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Re: [pct-l] Skin reaction on ankles



> The real problem starts when I wear boots, or anything that clamps the
>socks tightly to the ankles, or does not allow air to circulate.  I
carried >gaiters, but did not wear them, and I suspect that I would have
a >problem wearing them with elastized socks.

   It's probably a really bad idea to wear something that actually clamps
anything  to the ankles or anywhere else, especially when engaging in
repetetive movement. Sure, you don't wanna wear loose, flopping footwear
<augh!>, but nothing should be so tight it gets anwhere close to
"clamping" - that would definitely cause chafing and worse. The thing I
like about  fabrics that contain a bit of elastic is that they conform to
the body without having to be at all tight - and their inherent
flexibility maintains a gentle fit (assuming they fit gently to begin
with <g>) as various body-parts move around or expand. And wearing a
personal allergen too close to the skin could definitely exacerbate any
problem.

    It's a drag that shoes/boots don't allow really good all-over air
circulation; that's probably why so many of us need to take a break to
air our dogs now/then. Charlie calls it "air washing" or something,
doesn't he?

    Haven't hiked (in boots or sneakers) without scree gaiters for a very
long time. I find they keep small chafe-making crap out - and cut down on
laundry chores, too. This may sound disgusting (I probably shouldn't
admit it), but I now often hike up to a week - long days under various
conditions - with _one_ pair of Smartwool (just a coincidence) outer
socks and two pair of synthetic 'wicking" liners. I rinse out the liners
at least daily (they'll dry fairly quckly in any weather), and the feet
of the outers as often as I can. Don't mind walking in dampish socks,
BTW, except in above-boot snow of course. Gaiters (they can be of some
"breathable" material) don't have to be at all tight to be effective; if
the elastic around the top seems any tighter than barely-necessary to
keep them up, you should snip bits of the elastic, or re-sew in a longer
piece if you're ambitious. (You could do the same thing to the
elasticised top of the socks if you had to.) Don't hike in tight anything
on the assumption that it'll "stretch"; it'll hurt your hide long before
it does...

    Personally, I wouldn't buy socks with an elastic band _at_ the ankle.
Some of the nastiest sore-spots come from band-on-band-on-band layering,
like (for instance) underwear waistband under trousers' waistband under
pack hipbelt. Ow Ow!             bj

If anybody knows a discount source of Smartwool products, I'd appreciate
knowing; that pair of socks is getting pretty funky - TIA


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