I want to get your input on a couple of things regarding hiking in the rain. Kind of a survey:

At what temperature would you consider it "too cold" to let your feet get wet (by constant rain) wearing light, non waterproof shoes and wool socks?

At what temperature would you consider it "too cold" to wear a pair of light shorts and let your legs get wet in the rain? (still wearing a jacket)

Both of these things seem like a very "ultralight" thing to do, while promoting good breathability and reducing bulk. But I am wondering how low of temps I could do this in.

In Five Fingers with wool toe socks, I have found 40* wet and cold is the limit for me and that is if I stay moving.

I reached my absolute comfort limit once, this limit involved 40* temps, walking in some snow and about two hundred feet of walking in 12" deep slushy ice water. I could not stop moving and had to move my toes extra at times to keep them warm. I was never worried or concerned but I knew I had to keep moving to stay warm. I would not repeat this as it is not practical, but It can be done. Also it was a day hike so I was able to get in a car after and turn on the heat.

it really depends how warm someone runs and what the terrain and weather is like.
if you can walk fast you will stay warmer. wearing a warm hat and gloves makes a big difference as well.

rain will not chill you as much as frequent creek / river crossings or wet vegetation (bushwhacking).

if it is windy everything will feel colder too.


I'm fine with thin socks, (knee high) gaiters and a rain jacket to 45+ F if I move.

I add head and hand insulation and rain shorts for colder temperatures.

If it drops to near freezing I need neoprene socks and a fleece vest.

In windy, wet and cold conditions I will wear everything I got:

my windshirt (rab boreas, doesn't inhibit breathability like dwr coated stuff)
fleece vest
buff and fleece hat
possum gloves and rain mitts
neoprene socks


bottom line: it depends where you hike, in 50mph or stronger winds you will be glad to have additional clothing
everything below my knees - apart from my feet- doesn't need that much insulation in summer


on the other hand: if it is just a drizzle and warmer than 60 F I will only hike in my baselayer as long as possible

> At what temperature would you consider it "too cold" to let your feet get wet (by constant rain)
There is no simple answer: it depends hugely on the wind. If my legs are warm enough, we certainly go down to 0 C. Keeping my legs warm in really bad weather may involve WP or WPB over-trousers.

> At what temperature would you consider it "too cold" to wear a pair of light shorts
> and let your legs get wet in the rain?
No answer. We always wear Taslan/Supplex long trousers - but maybe you haven't seen our scrub.

Once you start getting cold legs your feet will have a problem. Once you start getting wet snow on your light joggers, you will have a problem. Just make sure there's plenty of warm blood freely circulating down through your feet.

Cheers

yeah, wet snow is the worst

A lot of that depends on how warm your core is.

Yes, it is possible to go down to freezing and slightly below. Sometimes it as cold at 50F/10C.

Open hard rocky ground and strong winds at some altitude is very different from heavily forested areas at 1500'/500M with no wind. Climbing a steep slope is different from a long slow descent.

Anyway, a good set of trail shoes and shorts can handle cooler weather down to about 40-50F if you are activly working, ie climbing, hiking in little wind. Water doesn't matter because you will likely be sweating, anyway. Keeping your core plenty warm means your body will be pumping blood to your arms and legs (feet and hands), so, you should be OK.

Stopping will become a problem. The minute you stop, at lower temps, you will get chilled. Then your hands and feet will start getting cold, because your body constricts blood flow to your extremities. Adding layers over your core will not help a lot without also walking (to warm your legs and feet.) Wet, will only exacerbate the problem. Leaving you in a bad way after 15-30 minutes. You need to get dry and add layers to your legs and feet. But, that wasn't what you were asking... Anyway, keep the additional layers dry in your pack. Set up a roof (tent or tarp) immediatly. Change into dry cloths and eat/drink something warm as soon as you can. We call that hypothermia weather in the ADK's. Good for hiking...but difficult to stop. If you don't stop, exhaustion can quickly set in.

My feet are ok wet in the upper 30's as long as I'm moving
Legs are the same
Anything below 35 and I start to get cold

Now if its windy I'm more than likely cold in those conditions

Edited by dbogey on 01/12/2012 07:37:10 MST.

This summer I hiked in Norway. Temp was about 42F, rainy and windy, constant 30-40 mph. My feet felt fine in some moab ventilators with smartwool phd socks. I was constantly walking through puddles and glacial runnoff and my feet felt fine. I wore a pair of convertible pants covered by some precip pants. I think my legs would have been very cold in just shorts.

Edited by jcbowman on 01/12/2012 07:43:29 MST.

I am good down to freezing with wet feet and rain jacket and rain skirt provided there is no snow or standing water that I am going through.

Snow and standing water transfer heat quite well compared to air so in early spring even at 40 F going through constant snow I will end up with uncomfortably cold feet if I don't protect them. But in the fall before snow it can be on the verge of freezing and raining and my feet will stay reasonably warm.

We had two recent snow storms that I hiked in. I had two different results which have proved out a few strategies gleaned here at BPL. Both storms produced about an inch plus an hour of wet heavy snow. It was in the upper 20's F. I was traveling through about 4-6 inches of snow for most of both hikes. There was very little wind and a few thousand feet of elevation gain.

First hike was about 3 miles in. I was wearing Merrell barefoot trail runners and 2oz a pair wool socks. I had 200 weight Icebreaker bottoms on under supplex pants. A 150 weight wool LS top and a 9oz rain coat. No hat. I was fine hiking in up hill. I stopped for about half an hour to practice pitching a tarp in the snow. My feet became cold at the end of that half hour. I packed up, hiked out down hill. My feet were chilled but not cold. I think if I added a hat it would have helped. If hiking much further down hill I would have had to add an extra layer of sock or gone to a vbl.

The following hike was about 8 miles same conditions. From my previous experience I added Dry Ducks pants. I didn't stop the whole hike and wore the hood on my coat. I was a bit hot and my feet were never cold.

Warm legs and a hat help keep feet warm. Adding gaiters also supposedly helps.

All I know is southern Rockies, June, 11,000 ft, my feet in regular trail runners were damp and cold at the end of an overcast day with on again/off again showers .

there has been at least one case where someone was incapacitated with damp feet in just above freezing conditions ... and needed to be rescued ... i think the news called it trench foot ..

Colderst I have ever been while hiking was up/down mt katahdin while above treeline. We were hiking in a mild shower with huge wind (the kind you have to lean into to stay upright). I was wearing a waterproof jacket and gtx boots, regular nylon pants, wool socks and and short sleeves shirt. Every inch of me was wet - esp feet.
Oh and it was probaby 45-50F. I believe a fleece vest would have made a significant difference.

My last hike was in 30-40F weather with light rain (mostly misty) mild wind for most sections. I used breathable trail runners with a midweight sock, nylon pants longsleeve baselayer and wpb jacket. Was plenty warm, while moving. Feet stayed damp, b/c of a little bit of the snow and water on the ground but were warm enough. If the trail were much wetter I would have put on vbl socks (turkey bags).

Wind is definately the beast, not just temps. I can handle being wet in temps around freezing if the air is dry and still. Add in a strong wind, and then all bets are off.

i echo the aforementioned. however, there's been times in summer even when i can't generate enough heat (hiking rapidly/light running) to keep my legs warm. some rains here in the east are downright cold and raw. then, i'll amp it up with two hats. sometimes this measure alone works like a champ. should push come to shove, i'll toss on my windpants to further buffer the elements. lt

At what temperature would you consider it "too cold" to let your feet get wet (by constant rain) wearing light, non waterproof shoes and wool socks?
Limit: 32F
Preferred limit for comfort: around 50F (I'd start using GoreTex socks)

At what temperature would you consider it "too cold" to wear a pair of light shorts and let your legs get wet in the rain? (still wearing a jacket)
Limit: 50F
Preferred limit for comfort: around 55-60F