[pct-l] socks

[Eric Lee (GAMES)]

Don wrote:
>
What are everyone's thoughts about socks?  Light or medium cushion,
brand, etc.  I wear light trail shoes.  I tend to get a small blister
early on a hike on the outside of my heal.
>

Socks, like shoes, are a very individual choice and what works for one may not work for another.

That said, there are certain brands that I've heard mentioned often as being good:

* Wrightsocks
* DryMax
* Smartwool
* Thorlo
* Cheap nylon dress socks

I used to use Wrightsocks as liner sock and then thicker Smartwool socks over them.  This is in the cooler climes of the Northwest.  It sounds like overkill but it kept me from blistering, with the exception of the balls of my feet which would still sometimes develop minor blisters after a couple of long days.

This last year I got smart and taped the balls of my feet before I ever started.  It totally cured the blistering problem there.  You might think about preventative taping on your heels.  Don't wait until you've got damage there - do it beforehand.

I also tried DryMax socks and found that they worked so well that I didn't need a liner, so after the first day I wore just the DryMax socks with tape on my problem areas.  I did 140 miles in 5.5 days on my section hike and got zero blisters.  Part of that success was the socks, but I also have a very good relationship with my boots.

Everything works together in a cohesive system and sometimes it takes a lot of time and experimentation to find the system that works for you.

Eric