'There's one born every minute' - the endless search for waterproof footwear

I am a bald man, yet I have never bought, or thought of buying, any magic hair-growth concoctions. 
When a Conservative politician opens his (in Australia, it's much more likely to be a 'he') mouth, I know he is lying. 
When an advertisement flashes on the television for a miracle weight-loss regime; an end to back pain; or a instant cure for migraines, I inevitably nod knowingly and wonder how many suckers fall for such nonsense. 
And yet, I must confess, I have recently joined the seemingly endless line of stupid people believing in the unbelievable.
My dupe? SealSkinz Waterproof Socks.
I know, WATERPROOF socks! And only $45 a pair! What idiot would spend his hard-earned on such a charade? A bald middle-aged cycling idiot, that's who.
I ride my bike in all conditions, subscribing to the Billy Connolly philosophy that 'there is no such thing as bad weather, only the wrong clothes.' This is a sensible attitude from the cold and wet Scottish Highlands to the windy bleak Blue Mountains where I complete my daily ride. A waterproof jacket, warm gloves, a cosy bandanna, leg-warmers - I'll wear anything to keep the cold and rain out. This is not a fashion parade, it's cycling. The only thing I won't wear is clothing with advertising.
But, the one item of cycling apparel I have yet find is something to keep my feet dry. When it rains, a cyclist gets wet from above and below - the rain and the spray from the road. Once your feet are wet, it's likely you'll be cold until the ride is completed. Wet, heavy tingling feet are the bane of my cycling life. 
I've tried 'waterproof' covers that slip over my cycling shoes. They stay dry for perhaps thirty minutes before becoming heavy and sodden, so it's akin to pedalling with two bricks attached to my feet. I've bought two pairs of these covers from rival companies - both were next to useless.
While stranded on a wet cold cross-country cycle in France a few years ago, I resorted to plastic bags wrapped around my feet, bunched at the ankle with rubber bands. It scared the locals and made a swishing sound as I pedalled. They worked for an hour before becoming insufferably hot and cloying. But, at least they didn't cost as much as the shoe covers! Unfortunately, they aren't a long-term solution.
In desperation, I went on the Wiggle website and read numerous reviews of SealSkinz, a very expensive 'unique seamless three-layer' sock that claimed to be 100% waterproof.
They saw me coming and brought out the heavy artillery of numerous positive reviews by fellow cyclists. 
Being a somewhat conservative shopper, I always read as much as I can about a product before buying it - whether it be a large purchase like a car, or a simple one like a pair of waterproof socks.
So, I did my research. Most reviewers said the SealSkinz did as they claimed - kept your feet dry and warm. These reviewers mainly came from England where wet and cold is the cycling default, so I was willing to accept their opinions.
I bought two pair - one for me and one for my wife. 
When they arrived, I tried them on. It felt a little like wearing a plastic cover on my foot, but on the first ride, I did as the reviewers had suggested and wore a thin pair of wicking socks underneath.
A winter Sunday brought the perfect conditions to conduct a road test.
I rode in four degrees celsius and for the first ten minutes through a heavy shower. All of my clothes got wet. My SealSkinz got very wet. The rain stopped but the roads remained damp for the rest of the hour-long ride. The water penetrated my SealSkinz in the first ten minutes and remained trapped inside the sock for the duration of the ride. While the rest of my clothes dried out and kept me warm, my very expensive 'waterproof' SealSkinz did the opposite of what they claimed - they kept my feet wet and cold for the full sixty minutes. They also got extremely heavy. It was not a pleasant ride. My super cheap ($7 a pair) leg-warmers dried out after twenty minutes and kept my legs warm. My 'technologically advanced' SealSkinz ($45 a pair) were two sloshing ice-rags attached to my frozen feet. 
When I got home, I took off my socks and found the inner socks were damp and cold, my feet wet and tingling with chill. 
I had a hot shower and wrote a letter to Wiggle asking for a refund. To their credit, they responded quickly and courteously to my email and within a few weeks, I'd been fully compensated. I also posted a negative review on their web-site about the socks.
I'm back to square one - winter in the mountains and cold feet. It won't stop me cycling, of course. But, as for miracle products ...


I've written three travel ebooks on my cycling adventures across Europe. They sell for between $2.99 and $3.99, depending on which currency you use. You can visit my Amazon page here for the USAhere for the UK and here for Australia








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