lamilite and footwear

MORE ABOUT THE LAMILITE SOCKS

A TESTIMONIAL

An Invaluable Sock

I've owned a pair of Wiggy's Lamilite socks since November 2017. I've used them rigorously for several months, and they've been with me on several hikes during the cold months in Houston Texas, as well as to Canada. These socks will blow any sock out of the water bar none. I'm often used to using socks that hold and retain moisture, may it be made of Cotton, Polyester, Wool, Acrylic, and any mix match in between. I've owned socks by REI, Smartwool, Varusteleka, and many others. While for casual use they may have their place, on long strenuous hikes, their inherent ability to retain all of the sweat makes them unusable after two days maximum. With the Lamilite Socks, they went the distance, and managed to function throughout the entire one week trip to Canada.

I was able to learn firsthand in Waterloo at -5 to 15 degrees Celsius, that once you get moving sweat builds up, and if that sweat is retained your feet become incredibly uncomfortable and cold. I made the terrible mistake of going in with two pairs of Cabela’s socks, and only one pair of Wiggy's Lamilite Socks. If I hadn't had the Lamilite socks to put over the Cabela’s socks, my feet would've been in a world of pain. In fact, once they were soaked enough, I ended up removing them completely and managed just fine with the Lamilite socks alone. I hate to imagine what it would've been like had I not been wearing the Lamilite Insulated Chukka Boots as well. Thankfully I at least had the sense to leave the Gore-Tex boots at home, or it would've been a nightmare. I wore the Lamilite socks just about every day, and even wore them to bed. On the nights I took them off, they would be crispy from the saturation of sweat. I'd literally dip them in water and soap, and dry them out with a hair dryer. By putting the hair dryer into the sock, you will get to see firsthand how well these socks push moisture away from the feet. Within twenty minutes on the low setting, the socks were bone dry and ready for action.

It should be noted that these socks pack down very small, and are easy to fit in any backpack. It was odd having a sock that didn't stay on the foot, but once you put on your shoes/boots, it actually turns into a comfortable plus. I eventually wore a hole in one sock towards the heel, but it was easily repaired using the speedy stitchery sewing awl. Despite this, Jerry offered me a full refund if i didn't want to repair it myself!

These socks have become an invaluable part of my winter clothing, and are essential for any hiking trek into the cold. I am very thankful to have had these during my trip, and will be buying more before I go anywhere cold again. Thank you for such a great product Mr. Wigutow.

– Sam Matte

Sam has been prolific the past 3 days writing about his experience with my products. This one is particularly nice for me to receive since I wrote about socks yesterday. I very much appreciate the detail he goes into because I have to believe he is speaking of situations that others experience when they go into the wilds. That does not mean they have Lamilite socks, just the experience in the wilds.

As I pointed out when I was lost I most like would not have survived had I not been wearing my mukluks because my thick wool socks and boots were soaked because water was in the mukluks from me walking through streams. The Lamilite was probably wet, although I did not think about checking the mukluks at the time as I was happy to be back in the cook’s tent and at the time when I took off my mukluks, leg jackets and parka. I can tell you I have worn my Lamilite boots for years without socks working on my farm when the temperature been as high as 100 degrees F and all of my foot produced moisture was not in the boots when I took them off after 6 to 8 hours of use. During the colder months I do wear the Lamilite socks in my chukka boots with the same result, no moisture retention after 8 to 10 hours.

In the mid 1990’s I was asked by a sergeant of the Barrow Alaska police department if I could make a Lamilite insert that would replace the felt inserts they had in their pack boots. That product is the Sunwalker. He explained that the felt inserts became saturated in two days of wear and they would regularly go through 6 pairs a season.

After a few years of selling the Sunwalker’s I decided to make my own pack boot. It was so much better than anything on the market and made in such a manner I was able to get it patented. I invested in 5000 pair and after about 10 years I had sold 2000 pair regardless how much I reduced the price from the original price of $160.00 I was still looking at 3000 pair. I sold them with the purchase of I think $200.00 worth of other product for $10.00 a pair. In 6 months they were gone. A multitude of customers have told me they are the best pack boots they ever have purchased.

What I have chosen to tell people to do is buy the cheapest pack boot you can find throw away the felt insert and replace it with the “tall Sunwalker”. When the pack boot wears out get another pair and just keep using the Sunwalker because they are not about to wear out any time soon.

When it comes to hiking boots or hunting boots or work boots that have the B/S Gore-Tex and or Thinsulate in them just get a pair of Lamilite socks and they will make a big difference. And when those boots wear out replace them with Lamilite boots. Of course when the sole of the Lamilite boot wears out you can replace it with a new Vibram sole. I just for the first time calculated the selling price for my boots if I sold them to a retailer this is for either the 10 inch or chukka boot with the socks; $340.00 per pair. The price includes the manufactures margin of profit and the normal retailer‘s margin of profit. I use a chart that shows normal profit margins. I may have to raise my prices one day.

Since I spend most of my time running my business I have gotten to the point of depending on customers who get out in the wild during many seasons telling me of their experience with the variety of products I make. I am somewhat conservative with regards to temperatures that the products are used in so when someone says they have use the Ultra-Light plus 20 degree sleeping bag at 5 or 10 degrees successfully it buoy’s my confidence in my products ability to work.

But when it comes to feet, when you are in the wild if damaged you might not get out of the wild. I am appalled by the fact that NOT ONE other company that makes footwear appropriate for use in the wild has acknowledged that they make dangerous products when they use Gore-Tex and perpetuate the Gore lie of having a waterproof breathable boot and now we are seeing sock companies make the same bogus claim. This tells me one thing; forgive me for my analogy; the people who run boot companies and sock companies cannot distinguish between their butt hole and a hole in the ground!!!