Hiking Lady readers all know I’m a huge fan of Injinji’s liner socks. They are the best way to help prevent blisters when your feet are sweaty and working hard on the trail.
Injinji is going to launch its own “hiker” sock Fall 2017! I got a chance to test out a pair, and put it to the test on the trails. What is a “hiker” sock? Previously I have referred to these as “outer” socks. Simply put, it is the thicker sock that you wear hiking. A lot of newbies wear just a hiking “outer” sock without the toe liners, but I swear by Injinji toe sock liners and so do most avid hikers I know.
The Scoop on the Socks
Injinji must have realized that most of us pair their awesome toe liners with one of the competitor’s hiker socks (i.e., Smartwool), and they want to play in the non-toe sock business. They’ll be offering a combo pack of one of their famous Liner socks plus their new Hiker sock (MSRP $27.00), and they will also be selling the Hiker sock separately (MSRP $20.00). It is a better deal to buy them in the combo pack since the Injinji toe liners cost $9.00 a pair, but for those of us who already have a collection of Injinji toe liner socks at home, it probably makes sense just to pick up the Hiker sock.
Is the Injinji “Hiker” sock better than a Smartwool, Icebreaker, you name it great sock brand?
You may be surprised, but I’d have to say yes. Here’s why:
- The Injinji Hiker socks are gender specific. It is always nice to have a sock that doesn’t gap and bulge in all the wrong spots putting our tootsies at risk of nasty blisters. Most of the competition has gender specific socks, but this is a nice plus that Injinji has this too.
- They are sewn specifically for use with Injinji toe sock liners. Injinji applied their amazing knitting technology and made a traditional sock. It doesn’t bunch! No bunching = no blisters!
To be fair, ever since I started using Injinji toe liner socks about 8 years ago, I haven’t had any blisters. The new Injinji Hikers will likely help me keep continue that blister free record, and at the very least, the Injinji Hiker will be a quite comfortable outer sock to pair with my beloved Injinji toe sock liners.
Hi Margerita,
Great question. I always wear liner socks because for me, they help prevent blisters. If your foot is sliding forward in your boots, they don’t fit you right or you’re not lacing them properly. Have you tried lacing them properly? Check out my video to learn how to lace boots properly. I don’t have a lot of experience with ankle braces, so I can’t help with that. Dicks Sporting Goods is a reputable store. I like REI the best for hiking boots because they have a forgiving return policy…and if you buy in store their salespeople tend to know a lot about hiking boots. Good luck and happy trails!
If I have a good pair of good wool socks do I need a liner? My foot slides forward and my toenails and that area Will hurt. I have a narrow foot and need a boot that would accommodate thick socks for cold weather but will work for hot weather. I wear ankle braces, so will need room for that. Any recommendations for ankle braces or support for weaker ankles. ? I have a wrap for about everything. I’ve been getting shin splint pain on the side of my leg. I have to go through a lot to prepare for a hike. Someone mentioned using duck tape on their feet. Comments? Also, is Dicks Sporting Goods a good place to buy boots?
This is good news! I wear either the liners with Smartwool or just a pair of their thicker toe socks and it has really helped with the [long-time-to-heal] pain I was having under my big toe and arthritis flair-ups. I suspect these issues originate with my moderate/mild bunions. The Injinji socks keep my toes straighter!
I too wear the liners but with darn tough socks. There are times I feel the socks, with the liners, become very bulky to a point where I can’t wait to remove the liners,
I also wear masking tape on back of heals to prevent sliding and it works. (That was the suggestion from someone at Eastern Mt. sports) I have narrow feet (AA) and it takes me forever to prep my feet for a hike. Very frustrating.
Will try the new Injinji socks when they become available. Thanks for sharing.
Hi Linda!
Thank you so much for your insight about your experience with Darn Tough socks. I need to publish a review on them soon. Personally, I am still a huge fan of the Injinji liner socks, so this new combination I wrote about works really well for me. I don’t have that issue of being “aware” of the toe sock liners when I hike, but all of us have very different feet and toes! It seems like Darn Tough are a great option for you and likely a potential option for others. I really appreciate your sharing this. Happy trails!
In your opinion, how do these compare w/Darn Tough socks? These Vermont-made socks are totally seamless and IMO have completely obliterated any blister problems for me. I use to wear the Injinji liners but eventually found them somewhat restrictive around my toes. I was always “aware” of them when I hiked. So I switched to Darn Tough sans the liners w/much success. Not to say I won’t ever return to using the liners again if need be. But just wanted to put in my 2 cents for Darn Tough. BTW: If you search the web you can find them remarkably cheaper than if ordered through their online store or bought in brick&mortar sporting goods stores.