--- title: "Testing DexShell Running waterproof socks from a minimalist's point of view" description: "Committed minimalist Patrik Zouhar shared his test of DexShell Running waterproof socks with us. How did they hold up in various conditions and are they worth it?" canonical_url: "https://gramino.com/blog/test-dexshell-running-waterproof-socks" last_updated: "2021-04-14" --- # Testing DexShell Running waterproof socks from a minimalist's point of view Authors: Patrik Zouhar Date: 2021-04-14 Committed minimalist Patrik Zouhar shared his test of DexShell Running waterproof socks with us. How did they hold up in various conditions and are they worth it? When the ancient Greeks made the first socks out of animal hair in the 8th century BC to keep their feet warm in cold weather, they almost certainly had no idea they were laying the groundwork for another practical invention of the 21st century – waterproof socks, which would cause a small revolution in outdoor gear. The socks are finding their way to a growing number of outdoor enthusiasts, who usually fall in love with them straight away. I tested the [DexShell Running Lite Sock 2.0](/p/dexshell-running-lite-sock-2-0) for you in various weather conditions to check that they really do deliver what they promise. ## **Comfort** When I first picked up the waterproof socks, my feelings were mixed. They reminded me of the neoprene I had to squeeze into on a diving course, and that wasn't exactly pleasant on the body. Luckily it was only a first impression and my worries quickly evaporated. **Inside, the socks are soft, they sit well on the foot and don't slip**. Compared with classic socks they're firmer and have less stretch, which comes down to the laminated membrane. That's why it's important to pick the right size when buying, so they don't pinch. I consider the weight of 90 grams acceptable given how practical they are and how widely you can use them. ## **Breathability** A waterproof membrane can raise worries about whether the socks are breathable enough and whether your feet will boil in them under heavy physical load. With DexShell I definitely didn't have that feeling and **the material had no trouble wicking body moisture away from the skin**. I do have the advantage that I don't sweat much, so I don't tend to have a problem with moisture in my shoes as long as it doesn't get in from the outside. I won't go into the material specifications, you can read those in [another article](/blog/how-to-choose-waterproof-socks). ## **What you can use them for** Don't be misled by the name of the socks – 'running' certainly doesn't mean you couldn't use them for other activities. **Besides running, they work well for hiking, long-distance treks, cross-country skiing and cycling**, but also for work outdoors or fishing. Because I'm a minimalist, I put a lot of emphasis on all the gear I carry being light, high quality, reliable and above all versatile. And versatility is exactly what makes these socks so valuable. ## **Temperature range** On the temperature scale the [DexShell Running Lite Sock 2.0](/p/dexshell-running-lite-sock-2-0) model sits exactly in the middle, which makes it a sock for most of the year – in spring, in autumn, on cooler summer days and in a milder winter. **The lowest temperature at which I still felt comfortable in the socks was 0 °C**. In harder frosts you can reach for a warmer model (e.g. [DexShell Hytherm Pro](/p/dexshell-hytherm-pro)) or layer more socks on top of each other, the way I do – I put a merino wool pair on under the waterproof ones. - [DexShell Ultra Thin Crew](/p/dexshell-ultra-thin-crew.md) - [DexShell Trekking](/p/dexshell-trekking.md) - [DexShell Running Lite Sock 2.0](/p/dexshell-running-lite-sock-2-0.md) - [DexShell Thermlite](/p/dexshell-thermlite.md) - [DexShell Hytherm Pro](/p/dexshell-hytherm-pro.md) - [DexShell Longlite Socks](/p/dexshell-longlite-socks.md) - [DexShell Terrain Walking 2.0](/p/dexshell-terrain-walking-2-0.md) ## **Shoes** Even though the symbol of ultralight is **mesh shoes with no membrane,** which dry quickly and are usually lighter than their competitors with waterproof membranes, **waterproof socks make sense in both types of shoe**. Even membrane shoes can't hold out against water forever, so the socks can serve as a second line of defense that stops water reaching your feet, or at least buys you more time before it does. That way the socks can save you from painful blisters. ## **Some like it wet** Testing waterproof socks on a sunny day made no sense to me, so I waited for the weather to settle down and send a proper downpour my way. Until recently my shoes were the weakest link in my outdoor kit – water always got into them first. Since I started wearing waterproof socks, I don't have that problem any more. Suddenly it's no longer so unpleasant to walk in the rain, in tall wet grass, or even to wade through a stream. When I was testing the socks at a reservoir near Brno and decided to take the route straight through the water instead of the lovely asphalt path (by the way, it had been a long time since I'd enjoyed a walk in ice-cold water that much), I was pleasantly surprised. **Only a minimum of water got inside the socks** and the whole time I had the feeling I was completely dry. ## **Some like it snowy** How waterproof socks would handle a whole day of wading through snow was probably what I was most curious about. So I got hold of snowshoes and set off for the Krkonoše Mountains. Before I managed to climb out of the valley onto the ridge, I was fighting my way through demanding terrain with heavy wet snow. A few hundred meters higher the snow was already light as a feather, but by then my hiking boots had soaked up plenty of water. **The GORE-TEX membrane in the boots didn't help the situation much either**; after a couple of hours it gave up and started letting water inside. And that's exactly where the waterproof socks saved me. If I hadn't had them, I'd have spent the rest of the trip with wet feet. The water didn't get through the socks, so I could carry on dry and warm and make the most of a bitterly cold February day. Another advantage of the more robust types of waterproof sock is that **in winter they help maintain thermal comfort** and prevent the peripheral parts of the body, such as your toes, from cooling down quickly. ## **Some like it barefoot** As a **minimalist** what I enjoy most of all is walking completely barefoot or in barefoot shoes. And it was with barefoot shoes that waterproof socks opened up possibilities I'd never suspected. Most barefoot shoes aren't very suitable for winter and bad weather, and the really good ones with a membrane that stands up to wind and rain are few and far between on the market. Normally my toes start freezing after a few minutes in barefoot shoes in winter. When I **combine them with DexShell socks** (or another pair on top), the time I can keep walking on frozen ground gets several times longer. So I worked up the courage for a ten-kilometer walk in the woods at an outside temperature of 1 °C, armed with the triple combination of Skinners sock-shoes + DexShell waterproof socks + classic merino socks. **As long as I kept moving and didn't stand in one place for long, it was perfectly manageable**. At the end of the walk I had a pleasant feeling not only in my feet, but mainly from having stepped out of my comfort zone and taken on another challenge. Assuming you have good gear, winter doesn't have to be an obstacle at all for lovers of barefoot hiking. - [Darn Tough Women's Critter Club Micro Crew Lightweight](/p/darn-tough-critter-club-micro-crew-lightweight-womens.md) - [Injinji Run Lightweight Mini-Crew](/p/injinji-run-lightweight-mini-crew.md) - [Injinji Trail Midweight Mini-Crew](/p/injinji-trail-midweight-mini-crew.md) - [Darn Tough Men's Run 1/4 Ultra-Lightweight](/p/darn-tough-run-1-4-ultra-lightweight-mens.md) - [Darn Tough Women's Treeline Micro Crew Midweight](/p/darn-tough-treeline-micro-crew-midweight-womens.md) - [Darn Tough Men's Hiker Micro Crew Midweight](/p/darn-tough-hiker-micro-crew-midweight-mens.md) - [Darn Tough Kids Quest Quarter Lightweight](/p/darn-tough-kids-quest-quarter-lightweight.md) - [Darn Tough Men's Sunset Ridge Micro Crew Lightweight](/p/darn-tough-sunset-ridge-micro-crew-lightweight-mens.md) ## **I don't want any other socks** I remember how, two years ago on the two-hundred-kilometer Sunshine Coast Trail in Canada, I **cursed my shoes,** which after one **heavy downpour got completely soaked** and refused to dry out at any price. **The skin on my feet was waterlogged for several days** and it was a miracle I survived it without blisters and without catching a cold. Today that scenario is no longer a risk, because **waterproof socks keep my feet dry and comfortable.** I don't have to worry that the first rain or an accidental step into a stream will leave my feet cold. **DexShell socks** have found their place in my ultralight kit. Their price may seem high, but when you consider how much misery they save you on multi-day trips and even on ordinary short walks, I think they're a **great investment. It's a piece of gear you can rely on and that genuinely works.** - [Sea To Summit Ultra-Sil Stuff Sack](/p/sea-to-summit-ultra-sil-stuff-sack.md) - [Montane Protium Neck Gaiter](/p/montane-protium-neck-gaiter.md) - [Turbat Maya 2 LS Mns](/p/turbat-maya-2-ls-mns.md) - [DexShell Beanie Gradient](/p/dexshell-beanie-gradient.md) - [DexShell Drylite Gloves](/p/dexshell-drylite-gloves.md) - [Montane Respond Dry Line Mitt](/p/montane-respond-dry-line-mitt.md) - [Turbat Dja Shorts Wmn](/p/turbat-dja-shorts-wmn.md) - [Turbat Maya Hood Trek Mns](/p/turbat-maya-hood-trek-mns.md) - [Montane Trailblazer 18 (2024)](/p/montane-trailblazer-18-2024.md) - [Topo Athletic Women's Terraventure 4](/p/topo-athletic-terraventure-4-womens.md) This post is also available as [HTML](/blog/test-dexshell-running-waterproof-socks). ## Sitemap See the full [sitemap](/sitemap.md) for all pages.