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How many of you all wear a pair of sock liners underneath your wool socks? I have been a barefoot runner for about 6 months now and am wondering if I need a pair or two to protect my feet from blisters for my SOBO thru.
Thanks
MuddyWaters
05-24-2012, 22:29
I just wear one pair of THIN wool socks, or THIN polyester socks with my trail runners. I dont have blister problems. Neither does my son.
An acquaintance who is an FBI agent / sniper, shared a special forces trick............womens knee high pantyhose, I use these, put some foot powder in them, then put my socks on, has worked really GREAT for me.
Hiking shoes 1/2 size bigger = almost no blisters the last few years.
Smartwools or Darn Tough socks for me. I haven't used liners since the days of Ragg wool socks back in the 70s to 90s.
Rocket Jones
05-24-2012, 22:45
I've been trying different things lately. Superfeet green insoles for one. I also want to add a pair of liner socks and do at least a few day hikes with thin socks only. I've pretty much eliminated blisters as it is, but I have to work at it, so I'm trying to see if I can keep them at bay with less constant attention.
Live_for_hiking
05-24-2012, 23:28
I use to wear two sock liners vs hiking socks when I wore my old-school sundowners. Even when they were well worn, I'd get hot spots and the two pairs of thin liners helped reduce friction and blisters.
Nowadays, with the lighter shoes ... I just wear one set of wool shorty socks. Blisters have not been an issue (lately). Now, my knees and other joints?.....
rocketsocks
05-24-2012, 23:43
I am a firm believer in thee ol' sock liner,when I take longer walks in the summer heat,I always bring an extra pair,and then put them on about half way through,and have pretty good sucsess with out blistering my tender not hike harden doggies.
I don't buy the products advertised as 'sock liners.' However I do wear a cheap pair of nylon dress socks underneath a thicker (warmer) pair of socks when I hike.
Most people in the general public have never even heard of sock liners. The idea is that you wear a thin sock (liner) on your foot with a thicker sock over top of it. The thin sock allows your foot to slide around slightly inside the other sock and your boot/shoe...this slight sliding prevents your boot/shoe from rubbing your foot and creating blisters.
rocketsocks
05-25-2012, 02:39
I don't buy the products advertised as 'sock liners.' However I do wear a cheap pair of nylon dress socks underneath a thicker (warmer) pair of socks when I hike.
Most people in the general public have never even heard of sock liners. The idea is that you wear a thin sock (liner) on your foot with a thicker sock over top of it. The thin sock allows your foot to slide around slightly inside the other sock and your boot/shoe...this slight sliding prevents your boot/shoe from rubbing your foot and creating blisters.Aye,and in addition,keep the foot dry,and thereby reduce friction and rubbing,which in turn keeps the skin from moving or breaking away from the tissue below which forewit and hither beit ka nown as......"The Blister".........sorry,it's been a big day.:o
I wear merino liners (Smartwool) year round with merino socks (Vermont Darn Tough) and that is the best combo for me. I've tried without liners and pay the price every time. Others do not seem to need liners. I wear trail runners, so it's not because of heavy boots. My suggestion is you try it both ways before you commit. Your feet are critical!
RWheeler
05-25-2012, 12:16
I didn't wear liners on my thru attempt this year - I got from Amicalola to Erwin (22 days) without getting a single blister or foot problem. I'm sure I'm very much an outlier in this regard, though. Just trail runners and swapped between a pair of Stoic Merino/poly/spandex blend socks and Lorpen wool/poly/spandex blend socks. Both pairs were thin-ish socks, thinner than most cotton crew socks, but definitely thicker than something like Smartwool liners.
I just wear the liners -no socks (any weather 50 and above). Below 50, just thin (smart)wool socks
I used to wear sock liners, but they really didn't help me much, still had issues with blisters. Lately I stopped using them, only hiking with Darn Tough merino Hike-Trek socks. If I did decide to use liners, I have lately tried the Injinji toe sock liners, and really liked them. They are great if you have a problem with blisters between the toes.
http://www.gearwest.com/images/W/injini-minicrew-liner-927.jpg
I started my thru hike with a pair of sock liners but ditched them soon after. Waste of money. Rubbing Body Glide on my feet every morning worked better.
.......If I did decide to use liners, I have lately tried the Injinji toe sock liners, and really liked them. They are great if you have a problem with blisters between the toes.
I used Injinji socks on my first 50 mile run several years ago. They had a bad tendency of not staying up on my ankle- problematic after mile 30.
Since then I wear Feetures socks. The wicking characteristics are awesome and they stay up!
http://www.feeturesbrand.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=195
I haven't had a blister since I started using a liner sock. YRMV
rocketsocks
05-25-2012, 17:58
I used Injinji socks on my first 50 mile run several years ago. They had a bad tendency of not staying up on my ankle- problematic after mile 30.
Since then I wear Feetures socks. The wicking characteristics are awesome and they stay up!
http://www.feeturesbrand.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=195Those are some nice sox,i have one pair that are made by Asics,and they look those with all the attention to the weave.When I hold them up they hang pointed straight out at 90 degrees,very comfortable ,and very expensive $14 bucks one pair,had to try em,I guess they sold and made for runners doing long distance,they sure have held up well in the wash,with not much signs of wear,and still stand at attention.
Yep, runners socks are getting really expensive. Maybe we should market a pair of "rocketsocks"?
;)
..................................
LadybugPicnic
05-25-2012, 20:52
I second the Injini socks - been wearing them as liners for a couple of years now and they work great in preventing blisters, especially between the toes where they have a tendency to rub. I pair them with IceBreaker wool socks and my feet are pretty much in heaven :)
kayak karl
05-25-2012, 21:15
i quit using liners. they allowed my toes to slide into front of boot going down hill and jam them. even with boots laced up tight. just use smartwool socks know.
rocketsocks
05-26-2012, 00:09
Yep, runners socks are getting really expensive. Maybe we should market a pair of "rocketsocks"?
;)OK,but I'm not going first!my days of R&D are done,bad expeience on an earlier prototype.
stranger
05-26-2012, 07:34
How many of you all wear a pair of sock liners underneath your wool socks? I have been a barefoot runner for about 6 months now and am wondering if I need a pair or two to protect my feet from blisters for my SOBO thru.
Thanks
Liners can cause or alleviate blisters, depending on YOU and any number of circumstances. I find a single lightweight sock is easier to deal with and more simple. I used liners for many years, I no longer do.
heavyfoot
05-26-2012, 14:18
Sockliners + the thickest "expedition" quality hiking socks I can find. No blisters.
Joker4ink
06-04-2012, 03:03
I swear by Wright Socks, specifically the Cool Mesh version. Comfortable, wicking, and really have eliminated blisters (I use Glide as well).
As can be seen from above answers no one answer to your query. I suspect more of those that don't wear liners don't respond (by percentage) than those that do.
I don't.
I wear thick (the kind with hoop knit) wool blend socks in ALL weather. I make sure I remove them to air my feet (and the socks) at the end of all but the coldest days. Shoe fit AND an appropriate shoe instep are more critical for feet protection and blister protection IMHO. Duct tape all hotspots immediately. Don't let those nasty little blisters even slightly develop. After a week you shouldn't need the tape any more or your shoes are wrong.
Cheers
Jacko
+1 on the Darn Tough socks. Not a single blister since I switched to them and Hydropel.
Expensive for socks...but I'd pay +$50 a pair (if I had to) knowing my experience with them now.
Joker4ink
06-07-2012, 03:30
I swear by Wright Socks, specifically the Cool Mesh version. Comfortable, wicking, and really have eliminated blisters (I use Glide as well).
Looking back at my post, I may not have made this clear. Those Wright Socks I was referring to have a liner built in. I used to wear the traditional liners under my socks, but have made the switch. Now, no need to put the liner on, then the sock. Less stuff to lose too.
fiddlehead
06-07-2012, 10:10
Been selling polypro sock liners for years.
Talk to many people about them.
Just like this thread, there are those who believe in them and those who don't.
I find that people who's feet sweat a lot, like them the best.
Some wear only the (polypro) liners (same purpose served by the thin nylon socks someone mentioned.
Personally, I wouldn't wear socks at all except when cold, except for the fact that my shoes stink so bad when I don't.
Anyway, for those who prefer them, we have a pretty good price on them right now at $4 a pair. (http://theunderwearguys.com/product_info.php?cPath=63&products_id=247)
Buffalo Skipper
06-07-2012, 12:18
For the last few years I have been using Smartwool or Thurlo with no problems (no liners). Not since I was a young lad have I had an issue with foot blisters. My son, on the other hand has had issues with blisters. His new boots are on the way now, and we are hoping that, along with his Smartwools and Wigwams he will be fine. If not we will try liners.
One poster added Superfeet. Is this another option to reduce blisters? I have never really considered inserts as a blister reducer....
hikehunter
06-07-2012, 23:12
When I got new boots I got blister, so my wife gave me a pair of the mini panty hose type socks and the worked well as liners. They are cheep as well.
Another Kevin
06-08-2012, 06:32
I always wear sock liners if the weather is cold enough to put me in Mickey Mouse boots. The layering then becomes: thin dress socks, doubled plastic bread bags, hiking socks, boot liners, boot shells. The idea is that the bread bags make a vapor barrier so that the water vapor off your feet doesn't turn to frost in your insulating layer. A single plastic-bag layer invariably rips, but with a doubled one, frequently neither one tears. I've dayhiked in -25F weather with that combination and had my feet stay comfortable.
I started my thru hike with a pair of sock liners but ditched them soon after. Waste of money. Rubbing Body Glide on my feet every morning worked better.
That's my solution except I use Sportslick because it also contains an anti-fungal and ant-bacteria agent.
Cat in the Hat