How do you Sock Up??

[Greg_W]

Since I've been totally bored lately, I have taken to debating the obscure with myself. Now I bring it to you. What sock combinations do you gapers use and what works? I have always used liners and wool socks. This has given me mixed results: feet don't always stay dry and I do get blisters/hotspots. I have been looking at the SmartWool socks and been thinking about trying them out. Do any of you use these? With or without liners?

[allthumbs]

I use Coolmax with no liners. Tough feet - no sweat or blisters.

[sk]

I get blisters unless i tape up... but smart wool is, awsome

[Greg_W]

I didn't think you hiked anywhere.

[snoboy]

If you have boots that fit...

 

Smartwool Light hikers in the summer, Ski ultra light for, well, skiing, and Ex - weight for ice and stuff. No liners needed.

 

Plushest socks I've used.

[Toast]

I used to poo poo the liner sock theory. However, I suffered heel blisters and hot spots with my mountaineering boots/snowboard boots/skates. After much frustration I gave a super lightweight polypro liner sock a try with a variety of socks (coomax, smartwool, blah , blah, blah.) My problems went away. It doesn't seem to matter what the outer layer sock is for the boots. I still end up with wet feet and hot spots from perspiration in skates, but it's better than without.

[Greg_W]

Thanks for the input, snoboy. I think I'll try some SmartWool with and without liners when I go shopping for boots.

[cj001f]

I've had more trouble with liners & socks than just socks alone - liners always seem to make the other sock slip around, bunch up, and cause a blister (even with socks too small). Smartwools are nice socks - as are the Patagonia Capilenes. I trend towards Medium Weight/Light Weight in socks, the really warm socks always cause my feet to sweat horribly(above 0F), which really brings out the blisters .

[dbconlin]

I have a few pairs of SmartWool that I have used mostly for backpacking. They rock at first, but after a week or so, the once plush interior of the sock becomes crusty. Unfortunately, this doesn't seem to be abetted by washing in the creek, but does recover from a good ole soak in the Maytag. I still think they are the best backpacking socks I've owned. I do not wear a liner with them and have had no major blister probs.

 

However, for winter mountaineering/ice climbing (in leathers), I like to wear a liner for warmth more than blister issues. I have been wearing Thor-lo expedition weight socks with a cotton athletic sock liner for day trips, and a relatively thick synthetic liner for multi-days. Works for me.

 

Skiing, I like a relatively thin sock, such as Thor-los ski-specific models, no liner. But here fit is the issue, not warmth because of the double/plastic aspect of ski boots (mine, anyway--some of the old-school leather fiends might have different issues). With plastic mountaineering boots, might this be the case? I don't own any.

 

So, what type of activity are you buying boots for?

[Greg_W]

A leather crampon-compatible boot, a la Scarpa Cerro Torre or Kayland Multitraction

[allthumbs]

Greg, to be honest, I've completely gone to trail runners and very thin coolmax shortie sox for all backpacking and approach shit. Carry boots for the event. Unless it's wet and cold, and then I sit by the fire and drink brandy.

[Greg_W]

I hear you trask; for the most part, I prefer a boot when snow is involved.

[allthumbs]

yeah, well I don't ski, so I'm more of a fair weather friend. i hate being cold.

[Dru]

I wear a Thorlo fitted liner with an "Ice Sock" (wool polypro spandex blend) from MEC ( I forget who makes it) over top.

 

The theory I heard about liners is that the friction is dissipated between sock and liner doesnt go to your foot hence blisters you less. Many of the times I have been blistered is when wearing a single sock. Thats why I dont trust the Smartwool. Also a liner should be hydrophilic inside & phobic outside thus transferring and transporting moisture from the foot to the outer sock hence keeping the foot nice and dry. with only a single sock like Smartwool, wouldnt your foot be wetter?

[Dustin_B]

Smartwool all the way. I always where liners and vary the outer sock depending on conditions, from like hikers to the burly mountaineer sock. This way my feet don't sweat much. I usually put mole skin on my heel to prevent blisters regardless of the socks. I never get blisters with this system and my feet stay dry most of the time. Smartwool

[Greg_W]

That's the theory I've been living under, as well, Dru. However, with my stiffer hiking boots that doesn't seem to work; I think that is a boot problem, though. Is that what you where with your Scarpas?

[allthumbs]

What I found Dru is that the sweat transfers through my sock and is absorbed into the boot leather. When I take off the sock it's relatively dry. If it was soaking wet, I'd surmise that the boot was totally fucked up. My Scarpas breathe pretty well.

[Dru]

Its what I wear with everything, approach shoes up to plastics. Didnt help much with Scarpas when they were breaking in though. i had to get em wet to break em in and stop the blistering.

[cj001f]

"Also a liner should be hydrophilic inside & phobic outside thus transferring and transporting moisture from the foot to the outer sock hence keeping the foot nice and dry. with only a single sock like Smartwool, wouldnt your foot be wetter? "

 

All things being equal, I think you would be correct. I find the increased insulation of the liner & outer sock causes my feet to sweat more - enough so that the sock system can't transmit the sweat away, and some small rub invariably causes a blister.

 

The smart wools do pack out after a couple days - the Patagucci socks stay better lofted I've found.

[Greg_W]

So, I would think that if your liner did ITS job and pulled the moisture out to the outside of the sock, the Smartwool (or other) would do ITS job and wick said moisture to the outside of it.

[thelawgoddess]

smartwool. no liners.

[Greg_W]

I'm sure you'd be happy to sell me several pairs, too. Wouldn't you?

[fleblebleb]

Wool works best for me, I have lots and lots of thick Thorlos and thinner SmartWools, that's the only stuff I use. Socks are pretty easy to find on sale, both at REI and on the web. I tried synthetic liners and gained much stink but nothing else.

[Dru]

trask wants to know what the best sock is for spunk receptacle

[Greg_W]

Cotton, probably, it's absorbent. Wool might chafe.