Originally Posted by
noglider
...I was wearing my sandals and dorky socks on my rainy ride on Wednesday, and somehow my feet did not get cold. I can't figure it out. Maybe it's because my toes are freer to move around?
THIS ^^
The feet are a "terminal circulation" area. Blood doesn't just pass through on its way to another body part; it does a turn-around in the feet. If the blood flow is relatively unrestricted, warmth is maintained.
In really cold weather, stuffing your shoes with multiple layers of socks is counterproductive because of the restriction on blood flow. Thick, or multi-layered socks are fine, but only if the shoes are large enough to accommodate them.
Same thinking applies to the hands.