores per square inch, with each pore 20,000 times smaller than a water droplet. These tiny holes are too small for water and wind to pass through from the outside, which is how Gore can guarantee you'll stay dry and warm in a garment made with Gore-Tex fabric.

Socks are not the only cause of blisters, so no sock manufacturer should make the claim they can prevent 100% of all blisters. Blisters caused by socks usually develop because the socks do not fit right or they become wet. Moisture changes the slipperiness or stickiness (coefficient-of-friction) of the skin, sock, top of the insole and the inside lining of a shoe. Blisters form when the skin rubs, sticks or slides too much inside the sock.

If you are one of the lucky people who sweat only a little, our Drymax Socks are still a great choice. You will never find a better fitting sock with so many features, such as our vented toe, arch band, reinforced heel and our color size dot, etc.

Since all shoes are made differently, we could not count on the materials inside the shoes to prevent moisture from returning back to the skin. Moisture has no adhesion to our Drymax fibers, so it moves through the inner Drymax layer until it finds something (in this case, the outer cotton layer) to absorb it. We put a layer of cotton on the outside of the sock to attract & hold moisture away from the skin.

Fabric softener will coat the sock's fibers and not allow them to move as much moisture away from the foot as normal. To remove the fabric softener, simply launder the socks with detergent.

In many cases yes. Decaying bacteria usually cause foot odor. Bacteria like to grow in damp, warm, dark areas. If you eliminate the moisture, you eliminate the environment bacteria like to grow in. However, foot odor is often times caused by shoe odor. To completely eliminate foot & shoe odors, it may take several products to do the job.

Go-Blankets are terrific to bundle up in -- they're not muggy underneath and stiff, the way that non-breathable waterproof blankets are. Lightweight and supple, the Picnic Go-Blanket™ makes a cozy outer layer on your bed on cooler nights. The Go-Blanket's laminated Teflon waterproof/breathable lining will not wash out or lose its waterproof performance over time, as long as you follow our easy care recommendations.

Yes, absolutely - and that's an important detail. Your feet stay drier from the inside out, because your perspiration is evaporating out of the footwear, not staying inside to make your feet feel clammy and uncomfortable. Especially in colder weather, breathability is crucial for keeping your feet dry and warm. UP

Despite the rough terrain and many miles of cross country travel, you will probably be much better off in running shoes, although one of the modern lug soled running/hiking shoe hybrids might not be an unreasonable choice. I usually wear my running shoes when I go backpacking anyway. However, you'll want to pack several pairs of whatever you wear, and bring lots of extra socks. Even in '94, a very dry year, this was a foot-soaking course.

Waterproofness and water resistance are often used interchangebly. However, they have different meanings. Waterproofness is achieved typically through the use of a membrane layer between the leather and inner lining which prevents water from entering the inner boot. Zamberlan uses GORE-TEX® technology to ensure waterproofness. Water resistance is the ability of material to shed or repel water.

The recommended boot type is relatively loose-fitting to allow good circulation to the feet. A PAC-type boot with removable felt liner is ideal, and they are reasonably priced at well under $100. Very expensive subzero type boots are not required.

Some manufacturers use the term kidskin for the finish of a shoes that looks & feels like a smooth leather but it is not.

Insulated boots are lightweight, quick-drying with moisture resistant insulation that helps to keep feet warm. Waterproof boots offer seam-sealed construction and waterproof leather and help to keep feet dry.

We find felt soled hip boots work well in the mountain streams and felt soled wading boots (Simms) provide excellent traction and ankle support in the valley rivers. We will also use boots with studded felt soles to provide extra traction on slippery rocks.

GORE-TEX? hoods (either removable or sewn in), color matched sleeve and thigh pockets, relief zippers, GORE-TEX? or latex socks, and reflective tape are all options that can be added to a new or existing suit. Please check with your local dealer or give us a call to check on prices and availability. The only products that we sell directly are repair and/or replacement items. This would include gaskets, gasket replacement kits, GORE-TEX? field repair kits, 303 Protectant, and Aquaseal.

Please note that there are not a wide range of half sizes available or any Wide/Narrow offerings. If your half-size is not listed here, round off to the lowest available size (eg: Men's 8 1/2 should convert to an 8). Women should convert their size to Men's (eg: Women's 4=Men's 2, Women's 5 = Men's 3, Women's 6 = Men's 4, etc.). If your half-size is not listed here, round off to the lowest available size.

For information on the care of your Dubarry shoes or boots, please see the product care pages on this site.

Treat waterproof leather with a Saddle Soap product only. Treat smooth leather with a quality shoe polish, then buff. Full grain leather can first be treated with a boot oil or silicone before applying the polish. Keep the insides of the footwear dry and clean with powders and disinfectant sprays. Consider a second pair. This allows the one to dry out thoroughly while the other pair is being worn.