I bought new Sealskinz Walking socks and tested them - put them on (normal socks underneath), got inside the bath, poured water, then wrapped socks with plastic bags to stop them leaking while I am walking around and kept on my feet for about 2 hours. I took socks off and feel that my normal socks are slightly damp. Is this how it should be? I do not see wet spots on socks, but they are slightly damp (got dry in about 5 minutes after taking Sealskinz).
I wonder because my wife has Sealskinz Ultralight socks and I tested them in similar manner, but they were not damp at all.
Thanks.

Could it be that your feet were perspiring?

A thousand years ago I was pre-testing a tent/sleeping bag combo I was going to use for motorcycle camping. I hadn't camped but once like that before.

The morning after the 1st night there was water on my sleeping bag and where it had touched the tent. 2nd night I put a garbage bag over the foot of the sleeping bag. Next morning the water was inside the garbage bag. My feet had transpired that much moisture.

Since then my feet have transpired many more gallons of water - especially while hiking.

I hope this info was useful :-)

My experience with the sealskin socks is they are okay for short periods in pretty extreme conditions.

I suspect that some amount of moisture is normal. You might try it again with thin poly liner socks. I've found that all the breathable membranes transmit more moisture if they are kept closer to the skin where the water is more rapidly converted to vapor.

Also with plastic directly outside the Sealskin any water that is transferred has no place to go. They are designed to keep water out but I doubt they transmit much water from inside to out when they are functionally submerged.

I use seal skins in wet relativly low activity situations. For example - sail boat racing in the rain or rough weather. They keep my feet drier then they would be if I didn't have them on, but not bone dry, probably due to persperation.