Putting on my hiking sock over my toe sock liner socks - prevents blisters!
It may not seem intuitive, but wearing 2 pair of socks is the best method for wicking moisture away from your feet to prevent blisters. Not two hiking socks, but rather a synthetic or wool liner and a thick synthetic or wool outer sock.
- Liner Socks: Wearing a liner sock is a great trick I have found useful to prevent blisters on the trail. They are very thin socks, and generally are made of wool, silk, or synthetic materials. Remember that cotton is your worst enemy on the trail, because it retains moisture, rather than wicking it away! My personal favorites are Injinji toe sock liners, which may look a little unconventional, but are designed so well that there are not any seams around the toes. This design provides further blister prevention!
The drawback? They’re always sold out! All of my hiking friends are wearing them now, and the word is getting out that these funny looking liner socks are preventing a lot of blisters and unhappy feet on the trail
REI is not carrying the liner socks anymore, but they are available online at SummitHut. Even though it says “Men’s Liner sock”, they are unisex. A small fits women’s shoe sizes 6-8.5, and medium fits women’s 9-11.5. - Hiking Socks: Your thick hiking socks are the outer layer, and provide cushion and insulation. The only thing you need to remember is that they must be synthetic or wool, so they wick moisture away from your feet. Over time, you may have established a large collection of socks like me, to suit various hiking needs. I wear thinner hiking socks for summer day hikes, thicker for backpacking trips when my feet want more cushioning, and super thick mountaineering socks when I’m snowshoeing. My favorites are the SmartWool socks, such as these SmartWool Light Hiking Socks for dayhikes and these SmartWool Mountaineering socks.
How I prevent blisters: my toe sock liners!
