Northern Lite Vapor Barrier Layer Socks – VBL Socks for Winter Hiking

Northern Lite Vapor Barrier Layer Socks – VBL Socks for Winter Hiking

Regular price €49,90 Sale price€44,90
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Keep your feet warm and your boots dry on long winter hikes!

PREORDER FROM THE FIRST BATCH: 19 days LEFT TO PREORDER Read more

43%
SOLD FROM THE BATCH

Sold 13 of the required 30

Preorder From the First Batch:

Product development has been completed and this product is coming to market. Only a limited number of this size of vapor barrier socks have been ordered for the first batch (see above). Please note this when placing a pre-order if there are more pre-orders than the number of upcoming units in the first batch. We aim to start deliveries of the first batch during 2024 or early 2025.

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43%
SOLD FROM THE BATCH

Sold 13 of the required 30

Designed for winter hikers and ski trekkers who face moisture and cold over long days. VBL socks are an excellent solution for keeping feet warm and boots dry, especially in demanding winter conditions where sweat can make boots wet and hard to dry.

• Waterproof construction: Vapor barrier socks prevent sweat from reaching the boots, keeping them dry all day long.

• Lightweight and easy to use: Weighing only 25-35 grams (still in development), the socks are extremely light and discreet in use.

• Anatomical fit: Toe boxes are shaped for each foot individually, ensuring comfort without adjustments.

• Durable: 20,000mm water column fabric, with carefully placed taped seams, ensures long-lasting use over many trips.

• Easy to maintain: The inner surface doesn’t absorb sweat, making the socks easy to air out by turning them inside out during breaks.

• Color-coded heel straps: Makes it easy to distinguish and put on the socks, especially in low-light conditions.

• Material: Waterproof fabric with taped seams

• Water column: 20,000mm

• Weight: 25-35g (still in development)

• Sizes EU: 36-38, 39-41, 42-44, 45-47

• Color-coded heel straps for easy identification

Vapor Barrier Layer Socks (VBL Socks) Keep Your Feet Warm and Boots Dry in Winter Conditions


Winter hiking and ski trekking present challenges, especially when your boots start to feel damp and cold after a long day. Even if your boots are waterproof, internal foot sweat builds up, soaking the boots from the inside. This problem is particularly troublesome on multi-day trips, where drying your boots becomes difficult.


Northern Lite Vapor Barrier Layer Socks are designed to solve this issue. The socks prevent sweat from transferring into the boots, keeping your feet warm and your ski boots dry all day long. VBL socks are an essential gear for winter conditions where feet tend to sweat easily, but moisture can’t escape from the boots, increasing the risk of frostbite and discomfort.


These socks act as a vapor barrier layer, keeping the boots dry from the inside out. Unlike traditional plastic bags, these socks are shaped to fit your foot, making them much more comfortable to wear. You can use a thin liner sock underneath the VBL sock and, if needed, a thicker wool sock on top for added warmth.


Using these socks also eliminates the hassle of drying your boots during your trek. Instead of spending hours producing energy and heat to dry your boots, Northern Lite Vapor Barrier Layer Socks ensure your boots stay dry, even if your feet sweat.


VBL socks: an essential safety gear for winter hiking


VBL socks are a crucial piece of safety gear for winter hiking—they ensure your feet stay dry and warm. The fully waterproof design of VBL socks also allows them to be used inside a soaked boot. If you’re unlucky enough to step through ice into water, don’t worry! You can keep your feet dry and warm by putting a thick, dry wool sock inside the VBL sock. This way, the wool sock insulates but stays dry until you can get to camp to dry your boots.

 

How do vapor barrier layer socks work?


Vapor barrier layer socks create a moisture-resistant layer between your foot and the boot. As your foot sweats, the moisture stays inside the sock, keeping the boot completely dry. This reduces the risk of your boots getting wet and prevents cold moisture from building up around your feet. This makes VBL socks an excellent choice for multi-day trips when drying your boots is not always possible.


When your liner sock gets damp from sweat, you can easily switch to a dry one. Typically, body heat is enough to dry thin socks. Using VBL socks also makes it easy to remove frozen moisture – in cold weather, simply turn the socks inside out during a break and shake off the frost. This makes caring for and using the socks convenient, even in demanding conditions.


Why are Northern Lite Vapor Barrier Layer Socks better?


After extensive development, we’ve created a perfectly fitting and highly durable vapor barrier sock. Each foot has its own anatomically shaped toe box for comfort and functionality. The socks have a water column rating of 20,000 mm, which is significantly higher than other models. Carefully taped seams ensure waterproofness, and the durable material guarantees that the socks will last for many years.


The longevity and advanced design of these socks make them a favorite among winter hikers and trekkers. Northern Lite VBL socks can withstand heavy use and are far more comfortable than traditional plastic bags or other makeshift solutions. Additionally, color-coded heel straps make it easy to distinguish the socks and put them on correctly.

1. Put on a thin liner sock.

2. Pull the Northern Lite VBL socks over the liner sock.

3. If needed, add a thicker wool sock over the VBL sock for extra insulation.

4. Change liner socks to dry ones during the day as needed. Place damp liner socks close to your body to dry if no other heat source is available.

5. Air out the VBL socks by turning them inside out in cold air and shaking off the frost.

Northern Lite gear isn’t just made for hiking – it’s designed on the trail. Our co-founder and designer, Teemu Hartikainen, personally hikes over 3,000 km each year across some of the toughest terrains, from the Pacific Crest Trail to Norway's Norge på Langs. Each product is crafted from insights gathered over thousands of hiking miles, ensuring that every piece of gear is built to withstand the harsh Nordic conditions. If it works in Finland, it works everywhere.

Responsibly Produced in Pakistan

All our products are designed in Finland with extensive field testing and feedback from Finnish hikers. Our items, including rain skirts, are sewn in Pakistan, where responsibility is a key factor in our choice of partners.

Our manufacturing partner in Pakistan follows BSCI and OEKO-TEX standards and supplies products to large global brands with strict ethical requirements. Although it is a common misconception that all production in Asia is unethical, our partner ensures that all sewing work is completed by adult artisans. While the sewing workforce is primarily male, our partner also employs women in design roles—a progressive approach in a conservative country. The company is committed to social and environmental responsibility, using recycled materials and sourcing a substantial portion of its electricity sustainably from solar power.

What is the purpose of vapor barrier socks?

Vapor barrier socks prevent sweat from transferring from your feet into your boots, preventing them from getting wet during a long day of trekking. This helps stop your boots from freezing due to sweat during long hikes, keeping your feet warm and your boots dry.


Can I wear VBL socks on their own?

We recommend using a thin liner sock underneath VBL socks and a thicker wool sock on top in cold conditions to keep your feet warm. VBL socks can also be worn without a liner sock, but using a liner sock is more comfortable, though it requires more effort to keep dry.


How do I choose the right size?

The sizing guide will help you choose the right size socks. If you’re on the borderline between sizes and wear thick wool socks, we recommend choosing the larger size.

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Delivery Options

 

We offer various different delivery methods for each market. You can see the shipping method provided for your country in your shopping cart before confirming your order.

 

Shipping Costs

 

Shipping costs vary depending on the selected delivery option and order value. You can check the exact shipping costs in your shopping cart before confirming your order.

 

Delivery Times

 

Estimated delivery times depend on the chosen delivery method and delivery address. The delivery time will be specified in your shopping cart before order confirmation. Please note that delivery times may vary, especially during peak seasons. We usually dispatch orders made before 11 AM GMT+2 on the same day.

 

International Deliveries

 

We also offer international shipping. International orders may be subject to import duties and taxes depending on the region. These charges are the customer's responsibility.

 

Returns and Exchanges

 

If you are not satisfied with your order or if there is a defect in the product, please contact our customer service at info@northernlite.eu. You can learn more about returns and exchanges at https://northernlite.eu/policies/refund-policy.

Problems keeping feet warming on winter hikes?

VBL socks are an essential winter hiking accessory

Vapor Barrier Socks create a moisture-resistant layer between your foot and the skiing boot. Preorder yours now!

Northern Lite Vapor Barrier Layer Socks – VBL Socks for Winter Hiking

Designed by a Long Distance Hiking Expert

Meet Teemu Hartikainen, your designer. Our outdoor gear is designed during thousands of yearly hiking miles. Off the famous long distance hiking trails, Teemu has done Pacific Crest Trail (twice), Gröna Bandet in Sweden, Vita Bandet in Sweden, UKK trail in Finland and Norge på Langs in Norway along with many other long distance hikes in the Nordic wildernesses. This is our greatest promise to you, we KNOW what works on the trail – because we've been there. And we transfer 100% of that knowledge to our designs.