A long day of trudging through the mountains can do a number on your feet. If you want to fend off foot blisters, a pair of wool dress socks can help.
Photo by Daniel Walker.
Blisters are caused by friction, so to stop blisters you have to keep your skin from being rubbed raw. That’s why Jordan Jones at ITS Tactical recommends donning a pair of wool dress socks before you put on your softer, cushier socks. The dress socks will stay tight against your skin, so any friction that happens will be between the two socks and not your foot. The wool will also wick away more of your foot sweat, and that can help reduce blistering as well. If you don’t have any wool dress socks around, you can also try stocking socks or paper surgical tape.
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Comments
4 responses to “Prevent Hiking Blisters By Wearing Wool Dress Socks Under Your Normal Socks”
I think you’d want to try this out on a short walk first – I’d be worried about the two socks slipping while walking.
It depends on the socks, two normal type socks will slip and cause more dramas(had this happen to me in a 24 race which sucked BIG TIME!)
I think the wool socks might have more grab so might prevent the slipping.
Incidentally, does anyone know a good source of wool business socks in Melbourne? The only place I’ve been able to find them for the last few years is the weird sock vendor at the Vic market, and the quality is pretty shit. All the shops seem to sell is poxy cotton.
Well, that’s a pretty good advice but I wonder that the friction between the two socks may cause difficulties while walking. Or even make your feet feel fixed up in the shoes with the two socks. Anyways, I will try it out for a short walk first…
I find that if you cover the blisters on your feet (or the spots where blisters will form) with duck tape it stops blister pain and formation. The smooth side of the duck tape slides against your shoes and socks and keeps them from rubbing. This also works great when wearing tight football boots.