Socks and blisters

[ogy]

I've only ever worn blacks socks for hiking, I prefer the really light weight ones to go with my snug fitting boots.

When I do the Cleveland Way I don't want to suffer from blisters and have been looking into the 1000 miles anti blister ones, even the light ones seem pretty heavy due to the two layers.

Does anyone use these and are they effective,

One a similar note does anyone use these fancy new (ie expensive) anti blister products, ones a powder (forgot name) and ones a gel called moisture glide......... looks like talc and vaseline to me

Ogy

[the coot]

I've tried several sorts, most I found okay, but I loathed 1000 mile socks. However, I know many people who swear by them. I like X-socks, snug fitting and I don't blister with them, I wear their running socks also. My local chemist used to swear by vaseline to stop you blistering (in your boots), I know that there are all sorts of anti-friction stuff around, but I stick to vaseline on the bits that rub when I run.

[Mr Sam]

I don't wear walking socks. Just a normal pair when it's warm and I'll throw in a pair of knitted wool socks when its cold. I rarely get blisters.

[ogy]

Me neither Mr Sam, I've had very few but after a few long days I don't want to risk it.... prevention better than cure and all that

[Faraway]

For years I have used a pair of woman's knee-hi stockings under a pair of hiking socks - never had blisters.  The stocking rubs against the sock or boot, not your skin.   Obviously you turn the tops down so that they are out of sight!

[Ridge]

I'm a great believer in if it's OK don't change it.

If you increase the thickness of sock you may well need a larger boot. I always wear 2 pairs of socks, 1 thin and 1 thick. On a hot day recently we were not going far and for some reason (like I'm stupid) I only wore the thick pair, I had blisters in a couple of miles.

[Snowman]

Like Ridge, I wear two pairs.    I use a pair of Bridgedale 'light hiker' socks and a pair of their liner socks underneath, and this configuration has served me well over many treks.    It also provides what can be a useful trekking technique if conditions apply, in that you can get away with washing the liners which take a lot less time to dry, so if washing facilities are not readily available, a small amount of clean water can be used to clean the liners which you'll be wearing next to your feet.

My walking colleague and I still have a laugh (how the time must fly you might think) over the occasion I tried a pair of 1000 mile socks.    I bought them for summer use with approach shoes, and the first time I wore them I ended up with blisters (which I don't normally get).

S.

[IAIN BARKER]

I did the Yorkshire Wolds Way in June 2008 in a pair of Bridgedale Endurance Trekker socks (and a pair of boots of course!). No problems at all.

Next story.
I did the Yorkshire Wolds Way in June 2005 in a pair of 1000 mile socks. It's taken nearly three years for my feet to recover.

I walk for recreation a lot; also I'm a postman on foot delivery in the White Peak, so for a pair of socks to blister and shred my feet in the first fifteen miles of an eighty mile trek came as a surprise. Maybe the idea is you have blisters for the first 1000 miles, then they're ok?!

[springsoles]

The anti-blister socks are overated. They work by the 2 layers of the socks rubbing instead of the sock rubbing against your foot. Just wear two pairs of socks? Has worked for me.

[stevieboy378]

I've always sworn by the 2 pairs of socks method - a normal pair of ankle socks with a pair of Bridgedales on top, and I can't remember the last blister I got. That said, I still keep a pack of compeed in the first aid kit in my rucksack - just in case   

[Skinny Walker]

I am in agreement with the previous 2 posts. I tried out a pair of Base Layer socks (I knew they were base layer as they had thoughtfully stiched the words "Base Layer" into the sock - I guess in case I forgot!  )

Anyway, I can't remember the make but they were like wearing socks made of broken glass! The very quickly (and I mean in less than 2 miles) stripped years of hard skin off my heals.

Since then I have returned to my fave 5 pairs for £3 sports socks (not all 5 pairs, just the one) with a thicker pair of brasher socks over the top. Bliss 

[Stumblebum]

The anti-blister socks are overated. They work by the 2 layers of the socks rubbing instead of the sock rubbing against your foot. Just wear two pairs of socks? Has worked for me.

Funnily enough, I normally wair a pair of lined hiking socks (2 layer).  I holed them last week so that was the end of them.

Today, doing our usual 12 mile stroll, I wore two pairs of old sport socks and my feet never felt so good!

[jrennie1]

Have u tried a good shoe insole? that normally does the trick...KIWI shoe insoles are pretty good for this.
http://www.kiwicare.com/UK/Products/Insoles [nofollow]

I've only ever worn blacks socks for hiking, I prefer the really light weight ones to go with my snug fitting boots.

When I do the Cleveland Way I don't want to suffer from blisters and have been looking into the 1000 miles anti blister ones, even the light ones seem pretty heavy due to the two layers.

Does anyone use these and are they effective,

One a similar note does anyone use these fancy new (ie expensive) anti blister products, ones a powder (forgot name) and ones a gel called moisture glide......... looks like talc and vaseline to me

Ogy

[Steelystan]

Although I've only been walking regulary for a few months, I've done quite a lot of miles and never had a blister.  I used the two pairs of socks method with my old boots, but recently replaced them with some superb Meindl Vakuum GTX boots, and now wear just one pair of ordinary white sports socks liberally dusted with anti-fungal Talc on the inside.  The nearest I got to blisters was on my last and longest walk (only 13 miles but I'm still a beginner!), when the ball of my right foot got a bit tender in the last mile or so - but never actually blistered.  No fun, sore balls (of the feet).

I've bought some fancy socks last week that have slightly thicker weave at the pressure points and are thin otherwise.  Got from TX Maxx - can't remember the brand but it was one I'd heard of.  I'll try them next time (taking my ordinary socks as a fallback of course).

SS

[stevieboy378]

The nearest I got to blisters was on my last and longest walk (only 13 miles but I'm still a beginner!), when the ball of my right foot got a bit tender in the last mile or so - but never actually blistered.  No fun, sore balls (of the feet).

If you walk long distances you're gonna get sore feet, no matter what footwear you're wearing.
The balls of my feet are the first parts that start to complain - they start to feel bruised. Once I've started to cope with that my heels usually join in, and compound the pain . . . .