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squeezebox
10-30-2013, 19:42
Anyone use liner socks? I hear it helps reduce blisters, the socks rubbing together instead of your skin. At work I use those elastic knee high socks with reg socks over that to keep the expensive elastic ones clean. They help a lot to reduce calf fatigue and cramping, due to being on my feet walking most of the day.

MuddyWaters
10-30-2013, 19:44
You will get 3 answers:

Yes
No
Sometimes

I dont wear liner socks, I wear trail runners and the thinnest wool or synthetic socks I can find.
I dont get blisters. Thats all I can say, it works for me. Plenty of others that will swear it didnt work for them.

You will have to find out what works best for you yourself. Highly recommended to do some multiday shakedowns with a full pack on strenuous rocky terrain to sort these details out.

I do think a thin tight weave sock, is far better than the coarse weave of a thickly padded sock however. Even if you wear a liner, I really think thick socks are bad. If you shoes fit so poorly you need thick socks to make them comfy, you already have a problem.

The US army did a study which found that liner socks did reduce blisters. But, that is likely soldiers carrying 65lb rucks, wearing combat boots, and whatever thick outer sock they outfitted them with. That doesnt translate to everyone else.

I prefer to listen to people that hike 5000+ miles per year. So far, their advice hasnt let me down.

SipseyFreak
10-30-2013, 20:06
What Muddy said ... I've worn liner socks and socks and didn't get blisters; I've worn thick wool socks and no liners and didn't get blisters; I've worn thin socks and no liners and didn't get blisters. I've hiked with people who've tried the same things and get blisters every time ... Everyone's feet are different; everyone's footwear is different; my daughter-in-law ends up with more bandaids than a two-year old ... keep trying until you find something comfortable for you ... I never get blisters but I always carry stuff to treat them and end up giving it to other people ... go figure ...

Last Call
10-30-2013, 20:22
I always carry a thin pair of liners, put them on if I start feeling a blister coming on & that's worked so far.

Another Kevin
10-30-2013, 20:25
I usually use thin nylon or polyester dress socks as liners. But that's because my feet get all itchy if I wear even merino wool next to my skin.

In really cold weather, I put doubled bread bags in between as a vapor barrier. The dress socks get all clammy but the wool ones stay dry and warm.

fredmugs
10-30-2013, 20:27
When every part of my foot blistered I tried everything including sock liners - nothing worked. then I switched to wide width trail runners, cheap wal mart socks, with the laces as loose as possible and my blister problems went away (wiggle room!). On my last PCT hike my hiking partner gave me some very thin dress socks that I used as liners and they seemed to do OK and I may employ them again on a future hike.

Tri-Pod Bob
10-30-2013, 20:49
What Muddy said ... I've worn liner socks and socks and didn't get blisters; I've worn thick wool socks and no liners and didn't get blisters; I've worn thin socks and no liners and didn't get blisters. I've hiked with people who've tried the same things and get blisters every time ... Everyone's feet are different; everyone's footwear is different; my daughter-in-law ends up with more bandaids than a two-year old ... keep trying until you find something comfortable for you ... I never get blisters but I always carry stuff to treat them and end up giving it to other people ... go figure ...
+1 on this.......I don't blister at all. All those years as a barefoot kid in the woods, I guess!

Marta
10-30-2013, 21:24
I wear liner socks without the outer socks. They dry quickly, are cool, and are slippery enough inside the shoes that I never have blister problems.

ChinMusic
10-30-2013, 21:29
Wore Darn Tough socks with my trail runners and had exactly zero blisters on my thru this year. No liners.

Del Q
10-30-2013, 21:36
What has worked for me are shoes 1/2 size larger, knee high panty hose (special forces trick) with foot powder, good socks. Air out feet at noon, switch liner, socks, re-powder.

hikerboy57
10-30-2013, 22:01
Wore Darn Tough socks with my trail runners and had exactly zero blisters on my thru this year. No liners.
+1- i do the same, never any blisters.

CarlZ993
10-30-2013, 23:37
Wore Darn Tough socks with my trail runners and had exactly zero blisters on my thru this year. No liners.
I used Darn Tough socks on the last 1/3 of the hike w/ no liner socks... no blisters. I used REI wool socks (similar thickness) w/ no liner socks at the beginning... one blister (heel breaking a new pair of trail runners). I rarely get blisters.

Early in my hiking career, I used liner socks. I didn't get blisters then. Decided after trying w/o liner socks that I didn't need them.

ChinMusic
10-31-2013, 00:21
Darn Tough socks was probably the best advice I ever got on WB

Trailweaver
10-31-2013, 01:42
I have always worn liner socks and never had blisters. I recently had to change (due to an injury) and get low cut hiking shoes. It was suggested that I try the Darn Tough socks, and I'm going with that, so I'll be very interested to see how that goes. I will still take a long lunch and air out the feet and socks though. I know that works. I did one short hike with it, and it seemed comfortable.

ChinMusic
10-31-2013, 02:20
I swap my left and right socks at mid day. It fools my feet into thinking I'm giving them something new. They like it and I'm not telling.......

English Stu
10-31-2013, 06:06
I wear two pair of liner socks, air my feet regularly and switch from right to left, this airs the shoes and I take out the liners to cool them.

HeartFire
10-31-2013, 07:02
I love darn tough socks. When I started my Colorado Trail hike this year I got blisters - first town stop bought a new pair of the same shoe 1/2 size larger - no more blisters. - As someone else said - wiggle room.

daddytwosticks
10-31-2013, 07:13
I wear two pair of liner socks, air my feet regularly and switch from right to left, this airs the shoes and I take out the liners to cool them. I also wear two pair of thin sock liners and New Balance trail runners in the warmer months. Keeps my feet relatively cooler and blister free. As a plus, the lightweight liners dry quickly when I get a change to rinse them out or if I'm hiking thru a "trail creek" during a summer downpour. :)

Seatbelt
10-31-2013, 11:40
+1 on this.......I don't blister at all. All those years as a barefoot kid in the woods, I guess!
I think this is a key part of the issue. Until one's feet get "tuffened up" to a point, they will be be prone to blistering on the trail. Another factor might be the walking style differences--large steps on up/downhills might lead to more blistering.

squeezebox
10-31-2013, 14:01
Seems as though I once heard, rubbing your feet with rubbing alcohol will toughen them up. Drying out the skin makes them tougher?

Blissful
10-31-2013, 15:43
I never wore any. Airing out my feet often and taking enough socks on the trip work for me. And skipping the gaiters.

StovieWander
10-31-2013, 19:59
Liner socks and Injinji toesocks did little for me. I wear two pairs of synthetic no-show socks inside Merrell Moab Ventilators or Montrail AT Plus shoes. Everyone has different feet. I hope you find something that works well for you.

Grey Ghost
10-31-2013, 20:20
I am with Muddy Waters, thin synthetic socks with trail runners. Works for me!

Carbo
10-31-2013, 20:26
Liner socks make great mittens or to pre-filter water. They don't seem to make any difference if I wear them as intended on my feet.

peakbagger
10-31-2013, 20:33
I used to use liner socks with boots and they cut down on blisters. I switched to trail runners and used them on occasion with smart wool socks. I switched to Darn Tuff socks about three years ago and stopped using liners and have had no issues. Darn Tuff's have a bit more terry cloth type loops in the interior.

I am waiting for the Darn tuff factory sale in a few weeks to go load up on more.

MuddyWaters
10-31-2013, 20:35
Darn Tuff's have a bit more terry cloth type loops in the interior.


Darn tough makes a complete line of socks. The ones I use have no terry loops (otherwise known as padding) at all, and a mesh top. The amount of padding varies with sock model.

http://www.socksaddict.com/3886-Darn-Tough-Mens-Merino-Wool-Run-Bike-Quarter-Crew-Socks---Mesh.aspx?zmam=51593209&zmas=1&zmac=2&zmap=66679&gclid=CMuaw7-Px7oCFWpk7AodL1YA8g

hikerboy57
10-31-2013, 20:39
dt gives a lifetime warranty as well. no liner socks needed

Cookerhiker
10-31-2013, 20:52
Gave up on liners after trying them for a few years - didn't see any advantage to them.

xrayextra
11-01-2013, 13:31
This thru-hike I wore liner socks and thick wool socks. My boots were one size larger (from 10 1/2 to 11 1/2). The foot specialists at Outdoor 76 in Franklin (where I bought my new boots) said you have to be able to "play the piano with your toes" when on a 45 degree incline. I never got blisters, but I'd attribute this more to the extra room in my boots for my toes. The liner socks helped keep my feet dry too, whether from sweat or water seepage in my boots.

shelb
11-02-2013, 01:22
I ALWAYS get blisters - really bad ones!
I have worn Smart Wool, Darn Tough, Fox River - with and without liners.
Boots? Merrill, Keen, Columbia, and Teva.
I always put at least 100 miles on a shoe/boot prior to hitting the AT. Blisters have never been a problem during the break-in period; however, in Michigan, we do not have the mountains of the A.T. Once I get out there, the blisters flair.

Someone once suggested that I have a wide heal box and a narrow toe box.
Does anyone have a suggestion? If I go to a foot doctor, can they create some sort of heel insert?

shelb
11-02-2013, 01:34
I ALWAYS get blisters - really bad ones!
My section hikes are 55-120 miles each time, covering 8-25 miles a day. (So far, I have completed SNP through PA).
I have worn Smart Wool, Darn Tough, Fox River - with and without liners.
Boots? Merrill, Keen, Columbia, and Teva.
I always put at least 100 miles on a shoe/boot prior to hitting the AT. Blisters have never been a problem during the break-in period; however, in Michigan, we do not have the mountains of the A.T. Once I get out there, the blisters flair.

Someone once suggested that I have a wide toe box and a narrow heel box.
Does anyone have a suggestion? If I go to a foot doctor, can they create some sort of heel insert?

Dogwood
11-02-2013, 15:17
IMO, liners can reduce friction, as the OP and others have noted, and can help wick moisture away from next to skin, which both can factor into blister prevention. If that's all that one has to do to prevent blisters I would consider them fortunate.

10-K
11-02-2013, 16:20
The trick to taking care of your feet is to make sure your shoes fit properly and you stop hiking about 3 miles before you think you need too.....

Pretty much every foot problem I've seen is because of ill-fitting footwear and/or trying to hike those extra few miles every day.

Liner socks? Only if your shoes are a bit too large is my opinion. Other than that they're just something else to carry and wash.