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Socks

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FlinFlonWalker said:
I need brand style weight help help
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Depending on your footware and the season. Brand would depend on where you live.

Synthetic or merino wool hiking socks with good moisture wicking properties are best.

So for what season? and do you wear hiking boots or shoes?
 
I am walking June 10 till july 20. Hiking and shoes for the trek.
I just tried the smart wool but too hot I found with the style I bought.
I am finding I need a brand and weight. I think where I'm from Northern Canada ; we just think snow and merino wool!
 
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Is your boot leather? have gtx?
 
FlinFlonWalker said:
I need brand style weight help help
Click to expand...
Hello Flin,
My personal favorite is the hiking/trekking style of crew sock made by Darn Tough in Vermont, USA. They are 67% merino wool, 29% nylon and 4% nylon spandex.
They fit one's feet like a glove with no sags or bunching. A liner sock is not necessary with them. And they have a lifetime warranty! They do a great job of wicking perspiration away from your feet. I wear them all year around even in hot humid summer weather. Other good choices are the similar styles by Smart Wool and REI. If you live in the U.S. you can get all of these brands at REI.

Good hiking.
 
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FlinFlonWalker said:
Keen dry
Boot
Runners asics
Donna
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I suspect your keen has some waterproof lining that limits its breathability and hence warm feet.

So for summer months, i would suggest socks that are light. Cushioned only in the sole.
I used wigman lite hikers (synthetic) for my first camino.
Switched to smartwool Phd medium merino wool for Norte.
I currently use Point6 Hiking tech midweight mini crew, these guys are the original smartwool inventors.

For something really ultralight without any cushioning, try the smartwool Phd ultralight.

I prefer merino wool socks. Not every merino is the same quality. The point6 midweight is more like a lightweight. I now use it all the time.

As you can see i only wear mini crew height that goes over my ankle. In the summer, you don't need anything else.
 
Based on my experience (summer, July-Aug 2014, Frances), I might rethink your decision to take boots. I think you may end up leaving them, as I left mine. For the full story, see https://www.caminodesantiago.me/com...id-not-for-a-summer-camino.31137/#post-269857

I ended up buying coolmax socks at the sports store along the Camino, and they worked great. I have no idea what brand they are.

UPDATE: Since then I've tried (and love) Injun Toe Socks. The lightest liner type. One of my problems is my outside toes (littlest) curling under the other toes, getting stepped on, and blistering. Not with these socks. Ever.
 
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Leave boots at home, get trail runners. Injinji 2.0, worn in my Gortex shoes caused the skin at the jucntion of small toe and ball of foot to split. Do not wear synthetic liners as all they do is bunch up at bottom of foot. Wrights are not thick enough to wick moisture away. Stick to light Merino. Darn Tough, Smart Wool, but not the very thick. Just ordered a pair of Rx Merino compression socks - super high, but we'll see how I like them, either for walking or resting.
 
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Haven't done a Camino yet but I live in the tropics. I have Vasque non-waterproof hiking shoes (forgotten the model, sorry!) with my trusty Merrell Trail Gloves as plan B.
I have tried a number of socks and I really like the Injinji toe socks. The Performance 2.0 are great but I also like their lightweight liner socks if I am going to do the double sock thing. I recommend checking out the Fixing Your Feet website. This guy knows his stuff!

You are on the road at the same time as me! I'm doing the VDLP though but I might see you in Santiago
 
I am a "Darn Tough" fan. But I am also enjoying the free socks (small shipping charge) from Thorlo.com that someone on the forum mentioned. Go to their site and you can describe the kind and size you want and they'll send them to you.
 
Any suggestions for synthetic socks that are ankle length to wear with light smartwool. I got one pair of polyester but folding the tops is a hassle. Tried a second pair called Teko but even the large were snug. Next going to try ankle high stockings from Legg under my smartwool. This worked with 4 mile walks a few years ago but need to try them out on long walks.
 
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Wore SmartWool with off the shelf, generic sneakers last year with NO blisters. My Army Ranger friends never wear any socks at all for hikes. Saw many people wearing sandals without socks and one young woman wearing flip flops for the entire Camino from SJPDP to Santiago last year.
 
I've heard that these can be excellent. I would love to hear some of your experiences with double layer socks. I have some smartwool already, though I'm a little concerned about the heat factor, since I'll be walking the Camino Frances through July/Aug.

... Something like this?
http://ca.shop.runningroom.com/women/socks/hilly-twinskin-socklet.html
http://ca.shop.runningroom.com/women/socks/coolmesh-ii-qtr.html

I have salomon trail shoes, lightweight, good ventilation. I will likely start a separate thread about shoe fit and slippage, but there's mild slippage in my left shoe. I may have to exchange the shoes for a fourth time and find different ones again, but assuming I keep them, which socks are best for minimizing heel slippage?

I'm thinking of bringing a few different types of socks with me, and after a few days of walking just mailing back the pairs I don't like as much.

Thanks! Liz
 

Hi Liz

To get the right sock combination you have to try different socks.
Myself (with none foot bigger than the other) I've eventually come to a combination of a thin Bridgdale sock for my left foot and a marino wool (49%) for my right. I've completed some 15 mile training walks and have found this combination to be blister free and comfortable.

As important as the insoles and socks, is the way you lace your boots/shoes. It took me quite a while to come up with the right method. In intially I was stopping 3 maybe 4 times at the start of a walk to make adjustments, now I manage to get it right from the start.

I'm afraid there's no "one method fits all" here, everyone is different. I still have a ways to go before I start my camino, but for sure you really need to get there footwear, socks, lacing methods all sorted out before you leave home. And there's nothing better than the odd 15 miles to test out your shoe, sole and foot combinations.

Hope my early morning ramblings are of use.

Buen Camino Waka
 
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I tried double layer socks and they didn't work for me. My feet sweat a lot on the Camino and I now mostly wear technical trail running socks. I find them to be a better solution for me.

However, I met a woman in Palas de Rei who wore double layer socks all the way from St Jean and had minimal foot problems! So, it's worth trying different options to see what's best for your feet.
 

Thanks!
What are the technical trail running socks made from?
 
Altus BALI Sleeping bag liner
Ideal sleeping bag liner whether we want to add a thermal plus to our bag, or if we want to use it alone to sleep in shelters or hostels. Thanks to its mummy shape, it adapts perfectly to our body.

€46,-
Check ou " Wright " socks. Work perfectly....feel good !
 
I'll second Brendan, I like Wright Socks http://wrightsock.myshopify.com/ I'm taking three pair of their escape socks on my camino. I really like that they will dry overnight, my smart wool socks wont!
 
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Google Injinji and ultra marathon running. They have a bit of a following in that world. Performance 2.0 socks defitely work for me.
 
Everyone says to buy larger size shoes than normal to allow for swelling. What about socks?

I am right on the cusp of two sock sizes, and after a day of walking last year, when I took off my ankle socks, you could see where my ankle was swollen above the sock line. Therefore I thought maybe I should size up, but an REI employee disagreed, in general. (I wear wool socks that also slightly shrink after wash/dry.)

Would you rather have slightly small socks or slightly large socks?

Also, what is your take on sock length? I used ankle socks to cut down on their weight, but thought maybe I should have something longer.
 
Socks will stretch to your feet. I sure would not like socks that were too large and wrinkling up inside my shoe. I also prefer socks that go above the shoe line rather than ankle socks. I would not want any rubbing between shoe and skin. BTW, you didn't ask but I am a strong believer in a silk or merino wool sock liner with a wool outer sock. The liner may make a difference in your sock size. Buen Camino!
 
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We wear very thin liner socks with mohair walking socks. If the socks are too tight they will stretch a little, if they are too loose they will wrinkle and rub. Ideally the best fit should pull on and when you run your hand under the sole of your foot the heel section should be a good fit without the sock squeezing your toes or the heel riding up towards your ankle. This is true of all layers. Some makes have soft fit tops, if the ankle is tight for you try them maybe.
 
I choose socks on the small side. Any wrinkles in- or movement of the sock will give you blisters.
For the length I also have ankle socks, in summer I don't need any extra warmth. For my shoes they're long enough so skin never touches the shoe directly.
 
As said above Falcon, go slightly smaller rather slightly larger. I take a size 12 shoe but can only get socks up to size 11. My wife sourced smartwool socks in size 12 for me this Christmas but they caused me problems straight away by wrinkling up and causing hot spots and the start of blistering. I have returned to the smaller socks.
 
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With regard to sizes, whatever you buy check on the website or other reviews to see if the socks are generally sized smaller or larger by the manufacturer. It seems like a trend that a manufacturer will upsize the sock labeling but the size is actually smaller than billed. Not sure why. If I'm close to the top of a size range, I'll go one up. Not associated with them, but I've become a great fan of "1000 Mile Socks". I've never used them before but tried them out on about 8 or 10 day hikes over the past few months (in practice for my up coming camino). In the past, I would have gotten some soreness but the socks seemed to have helped. It is all one package (fitness, socks, shoes, speed of walking (i.e. pounding you cause). Anyone of those variables can cause discomfort or blisters.
 
I used smart wool in nepal. Fantastic my toes were great in my aku boots at negative twenty.

My fingers, nearly lost them. Would recommend extra over mittens not just gloves.

For regular hiking lurbell cool max on my second pair. Best socks, they are left and right fit and reduce swelling.

Lorpen is okay if you want to save a few dollars.
 
After many sock experiments, I finally used ankle length 1000 mile socks (they have an inbuilt liner) on the Camino Frances this year - no blisters except one small one between toes (and an toe guard sorted that out). They felt more comfortable and were cooler than the various sock and liner combination I'd tried before - they do take longer to dry though, so I often had sock flags dangling from my backpack (nappy pins very useful there).
 
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I use marino marino wool socks, never bothered with a liner and to date (touch wood) have never had a blister.

I experimented fort a long time to get the right sock combination and because of my different size feet I use one thick and the other thin. Seems to work for me fine.
I really think that the sock combination is as important as choosing the shoes etc.
 
Like Lyssi, I fully endorse the 1000-Mile (TM) socks. They are guaranteed blister free and that is not advertising hyperbole. Highly recommended. For what its worth, following the advice of a seasoned Camino walker, I have a left sock and a right sock and I wear the same socks for three days at a time. (Only when on the trail - I do wash my feet and change into other socks/shoes at the end of each day's walk.) I think the reasoning is that the socks in this way kind of mould themselves to your feet and thus assist in avoiding blisters. Maybe that's all nonsense but it works for me.
 
I prefer socks to be a snug fit. Having bought a couple of larger pairs recently that have been a bit too big, I find that they can bunch up under the soles of my feet even with a liner sock, which is far from ideal. My only caution about getting smaller socks is if you have a condition like diabetes where not restricting circulation in any way is very important.

I know everyone likes promoting their favourite brand, but I have found remarkably little difference in performance across a range of brands and materials, and some of the best socks I have are one's where the cost hasn't been inflated by having to pay for extensive advertising campaigns. Despite claims to the contrary, most of what I see is advertising hyperbole attempting to create a point of difference in what to me appears to be largely a commodity product. Avoid cotton and cotton blends, but after that, I find it pretty much the same whether one's liners are merino or coolmax, etc, etc.

If you are that worried by weight that you are going to use ankle socks, so be it. I wear boots, and have socks of a range of thicknesses to cope with both the local winter cold through to much warmer summers.
 
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Hi All,
I've got my boots and now I need socks sooo I want to get some merino wool socks but I notice that a lot of them have higher amounts of merino wool in them then others, whats the best ratio when it comes to the perfect camino sock?
Thanks in advance and Buen Camino
 
A little bit of synthetic fiber helps durability . . .
The first good hiking socks I bought had the highest percentage of Merino wool that I could find. If Merino wool is good, then more must be better. I avoided the blends, thinking them inferior. A friend, who studied textiles in college, advised me to buy socks with a blend of Merino wool and synthetic fibers and experiment with durability. I have tried socks with up to 30% synthetic fibers. They do seem last longer. Your mileage may vary.
 
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I set 70% as the minimum amount of wool I require. That fits with the above post. You do need a little synthetic for shape maintenance, wear and elasticity.
Regds
Gerard
 
I have no idea what the proportions are but for a summer camino Coolmax Extralife, as found in Injinji Performance 2.0 Trail socks, worked well for me.
 
I have the Injinji 2.0 Lightweight Crew toe socks which are a wool/nylon/Lycra mix. I have found them really good, no blisters and they don't move around at all.
 
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Something to consider along with wool blend is the sock weight. If you are walking in heat you will want a summer weight sock.
 
CathyJ said:
I have the Injinji 2.0 Lightweight Crew toe socks which are a wool/nylon/Lycra mix. I have found them really good, no blisters and they don't move around at all.
Click to expand...
I have these same sox. Unfortunately I did not have them when I walked my Camino. I did, however, have them when I did the Trans Catalina Trail last weekend. Not a blister in sight for me. I love these sox.
 
I've hiked the Camino Francés twice with not one single blister! I credit this to the REI saleswoman who recommended SmartWool PhD brand socks. Sometimes I wore a liner, sometimes not but the socks do the trick! Also, the second time I bought my boots 1/2 size larger and oh! the comfort that provided. Buen Camino
 
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CathyJ said:
I have the Injinji 2.0 Lightweight Crew toe socks which are a wool/nylon/Lycra mix. I have found them really good, no blisters and they don't move around at all.
Click to expand...

And I agree totally. I have just bought 3 new pair for my next Camino. I wear thick socks over them but the toe socks are fine on their own for end of the day wear.
 
I used 1000 miles socks made in the UK, they are a double skin sock. I rubbed vaseline on my feet/toes every day before putting my socks on. I took care to make sure my toes and heels were comfy in the socks before putting my boots on. I walked from SJPdP to SdC and didn't get a single blister. I would recommend them to everybody.
 
I took two pairs of heavy weight 1000 mile socks and walked 1100 miles in them. I trusted them so much I gave a pair away to a fellow pilgrim who had terrible blisters and it solved her problem. I was recommended them by some friends in the military who said the thicker ones kept your feet warm in the cold and cool in the heat. They also gave a nice bit of cushioning. I wore leather lined trail shoes. I can't recommend 1000 mile socks enough. Although mountain warehouse do a deal on two for one which is very good, in my experience they don't last as long but you get two pairs which will. Try them and see what you think.
 
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In my youth, tramping around the bush clad hills in my region, and often out on the tops, there was no great science available. We just got some boots and some woollen hose and went for it. The greatest innovation was to get a larger size boot and wear two pair of hose.

Now, getting back to distance walking around my region (but not in the bush clad hills) the variety of footwear is amazing. In the 3,000 km I've trudged in the past 3 1/2 years (by way of training) I've not had any blisters and any soreness was in the beginning as my feet got used to their punishment.

My trick, if there is one, has always to get the widest walking shoe (not boot) possible, to get a longer fitting than normal and to get a shoe that "breathes" on top.

I found the calf length hose caused irritation to my skin when walking: so stopped those.

I found cotton socks took a very long time to dry, even though sold by outdoor shops: so stopped those.

The ankle length socks that seem most promising are:
Bridgedale - Speed Demon - Merino 20% - Nylon 55% - Endurofil 23% - Lycra 2%
MacPac (local outdoor shop) - Merino Quarter Sock - Merino 74% - Nylon 19% - Elastane 7%
Both wash well and dry quickly
 
A plug for Stephen Nicholls panty liner trick. It has worked for me in sandals and my husband in shoes. Stephen puts the panty liner directly on his foot, under the sock, with the sticky side against his foot. I do it the opposite way round, sticky side on the shoe sole. It is worth playing around with it, if anyone is getting blisters on the sole of their feet.
 
I'm preparing for CF-2017 (mid-April-May), so thanks for all the nice info.
I think it will be better to get the right socks first and then getting the appropriate boots?
I have another question about the 1000 mile socks.
Which one to buy, they are a lot of different types...ultimate lightweight/heavyweight, Fusion.
I will try that combination sock first.
I have now the Foreclaz 500 thin and they are not that good for me,
because the boots are JackWolfskin (Texapore) and I have a lot of foot transpiration after 7km walks.
I will buy new ones this summer, so they will be ready next year
 
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I always use the heavy weight, even in summer. Why, because they provide better cushioning, keep my feet cool and I just find them so much more comfortable. Never had a blister with them and I have walked along way in them 1100 miles walking day after day without a blister is the best testimony
 
Smartwool liners and Smartwool pHd medium cushion. After getting a few small blisters I also became a believer in changing into dry socks every 2-3 hours and reapplying Vaseline to my feet, including between the toes. After I started that practice I had no more blisters.
 
Thanks for the information
Will try out both.
I have to order both of them because they don't have them in the shops (sold out).
I can wait a few weeks, got still time
 
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willydp said:
Thanks for the information
Will try out both.
I have to order both of them because they don't have them in the shops (sold out).
I can wait a few weeks, got still time
Click to expand...
I had to order mine too. The Smartwool pHd socks are hard to find, and I live in a major metropolitan area. I got them on a recommendation from friends who walked the Camino a couple years ago.
 
I think there was another thread on this.
I use only "Wright" socks.... They are a double layer and come in different thicknesses. Both my walks have b en in warmer weather so have used light weight mostly...... Never a blister ( fingers crossed )
 
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