The Glade 4.0

So here's an odd question for all of you. Last winter season I found myself suffering from cold feet for many months (not the marriage kind) and would really like to find a solution for it. If you don't know, I work as a cargo pilot in northern Ontario, so our winters can get pretty cold (eg. -30 celsius quite often). Keeping warm for most of my body didn't seem to be much of a problem last year, except for my feet. When we get to our destinations up north we always spend about 45mins to an hour doing a decent amount of physical labour off loading the plane (throwing boxes, moving stuff around, stacking pallets, etc). This always seems to make my feet sweat, get my socks wet, which then get cold when we stop working hard and are sitting in the cockpit for the 90 min flight back to base. I've tried thermal socks from a work clothes store, using 2 or 3 pairs of plain cotton socks and nothing seems to keep the feet dry. Could my boots also be a problem? I have 2 different pairs of safety-toed non-metallic boots and same thing.

Maybe I'm just being a whiner but I would like to be a little more comfortable for this winter season

p.s. we got a light dusting of snow this morning in Pickle Lake hehe

Hmmm I dunno, maybe try something that will wick away moisture as a base, then wool overtop? Or just bring extra socks... It doesn't really get all that cold in Dallas

I'd change socks, but first I'd ask someone who's done the job for a few years what they do

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"Dress cops up as soldiers, give them military equipment, train them in military tactics, tell them they’re fighting a ‘war,’ and the consequences are predictable." —Radley Balko

See if you can't find some polypropylene socks (that may or may not be the material in the thermal socks you mention), and then wear a pair of wool socks over those. Stay away from anything cotton.

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Yeah, I was going to suggest this. Just change socks before you take off.

Silk undersocks, google them, lots to choose from. Report back, I have a hiker friend who cross country skis, he swears by them but YMMV.

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The U. S. Constitution doesn't guarantee happiness, only the pursuit of it. You have to catch up with it yourself. B. Franklin

"A mind needs books like a sword needs a whetstone." -- Tyrion Lannister, A Game of Thrones

http://www.patagonia.com/web/us/product/insulator-socks?slc=en_US&sct=US&p=49625-0-155

http://www.northernoutfitters.com/p-38-wick-dry-socks.aspx

Either as a liner, then ONE thick wool sock (on each foot, of course!). Layering socks tends to restrict blood flow, which makes feet cold! Use the neoprene if you're going to get wet, the wickaway if the oly wet is sweat.

Or get really serious and get these: http://www.socksocks.com/tepap330/Mens-Trekking-Expedition-Socks.htm

They make breathable backpacking socks that will actually pull moisture away from your feet. Otherwise, wool is good, but uncomfortable. Cotton is bad - very bad. You sweat and it gets very cold.

What Taamar said. I used to hunt pheasant in Kansas and the wickaway socks were the only ones I EVER wore that kept my feet from getting cold. Night and day difference.

High quality wool is quite comfortable.

High quality wool is also known as Cashmere :p

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Holy shitsnacks!

Unless you're allergic, though I think its the lanolin I truly have trouble with.

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The U. S. Constitution doesn't guarantee happiness, only the pursuit of it. You have to catch up with it yourself. B. Franklin

"A mind needs books like a sword needs a whetstone." -- Tyrion Lannister, A Game of Thrones

I'm wondering if your shoes/boots are too tight. Might have to go up a half-size or something to accommodate the socks.

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This cold and dark tormented hell
Is all I`ll ever know
So when you get to heaven
May the devil be the judge

Ya I was wondering that too, will have to wait and see when I pick up some new socks.

Thanks for the suggestions all! Won't be able to pick something up for another week and a half or so when I'm off again. But I'll report on how they go next work period hehe.