I stubbornly used my SealSkinz WaterBucket socks for six years so as to force down the cost per year. For the first two years I was convinced it was user error, so I tried shaving my ankles and duct tape. The third year I avoided submersion, but that didn't work either. The waterproof film layer had become brittle and broke. After three more years, the average cost was down and I had past the test of endurance. So long WaterBucket socks!