Stockings for blister prevention

[Aysen Mustafa]

While in NZ in December, I came across a travel magazine with an article about the Camino. The article started off, 'But first, buy a pack of lady's stockings.' Apparently you wear the stockings under a pair of socks, and hikers swear by it. Anyone heard of this?

 

[Deleted member 3000]

Yes. They work. Liner socks made of silk or polypropylene also work. Even with the liner socks, a lubricant like Vaseline or silicone is good for reducing friction and moisture.

 

[Tiapatrol]

I spent more than 20 years in the Army and that is what I used to reduce chances for blisters on our 12 mile road marches in Army boots. I plan to use something similar when I do the Portuguese Camino this Spring.

 

[Rick of Rick and Peg]

Peg uses stockings under wool socks for backpacking also. She picked up a few more pairs of stockings halfway through our Camino Frances.

 

[daesdaemar]

Injinji liners are the best!

 

[gloria lowe]

2 Caminos no blisters. Injinji thin socks, Vaseline and thin smart wool socks.

 

[Roger Hogstrom]

BOLA (thats the brand) Tentoes. I have used them for 12 years.

 

[Dennis D]

I put "Gloves in a Bottle" on my feet, wear Injinji sock liners, with medium weight wool socks. In addition, I use various knots in my boots. 1/2 hitch in the second eyelet so the toe can't get too tight, surgeon knot 2 eyelets from the top, then a heel lock knot with a surgeon knot to tie off the top with a double loop. This method has keep me blister free these past few Caminos.

Fortunately, there are a lot of different methods for protecting your feet. Many of them shown on previous posts.

Taking care of one's feet is incredibly important. If your feet are fine, the rest of you will normally follow.

Buen Camino

 

[tomnorth]

I wore Smartwool liners under Smartwool PhD socks and rubbed my feet with Vaseline. The other thing I’m going to investigate is lambs wool between my toes. I’ve heard that helps a lot. The only place I got blisters was between toes.

 

[Anniesantiago]

I wore Smartwool liners under Smartwool PhD socks and rubbed my feet with Vaseline. The other thing I’m going to investigate is lambs wool between my toes. I’ve heard that helps a lot. The only place I got blisters was between toes.

One of my pilgrim walkers introduced me to lambswool between the toes. It worked great for my little outside toe which tends to go on top of the one next to it and cause a blister.

 

[Prentiss Riddle]

I’ve been using Injinji toe-sock liners and am thinking of trying stockings as a cooler alternative.

Note that as I understand it, the point of Vaseline isn’t to make the foot slippery but the opposite, to bind it to the liner sock so any slipping is sock-on-sock not skin-on-sock. Plus the Vaseline is a moisture barrier so water in your shoe won’t penetrate the skin (wet skin is more prone to blister).

A wool outer sock also means that your feet will stay warm even when wet.

 

[Prentiss Riddle]

n addition, I use various knots in my boots. 1/2 hitch in the second eyelet so the toe can't get too tight, surgeon knot 2 eyelets from the top, then a heel lock knot with a surgeon knot to tie off the top with a double loop. This method has keep me blister free these past few Caminos.

Can you post a picture of that? I’m imagining the rigging on an old sailing ship...

 

[RJM]

I have never done that, not even in the army.
Well fitting boots and socks and some vaseline. Always worked for me. Have always stayed away from cotton socks.
These days I wear one pair of synthetic socks made for runners. Work great.
Testing shoe/boot and sock combinations on a minimum of a 10 km walk prior to the Camino is probably the most important thing to do. More important than all the advice in the world.

 

[JabbaPapa]

Had to use them for a couple years to prevent blistering from knee braces, so yes I can confirm that they do help.

 

[GettingThere]

Different things work for different people. I read about using stockings as liners here on the Forum, tried them a couple of times in training and ended up with heat rash around the ankles. Tried silk liners, found them very uncomfortable. Ended up using Body Glide all over my feet under a single pair of Icebreaker merino hiking socks, and that is what worked for me on two Caminos. No blisters the first time, one tiny blister my first day out on the second trip (suspect feet slightly swollen from the long flight), and nothing after that. Everyone is different - there is no "the" answer.

 

[Vanozza]

While in NZ in December, I came across a travel magazine with an article about the Camino. The article started off, 'But first, buy a pack of lady's stockings.' Apparently you wear the stockings under a pair of socks, and hikers swear by it. Anyone heard of this?

Yes, I have used ankle stockings and sock liners of other thin fabrics as well and have not had one blister in over 17 years. However, I have REALLY good boots that fit perfectly. Do not cheap out on your footwear or you will pay back many times over the hard way.

 

[mark connolly]

Highly recommend stockings! Two caminos, no blisters.

 

[Anamiri]

While in NZ in December, I came across a travel magazine with an article about the Camino. The article started off, 'But first, buy a pack of lady's stockings.' Apparently you wear the stockings under a pair of socks, and hikers swear by it. Anyone heard of this?

I read the same article, and thought the person who wrote it probably hadn't walked a whole Camino. But I digress.
The thing with blisters, I believe, is to take more of a holistic approach. You will be on your feet for a really long time, a month or more - your feet need to be looked after.
One thing alone is not likely to prevent them getting blisters.
You need shoes that fit your feet well, with plenty of room width wise for your feet to swell, and long enough that your toes won't hit the end, and damage your toenails. Walk in them before you go - make sure they are completely comfortable and nothing rubs.
You need socks that work for your feet. There are lots of different options, socks with or without toes, different technical fabrics, Its a personal thing. Again try them out first.
Treatment for blisters, because it is likely that whatever you do, you may still develop some. Just sheer time on your feet, day after day , rain in some months, and if you walk in summer months - heat. Best not to try a new product on a Camino. Spain is a modern country and has shops. Yes there are pharmacies - it took 4 days to find one that was open. The problem was when we found a pharmacy, it was closed for siesta, when we walked to the next town, there wasn't one.
And take something that you can walk around in after the walk, to let the air around your feet, and keep them cool, flip flops, whatever works for you. You don't want to be stuck in your shoes/boots once you've finished walking for the day.
I would say try out the tights idea - personally I found they made my feet really sweaty, which wasn't pleasant, and I ditched them long before I found out if they would work.
Trialling with a decent length walk on two consecutive days if you can, is a good idea.

 

[Iriebabel]

Can you post a picture of that? I’m imagining the rigging on an old sailing ship...

Youtube search how to tie hiking boots

 

[Deleted member 67185]

For at least the last 2500 miles of backpacking, I wear Smartwool Ph.d light padded socks with trail shoes that are fairly loose, unless I am going downhill on a steep grade where I will tighten them enough to keep my toes from smacking the front of the shoes. I don't get blisters, but in the event I start to feel an irritation or the start of a hot spot on a foot, I apply Luekotape.

There is no sure fire method for blister prevention; what works for one may not work for another.

 

[peregrina2000]

Can someone post a picture or link to the Injinji liners you use? I was envisioning a very thin silky material, but what I see on line looks pretty bulky.

 

[Prentiss Riddle]

Can someone post a picture or link to the Injinji liners you use? I was envisioning a very thin silky material, but what I see in line looks pretty bulky.

These are the Injinji liners I use. A lot thicker than nylon stockings but thinner than any of my regular socks.

https://www.injinji.com/liner-crew-large.html

 

[Shalaw]

Soooo, are we talking knee-highs or full-blown toe to hip stockings?? I used merino wool socks with the liner built right in, along with either Glide, Vasaline or Aquaphor, but I still got a couple of toe blisters, about three days in. After that....nothing. I think the trick to avoiding blisters is to remember to take your boots and socks off every couple of hours to let your feet breathe, and also to change into fresh socks if you're having a particularly moist-foot-day.

Buen Camino!!

 

[trecile]

You can actually buy thin nylon five toe socks.


https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B079NYLNLX/?tag=casaivar02-20

 

[peregrina2000]

Sorry to hijack this thread, but I am wondering if it is possible that these socks will prevent soft or wet corns between the toes. I have gotten them every single year for the past 5 or 6. I have managed to block them out pretty much, but they are very painful. I have bought Altra shoes with its wide toe box, so maybe that will do the trick, but I wouldn't mind trying something else too. For whatever reason, I haven't gotten blisters other than teeny tiny ones for years now.

I see they make a regular midweight hiking sock. Is there any reason to prefer the Injinji liner with a sock over the Injinji sock? I used liners only once, more than a decade ago and wasn't a fan, but I am open minded and would go back.

Thanks to the equipment gurus.

 

[Prentiss Riddle]

Is there any reason to prefer the Injinji liner with a sock over the Injinji sock?

The theory behind liners, with Injinji toes or not, is that any rubbing should be sock-on-sock and not skin-on-sock. For what it’s worth, I’m a believer.

 

[mferrara]

Injinji liners are the best!

Had great luck with Injinji toe socks -no blisters!

 

[Jen Marsden]

My sister and I did the camino in 2016. I only got one blister about two weeks in under the ball of my foot but she suffered terribly. We tried the stocking thing for about a week and it didn't help her at all. Horses for courses. I agree with everyone above that has said make sure you do at least a few days (consecutively) in your gear, carrying your pack and doing the km's you expect to BEFORE you get to the trail. Usually its the first few days that show any challenges.

 

[SoyGalego]

I've always used a very thin liner sock, like silk and then hiking socks over them. Long time ago I used, as my main sock, sea boot socks but now I've switched to merino wool ones. They're sturdy and hold up well without the need to constantly wash them. I never put or use Vaseline on my feet and I never get blisters with this system. I've also read the Vicks Cough mixture is better than Vaseline! I'm sure that'll keep the smell down! It's what works for you and that's usually down to trial and error. However, anything that'll prevent friction, whether that be liners, lubricants or tights that's the aim.