UKC

Now a convert. Done for the first time yesterday on Ben Avon.

Had incorrectly thought the hills might be sodden so wore big leather boots. Soon enough hot spots on left foot (stick on compeeds) then right foot while doing a corbett on the way in. Still not great. Then camped. Decided to wear two socks on each foot and see how it went. 

Worked like a magic pill. No trouble at all on right foot and far less on left. Gone from thinking I'd have to abandon my plan to do Ben Avon and sell my boots on ebay. 

Praise the double sock!

In reply to Flinticus:

https://www.blacks.co.uk/mens/149022-peter-storm-double-layer-socks-black-m...

These are my go-to for most things

In reply to Flinticus:

Sorry to be that guy, but good fitting boots are probably a better option! Haven't had blisters from hill walking for years now. Wrecked my feet while running - replacing shoes fixed the issue. 

In reply to PPP:

Come on, you think I haven't thought of that?   Can you show me a pair of well fitting boots for my feet? I'll gratefully buy 4 pairs. Be warned that my feet differ by half a size. 

In my walking life I've had 2 pairs of boots that fitted perfectly. Both lasted long enough to outlive their model (and their sucessors failed) and am fed up with the quest. Trying on boots in the shop or even walking about the flat etc., useless. Its often only after 400ms of rough ascent when you find the fit is not as great as you thought. All the current boots I have performed great until put into proper use. Then its too late for a refund...

Two socks...cheaper and less frustrating.

In reply to Flinticus: My Dad was outraged, when he bought some Karrimor boots which turned out to be no good, and walking through the Lake District, happened to meet somebody who through chatting turned out to be one of the developers/testers of the boot, who in response to his grumblings said 'Yeah, we never could get it quite right'.

'I paid good money for those boots...'  

I've found that doubling up everyday socks can work well in a pinch, and quite cheaply too. 

In reply to Flinticus:

Praise the double sock and a handful of sheeps wool off a fence. I used to have a nightmare with boots. I once bought some Scarpa Trionic Sl’s back in the 80’s to walk the Pennine Way. Despite some ‘breaking in’ they started to blister me badly. I grabbed  some wool off a barb wire fence and shoved it down the back of me boots.

This gave instant relief and I com pleeeaatteed the route.

In reply to Flinticus:

Why are you not wearing two pairs of socks already? I think every book or article I've ever read about hiking tells you to wear two pairs of socks.

Anyhow, I really rate 1000 mile double layer socks, never had a blister with them.

In reply to Flinticus:

 

With you there, my feet are so shit I hate walking, I should get shares in compeed and make some money back.

A pair of Brashers have been my only success, 11 years before I couldn't put them on any more with more foot outside the boot than in.

Currently on some Mammuts, which are nearly bearable.

In reply to Flinticus:

With heavier boots I feel undressed unless I've got 2 pairs of socks - has worked for me for decades.

I sometimes use a single pair in light boots for a shorter route.

In reply to Toerag:

I've never read a book about hiking, only tales of hardcore mountaineers / alpinists and they never mention double socks.

In reply to Flinticus:

I have pretty much ditched the heavy boots, seems like the better option! If it's wet enough then your feet still get wet even in boots, so no point in the extra weight and stiffness.

I wear approach shoes almost exclusively until there is snow on the ground. Then I'm into winter boots which don't rub at all with single layer socks. 

I am a really bad mountaineer as I often just wear normal street socks with my approach shoes and also often leave the laces loose! 

In reply to girlymonkey:

If I'm backpacking a full kit I won't do that in approach shoes or trail runners after breaking an ankle once while wearing low cut mids that maybe allowed my ankle to flex too much.

Good leather boots keep the water out in my experience (far less seams and good old beeswax works), not fabric, so I've changed back to them from fabric as I got fed up with wet feet.

For a day hike (which I don't usually do: most of my hikes involve a camp) I'll wear light mids or trail runners and put up with wet feet.

 

In reply to Flinticus:

Doubling up on socks? Count me in - I'm a big fan of wearing two socks.

In reply to Toerag:

• > Why are you not wearing two pairs of socks already? I think every book or article I've ever read about hiking tells you to wear two pairs of socks.

  > Anyhow, I really rate 1000 mile double layer socks, never had a blister with them.

  
  Me too. I was a bit surprised by this thread as I thought for most people two pairs of socks was the norm.

• Dave

In reply to Tringa:

Same here. I tend to wear 1000 mile socks with thin socks underneath.