Socks for your boots - layering?

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bearbait

Full Member
How tight should you lace your boots ?

I have it easy across the ball of the foot gradually increasing in tension to tightest at the ankle and just above. That, with the two pairs of socks I mentioned earlier, has worked for me hiking for many many years on many terrains. Not had a blister from hiking now for over 40 years. (I'm sure that the venerable Sod's Law will now apply itself to my person later this week!)
 

Qwerty

Settler
Mar 20, 2011
624
13
Ireland
www.instagram.com
Two pairs, everyday inner and woollen or "hiking" thick outer, never had many problems but rarely hike over 10 miles in one day. But two socks in boots is ingrained in my psyche now :D
 
May 24, 2017
6
0
UK
Another for 2 socks: Thin liner + Darn Tough socks (splashed out!! - decided my feet were worth it).
As to what inner:

IsoCool Liner Socks
Horizon Coolmax Liner
Lorpen Coolmax Liner

They're all pretty decent IMO.

GW
 

-greenman-

Member
Jun 1, 2017
13
0
cambs
I've been a fan of 2 pairs ever since I did my DofE :p
Having never heard the things people say about cotton I wore one pair of regular cotton socks under a pair of cheap hiking socks and I was actually fine for almost all weathers.
For winter I either put another (!) pair of thick thermal socks over the top or just wore the themal ones with the cotton.
Saves your bulkier more expensive socks from getting sweaty as quickly and does wonders at stopping blisters.
Currently reconsidering my materials though, I may invest in some proper liner socks as others have recommended, as well as some better (merino or maybe bamboo) outers, just to allow my feet to breathe a little better.
as for tightness I say it depends on the boot but the most important thing for high-top boots is to ensure your ankle is well-supported, not only to prevent damage but also because rubbing around the top of the boot hurts like hell after a long day. and retie them at your first rest stop. I've never had too much of a problem with swelling, but actually I find my laces loosen and the padding gets compressed once you start walking so it's well worth readjusting as you go.
 

Ogden

Forager
Dec 8, 2004
172
10
Forest of Odes
The boots I wear are made to measure with two pairs of socks in mind. But in long distance walking I experienced swollen feet, and there is no room for the second pair. Now I just have one pair of felted merino socks, medium thick.
 

Dave Dickinson

Tenderfoot
Jun 28, 2017
50
0
Rochdale UK
I used to wear a thin sock over a sports sock but recently switched to decent Marino wool hiking socks. The bonus is my feet don't stink or over sweaty these days either ��
 

SaraR

Full Member
Mar 25, 2017
1,631
1,177
Ceredigion
I used to wear a thin sock over a sports sock but recently switched to decent Marino wool hiking socks. The bonus is my feet don't stink or over sweaty these days either ��

So you have the thin liner sock outmost?

I've always had problems with the liner pulling on my toes, but that might not happen if the liner is on the outside. Interesting idea.
 

Robson Valley

Full Member
Nov 24, 2014
9,959
2,664
McBride, BC
I tried double socks. Very tight fit.
And, one sock always rubbed against the other and one was on it's way to being packed into the toe of my boot.
I like a single pair.

Then, I have several pairs of felt insoles. Like walking on as cloud and I replace those daily.
I'm not interested to do a lot of walking in the winter so the felt insoles add a little more insulation.
My winter boots are good enough to go barefoot.
 

Badger74

Full Member
Jun 10, 2008
1,424
0
Ex Leeds, now Killala
Last Tuesday I walked 28km across boggy mountain plateau of 14 km and then 14km on roads using sealskin waterproof socks with a second thin pair inside. I have had them a long time and they decided not to stay waterproof on this trip. The damage was caused on the road section. This is my feet two days later after the top of the blisters 'came off'.

20170812_002223 by chrstphrferg, on Flickr

20170812_002249 by chrstphrferg, on Flickr
 

Tonyuk

Settler
Nov 30, 2011
933
81
Scotland
Sealskins are good for standing about but i wouldnt want to walk any distance in them, hold far too much sweat in.

Get some tinc benz on the blisters, it wont sting at all, i swear.

Tonyuk
 

Badger74

Full Member
Jun 10, 2008
1,424
0
Ex Leeds, now Killala
Sealskins are good for standing about but i wouldnt want to walk any distance in them, hold far too much sweat in.

Get some tinc benz on the blisters, it wont sting at all, i swear.

Tonyuk
Yep, I found that 😁

You swear eh, I believe you! Iodine stings though 😂

It's taken a week for them to heal.


Sent from my Hudl 2 using Tapatalk
 

Tonyuk

Settler
Nov 30, 2011
933
81
Scotland
Ahh but iodine doesn't give that interesting fizzing sensation and look right before the pain hits, you put it on, see it fiz a bit and think this isnt so bad. That changes quickly.

Its good that you know where on the feet your prone to blistering, next time a bit of tinc benz onto clean skin, let it go tacky then apply zinc oxide over. The benz acts as a sort of glue to hold the tape on properly.

Tonyuk
 

MountainGoat

Tenderfoot
Nov 1, 2016
67
0
Scotland
But also the info I was looking for was which type of socks to use if you go for 2 pairs? I have mountains of thick army surplus socks but not sure what smaller inner sock is suitable to purchase?

Cheers

Lots of negatives of wearing two pairs of socks - the most obvious being extra elastic leading to greater compression of the toes, therefore increasing likelihood of blisters due to increased friction.

IF wearing two pairs, try Injinji toe socks as your liner. The material between each toe lessens the likelihood of inter-digital blisters as the toes won't directly rub together. If you're a runner, you'll likely know ultramarathoners swear by them.

Maybe some young kid who serves on Marines/Pathfinders etc will elaborate as I'm an out of date old codger, but during training days if we got a bad blister we'd have iodine injected straight into it. 'Tinker treatment', they called it :) You'd report a blister once then never go back after 'first treatment'.
 

Laurentius

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Aug 13, 2009
2,422
614
Knowhere
Being as I prefer to wear sandals most of the time, no socks is best. Two pairs in a pair of boots is excessive for me, if the terrain demands boots then one pair is enough, I have a very comfortable pair of brasher boots and no particular problems with blisters.
 

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