Sorry to ask this question again but since I am going through my winter stuff I thought I would. During the winter months here in Central Illinois I will wear my Chacos with the thick pairs of Merino socks you can get at the Bass Pro Shops for $10. They keep my feet mostly warm and I don't trap condensation in. They don't work well for snow though which is anywhere from 1 to 6 weeks anymore around here. I have a pair of Sorel Caribou but they tend to very heavy and the waterproof socks paired with the socks and sandals does not always work well. Some people have suggested Steger Mukluks but I don't have the $200 for something that gets used sparingly. Are there other suggestions out there? Thank you.

Ah, the Midwest.
In the cool months there I wear my Teva sandal, coolmax liner, wool sock, and then large Seal Skinz over that.
If it was going to stay below 30F all the time, then I don my winter boot (which is lighter than my sandal); and I do that here in Idaho for everyday and backpacking.
I’ve been enjoying my North Face Nuptse boots. I do spray them to help keep them water resistant.
http://www.moosejaw.com/moosejaw/shop/product_The-North-Face-Men-s-Nuptse-Bootie-III_10168528_10208_10000001_-1_
-good luck on a shoe choice,
-Barry

If poor breathability is the problem with the waterproof socks, you could try using vapor barrier socks with them. I've done this with my Inov8 trail runners with and without oven bags as the vapor barrier and one pair of wool socks (and polypro socks as a liner). I did this with morning lows at 10F with the VB, and my toes were a bit too cold while around camp. They didn't warm up to a comfort level until about 45 min of hiking. (My toes are generally always a bit too cold, so that was predictable.)

Another option which is warm but a bit clunky-feeling is felt Steger mukluk liners inside Tingley rubber boots. Add one of the Steger felt insoles or a Neos insole for even more warmth. I've used these on day hikes, and they're my current plan for temps -20F to 0F. I wear a VB liner, and I pack the boots with an extra sock on top of my foot for fit. This works better when showshoeing.

Edited by AndyF on 07/24/2012 11:42:16 MDT.

I do have larger feet at 14-15EE depending upon who makes them so such things as TNF are too small. As for the sandals would people use a liner sock, VB sock and then a wool one over that? I do have some Event Material so I can make a larger pair of waterproof socks also.

I also have found that my Chacos do not have a lot of slack in them. So that I can not do a three layer system with them. Hmmm. I can do a VB trash bag over my Darn Tough wool socks though.

The waterproof socks are made out of 3 layer eVent and Toughtek using the Rocky Mountain waterproof socks as a model.

Edited by bpeugh on 07/24/2012 13:53:07 MDT.

>As for the sandals would people use a liner sock, VB sock and then a wool one over
that?
Yes, and you could add another one over that for more insulation as long as the sock is stretchy enough not to constrict blood flow. Or, use the next size up if there is one available.

The eVent socks sound interesting! For use with colder temps (less than 10-20F?) use a VB, and you could skip the eVent and use a cheaper, durable, completely waterproof material.

Okay, I tried out a liner sock, a plastic grocery bag and a Darn Tought medium weight wool sock and was ale to do that. I was also able to do the waterproof socks and and sock under them.

Make a pair of silnylon socks then to use as VBL then? 1.3oz?