Foot Care & Socks

[maverick]

Who wears socks, and a thin liner sock? Wool or synthetic socks?

What category do you fall under:

a. Don't do anything special for my feet

b. Dunk my feet at every break or at least air them out, rotating my socks
so I have a dry pair on. Also use glide or powder to keep the sweating to minimum.

c. Some where in between.

Do you wash your sock, boil them, or do not bother while out.
Are you prone to blisters, if yes, besides changing socks, and powder, what else
do you do to prevent them?
Have you ever had to take an unscheduled day off while hiking because you let a blister
get out of hand?
Any remedies, or special secrets you'd like to share that you have come up with
through the years of dealing with sensitive feet?

[rlown]

you must be running out of topics by now

Thought we covered this on the other thread, but, socks get changed, washed, etc.

The real key is to trim the toenails. pre-trip and then if longer, again. I have a failed right big toenail, which comes off every season.. can't explain it after 2 tree root hits. It grows back, and then one hit, gone purple.

socks get cleaned. changed. and then extra shoes for the day-time trips.. Can't really stand boots for a 10 day. Fishing is in the old reeboks. Just me.

[sirlight]

I have had a real problem with blisters over the years. This is mostly due to being unable to find boots that fit my freakish feet.

I have tried almost every kind of socks there is. What has worked best for me is regular smartwool hiker socks and wigwam ultimate liners under those. When I am hiking, I stop at least every two hours and swap them out for my spare pair. Then, hang the damp ones from the back of my pack to dry. They get rinsed out at least every 3 days. And one other thing, hike enough to keep those calluses tough. That reduces the chance of blisters too.

[maverick]

Rlown wrote "you must be running out of topics by now", never!

[AlmostThere]

Wool socks of weight appropriate to temps, trail runners.

My ongoing issue is foot fungus - I soak daily in apple cider vinegar for a month when there's a flare up. Otherwise my feet heat up brilliant red and the skin is so compromised that it sloughs off or blisters with next to no provocation.

When fungus is not active I have zero issues. Yes, I have had prescription everything. No, it didn't work. I'm actually allergic to the fungus so when it's really bad I get blisters all over my palms and fingers. Lost a toenail to it. Others cracked apart and fell off. The vinegar keeps it mostly quiet, and I haven't had a flare up as bad as the initial one - all my toenails are present and healthy looking, no blisters on my hands.

[oldranger]

Synthetic liner, wool outer. Two pairs of each for every trip short or long. Rinse one pair every afternoon or evening. Since I have gone to light, disposable boots (max of 60 days use it seems) I have had no blister issues and my bone spur from too many days alpine skiing is no longer an issue either.

Mike

[rlown]

Synthetic liner, wool outer. Two pairs of each for every trip short or long. Rinse one pair every afternoon or evening. Since I have gone to light, disposable boots (max of 60 days use it seems) I have had no blister issues and my bone spur from too many days alpine skiing is no longer an issue either.

Mike

Disposable boots?

[AlmostThere]

I suspect disposable refers to the ephemeral nature of the cheaper synthetic boots and shoes rather than good ol' leather boots.

Tho the 600 miles and counting I've logged on my trail runners before they started to self destruct may be slightly less ephemeral than others.

[Wandering Daisy]

Three pair of Smartwool socks. I wash one pair every afternoon (rinse in cold water, turn inside out, rinse again, wring, and dry). I wear only one pair at a time and rotate socks daily. I take off shoes and socks and air my feet at least twice a day while hiking. I use trail runners or low-cut light hikers with superfeet insoles and regularly wear gaiters to keep out dirt. I buy shoes slightly large. Few brands fit- Merrell works. I seldom have blisters. If I get a hot spot I will immediately put on a bandaid or moleskin but take it off when in camp. I wash my feet every night. I am convinced that sleeping barefoot helps. If my feet get cold I will stuff a fleece shirt in the bottom of my bag. I take clippers and keep toenails clipped. I do get calluses that peel off over the winter. If I am out a week or more, I bring Crocks to wear around camp.

[rlown]

I wash my feet every night. I am convinced that sleeping barefoot helps.

completely agree on that. can't stand socks on at night, and clean feet are key given what we put them through.