two pairs of socks...

[Andy BB]

I've heard many comments that the best way to avoid blisters is to wear two pairs of socks.

Quick question - should that be a thin inner and thicker outer? Would some woolpower/ulfrotte type socks be ok as the inner pair, or would they be too likely to get damaged?

What do you use, particularly in the winter?

 

[mrcairney]

Basically yes, two pairs thin then thick. Some suggest the thin pair to be synthetic so they take the burnt of the friction.

Although the best way to stop blisters is to have well broken in boots. Last pair of winter boots I wore I wore them for months before the cold hit. Good job too, they CRIPPLED me breaking them in! On the upper ankle of all places!

 

[Teepee]

I usually have a thin liner and a thicker wool sock outside, I find its more comfortable like that.

A good liner sock wicks the moisture to the outer sock to keep your feet dry.

I'm impressed with some lined socks I picked up from Aldi last week on offer, they were £2.50 and feel better on than most of my expensive pairs. They have a decent tactel liner, same as the 1000 mile socks.

 

[Retired Member southey]

I just use white mod issue wool socks, and comfy boots, to me its the boots that cause the blisters irrespective of the socks, well fitting comfy boots win all day long!

 

[Harvestman]

Recommend silk liner socks. Very comfy, and very warm for their thickness. Got mine from the bay...

 

[Shewie]

I use thinner merino trekking socks as inners and the 200 or 400g Woolpowers on top depending on how cold it is.

I use the army arctic ones in my wellies when I'm out in the boat

 

[mrcairney]

Speaking of socks, my big toenails could get through a stab vest. Wonder if 100% silk liners would help that. Supposed to be strong, init?

 

[lannyman8]

first pair thin sports socks, i use white cotton ones, and then army issue black ones or warm weather cream ones over the top, this is done with any boots i wear.

i walked 26 miles in 1 day with 30kg on my back with new boots, no blisters but taped my feet up around 20 miles....

i find some people just get blisters and some dont, good boots broken in helps though, dont spare any money on boots, my least exspencive pair is £120 and my most exspencive pair is £190. you only have 1 pair of feet after all and good boots protect your knees and hips etc etc....

hope this helps.

chris.

 

[sandbender]

"...i find some people just get blisters and some dont, good boots broken in helps though, dont spare any money on boots, my least exspencive pair is £120 and my most exspencive pair is £190. you only have 1 pair of feet after all and good boots protect your knees and hips etc etc..."

Great advice, get the best boots you can and break them in gradually.

I have walked more miles then most and have always used a single pair of woolen socks, change them as often as you need, not just at the days end.

In the winter I use thicker woolen socks and a pair of Meindl Perfekt winter boots.

In the summer when not wearing boots I often walk in sandles without socks. I cannot remember the last time I had a blister.

 

[jackcbr]

Now this may seem a little daft, but bear with with me. I wear a thin pair of bamboo (yes, I did say bamboo) with a pair of thicker walking bamboo socks on top.

Bamboo is great. Good at wicking sweat away, robust and anti-bacterial properties. Even my underwear is bamboo these days.

 

[Graham_S]

Avoid cotton.
They hold the moisture from sweat next to the skin, which softens it, and makes your feet more prone to blisters.

 

[spud_23]

I use cheap thin black dress socks with british army desert socks over the top

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[Bluebs4]

My dad who's 67 I think ! Ex army said that he would put boots on and sock in warm water then mold them ....days before gore tx but wonder if this would work today with full leathers .....and has any one else's father told them storys like this or should I have him sectioned ?

 

[Retired Member southey]

no no Bluebs4, hes bang on, bath full of warm to hot( so it doesnt burn your hand hot) socks on, boots on, stand in bath and do squats, lunges(gently of course) but just flex the boots, then out the bath, GTX socks on and walk around in the boots for a few days till dry( DO NOT FORCE DRY WITH HOT AIR OR RADIATOR) and tadaa quickly broken in boots! (Only works for boots with nothing but leather uppers in my experience)

 

[dasy2k1]

I use a pair of go-outdoors coolmax liner socks with a pair of merino wool socks over the top also from go-outdoors

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[the interceptor boy]

just wear your sock/s inside out in your boots, also try bending your pair of boots back and forth slowly and gently. also pay attention to your feet by regular, cleaning, scrubbing, massaging,and applying foot powder on a regular basics, believe me you won't have and blisters. not saying that you don't do the above, a lot of people don't, that all. cheers the interceptor boy.

 

[spandit]

Thread creep alert:

I was told by a ski boot fitter that a great way to improve boots that were a bit big (you need them tight to get the control) was to remove the liner and put a really thick sock around it - gives all round padding/support. You then wear a fairly thin sock inside the liner

 

[garethw]

Hi there
We did a fair amount of hiking in the French Alps a few summer's back. Good quality hiking socks that molded to your feet and supported the ankle were a god send. They were synthetic and quite dear, but worth it.
Combined with, as has been said above, a good, supportive high ankle boot, preferably broken in before a long hike.
Just this combination should see you ok without blisters.

A few points we found though.

• Leather boots definitely needed a decent period of breaking in, which ever socks were worn. I got a suede, cordura, gortex type boot by Technica and they were fine right off the shelf, where as my wife bought a dearer pair of Meindls and had blisters on the first two days of hikes.
• Changing the inner soles even on the expensive boots made a huge difference. They can cost as much as half the price of the boot, but the fit and comfort of my boots was radically improved.
• Changing our socks at least once during the hike also made a big difference to the state of our feet by the end of the day.

cheers
Gareth

 

[lannyman8]

ref wetting your boots its very true, you can have a broken in pair of good boots but once you have done a river crossing or patroled down a nice wet ditch they do tend to fit better, but again dont rush the drying process or the leather will crack a ruin the boot....

an old school way to stop blisters is to pee on your feet too, or use methelated spirit, the idea is it dries the skin out and makes it go hard, this then does not get the friction as its not as moist... it should work but your feet would look and feel awfull all the time i think...

regards.

chris.

 

[gliderrider]

I use a pair of white cotton sports socks inside my thicker acrylic commando socks in the winter, not had many blisters.

One of the ways escaping Alied POW's tried to prevent blisters in WW2 was to rub the feet with surgical spirit as it hardened the skin. Though I'm not sure if this has any adverse long term side effects, never tried it myself.

Hey chris, you quote the journy to samarkand in your sig, and your called chris. Not Mr Ryan are you?