The sock is part of the fit of the shoe - the thickness of the sock will let you tweak, just a tiny bit, the volume your foot occupies inside the shoe. I found that Smartwool socks the others mention are excellent; so are some Bridgedale trekking socks. They worked well with the Vasque Breeze shoes I used for a number of years. However, when I got my current pair of Patagonia Drifters, I found that the thicker wool socks made the shoes just a tiny bit too tight. I dug out some old Thorlo hikers I had, which weren't quite as thick, and the fit was perfect. They're also very comfortable for hiking. (Oddly enough, the Thorlos are 100% synthetic - no wool content. They do make a thicker, similarly-constructed Trekker version that does have some wool content.)
Wigwam lite hikers (merino) or smartwool PhD merino's for me.
if I'm with a boot I use a liner. I tend not to in trail runners.
I flit back and forth depending on what I am doing. On "established" trails I wear a trailrunner - ususally some variant of Montrail, which still seem to work for me.
Question, with trail runners do you feel the need for a sock liner to prevent blisters?
I buy the thinnest nylon dress socks I can find....usually the cheapest at Walmart. I wear two pair, which are still thinner than one pair of normal thickness socks. No blisters or hotspots. A little sulfur dust will keep the skeeters away from your ankles.
I stopped wearing liners when I found socks and shoes that worked well for my feet. Don't need them. In fact, I tried wearing synthetic liners for a really long day of hiking and found they actually irritate my feet as compared to just the Smartwool PhDs I now wear.
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"In the beginner's mind there are many possibilities. In the expert's mind there are few." Shunryu Suzuki
Registered: 02/26/07
Posts: 1149
Loc: Washington State, King County
Unless it's cold out, I just wear just (a single pair of) liner socks. Quick drying, and depending on brand surprisingly durable.
Add a pair of wool socks if it's cold enough. Modify the above if blisters seem to be a problem ... injinji's if toe blisters, a light wool/synthetic mixture short oversock otherwise.
Registered: 01/26/02
Posts: 572
Loc: Santa Cruz CA, Sierra Hiker
I switched about 10 years ago too. I don't wear liners either....just Brooks Arielle running shoes....AND stretchy short gaitors! Hate rocks in my shoes....never hike without my gaitors.
And speaking of trail runners, Crocs has vastly broadened their product line with boots, golf shoes, camo sandals, etc. I can't seem to find these things anywhere to eyeball them, so has anyone anything to say about them? I like the idea of foam shoes...very lightweight...but wondered if they hold up. I crewed in a sailboat race a few weeks back and everyone in the club was wearing Crocs as water shoes.
Registered: 08/16/10
Posts: 1590
Loc: San Diego CA
BrianLe is the only person on this forum to mention toe-socks (Injinji's) other than myself. Very functional and not too heavy, they are very good at minimizing hot spots and blisters. Down side for me is that I kill socks and they run about $15 a pair; I usually rip through the heals. I bring at least one pair with me all the time now (I find mixing up the type of socks I wear day to day really keeps my feet feeling good now matter how hard I push).
Registered: 02/26/07
Posts: 1149
Loc: Washington State, King County
Interesting; I too wear injinji's out pretty (too) fast, but for me it's always the ball of the foot that wears out.
Great for toe blisters, but an alternative is a light silicone separator that keeps the offending toes apart. These are available from a variety of places; footsmart.com has a pretty good selection of such foot related stuff, but if I recall correctly you probably want to give a "expect periodic spam here" email address to them, plus expect some occasional snail-mail spam as well if you ever purchase.
As long as I'm rambling, someone mentioned always using gaiters. So many different approaches to backpacking! I rarely wear gaiters as my pants are long enough that little gets into the shoes. With no gaiters I think my feet are just that much cooler and the shoes can dry out faster when wet. And since the shoes are easier to take off and put back on I'm more willing to take them off to air out my feet at even a short break. In general I just like having one less thing to fiddle with.
There's no single "right answer" here, just an interesting collision of differing experiences and conclusions.
And speaking of trail runners, Crocs has vastly broadened their product line with boots, golf shoes, camo sandals, etc. I can't seem to find these things anywhere to eyeball them, so has anyone anything to say about them? I like the idea of foam shoes...very lightweight...but wondered if they hold up. I crewed in a sailboat race a few weeks back and everyone in the club was wearing Crocs as water shoes.
I have a pair of the clog type Crocs that I wear around camp. They also pull double duty for yardwork. Going on 3 years and haven't worn out yet. Super comfy!
Received my new trail runners and they seem to be the right size which is a relief. I've worn them for a day so far and seem pretty comfy. Of course I'll have to give them a go with a load on.
Question, with trail runners do you feel the need for a sock liner to prevent blisters?
Turns out I need a "wide" size shoe and these are not going to work. And nobody has Velocity in size 11 wide. I have a month till I'll be hitting the trail so I need to find some alternatives.
What other models out there seem to be the go to trail runners? Which Montrail or NB models?
Personally, I've always doubted the "1-lb on feet, 5-lb's on back" mantra. I tend to believe if something is repeated often enough it becomes true... even if it isn't.
I think low hikers are more specialized than boots... their place in dry summertime hiking. As a general tool, I'll take boots.
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There Is No Bad Weather, Just Bad Clothing...
I agree that conditions are an important determining factor. Since I hike in Ohio, Indiana, and Kentucky, and don't go out in heavy snow (say, more than 2 or 3 inches), low hikers are a four-season shoe for me; since I prefer Gore Tex, they're not just dry-weather, either.
Of course, I'm only a major tool, so you outrank me...
I agree that conditions are an important determining factor. Since I hike in Ohio, Indiana, and Kentucky, and don't go out in heavy snow (say, more than 2 or 3 inches), low hikers are a four-season shoe for me; since I prefer Gore Tex, they're not just dry-weather, either.
Makes sense to me. My wife's girlfriend wears low hikers on all our backpack trips, even in snow. My wife tried low hikers and they didn't work for her... honestly not enough support.
Everyone is so different, and there is no "right" answer.
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There Is No Bad Weather, Just Bad Clothing...
I wear low hikers in the snow, through streams, over mountains, climbing boulders... I wear 'em everywhere. Sometimes I put on my kayaking socks. Sometimes I don't, and just dry out the wet socks while wearing the dry pair.
When the snow gets up to my knee I'll put on the winter boots. The rest of the year, fuggedaboutit. No go, Joe. I don't kill my ankles for no good reason.
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"In the beginner's mind there are many possibilities. In the expert's mind there are few." Shunryu Suzuki
“ I bet those die-hards don't hike exclusively in them either, anymore.”
Well, uh, I guess I’m still a die hard. I used them heavy duty in the bogs of the Midwest. And now I love them in the Rocky Mountains. And I’m not talking about groomed trails – but cross country.
It took me ~2 dozen pair to find the right sandal (including extra length to prevent stubbed toes) and the right sock.
I found the Teva Hurricane 3 and TeraFi 2’s to be pretty good sandals for my feet. And my groups in the Midwest and now in Idaho wear sandals. Sandals have cleared up A LOT of footwear and feet problems. It’s like wearing slippers in God’s house. There’s an art to it but that’s another long post in itself.
Rookie question: do you wear socks with the sandals, or bare feet? (I'm toying with giving them a try this summer, since I've begun carrying a pair of Tevas as camp/wading shoes.)
Two dozen pair???!!! Barry you are a die-hard! I guess its terrain. Sticks found their way into my feet too often to continue chancing getting stabbed. Mosty juniper sticks. In the desert it was sharp rocks getting under my foot. I'm aware some sandals are much more enclosed than what I hike in (Nike Strap Runners at present) but there is a point that they become shoes and not sandals. I still keep them in/on my pack for spares or for wading. Never wore socks with them.
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