Socks for hot summers

I personaly cannot wear liners, even when it is 20 out. I have switched to Smartwool Ultralight hikers OR (put and in originally, 1 pair!) North Face Coolmax running socks. I just don't see how 2 pairs of socks eliminates friction.

Same as for the other thread, AFAIC. Light hikers or liners only (not both). And while I didn't answer this on the other thread, my shoes/socks usually dry within an hour when I dunk them.

I guess the other question would be — do you need a sock at all? I know some folks are happy to hike in shoes only.

no way could i hike in only shoes, the shoe itself will slide up and down the foot causing friction that will get old and painful fast. thats crazy, i could see it done with sandals but nothing else.

becaause, the friction occurs between the inner and outer sock, not the sock and shoe.

From the clothing wizard-verber:

"…Hamlet and team found that a thin liner sock made of CoolMax, and a thicker sock made of wool&polypro (fuzzy side out) had a significantly reduced the frequency of blisters. This is because the slipping is happening between the socks rather than between the foot and the sock. TechSpun"

It's not crazy if it works. I don't do it, but some do and are quite happy that way.

FWIW, I have a buddy who hikes in sandals. Gets rubbed raw! And I mean bleeding raw. But it works for him. Though I do think he's crazy (and I've told him so!)

I've been using a pair of liner socks all year. Currently I'm hiking in Roclite 370's, which are much like the 315, except high tops. My hiking in this setup has been between just below freezing and into the low 70's, with daily mileage between 13 & 23 miles a day. I do have 315's that I'll be using in the Mojave soon. I don't believe sliding has been an issue for me, although I do occasionally get a blister behind my middle toe on rocky descents…yet this has been on my foot that has a bad ankle.

I've had pretty good luck using Injinji socks when it gets hot. They keep your toes from rubbing together and I think they are pretty quick to dry as well.

when it's hot, that is my favorite sock

to me, in the heat it's not so important as to which sock i'm wearing, as much as it's important to change socks at lunch, and to wash both pairs out as best i can at the end of the day…

@ Isaac,

Hot weather socks, my suggestion, go with Darn Tough Vermont 1/4 mesh, or Defeet Aireators, both are durable and breath very well. I prefer the Darn Tough line due to the use of Merino, the Defeets are synthetic.

Sockless hiking is far from crazy, it depends on the conditioning of your feet, the terrain and temperature, as well as the shoe, most importantly it depends on the person. Honestly, I have yet to get a blister in the last 3 yrs., not a single blister. I trail run sockless a few times a week for about 8 months out of the year because I hate how warm my feet get while running out on the hot rocky trail, as well as the loss of underfoot sensation and trail feel. Last weekend I did a relatively strenuous 3 day trip in the Gila Wilderness and hiked portions of the 2nd day sockless and hiked the entire 16 mile 3rd day sockless through canyon and countless stream crossings. Temps were warm (70-80F), dry and sunny. If I do wear socks I typically wear a pair of Darn Tough Vermont 1/4 mesh socks, they're light and breathable, as well as thin. But again, it definitely depends on the person, I'm also that dude who hikes shirtless once the temps rise above 75F, so to each his own.

I wore wrightsock double layer socks through 265 miles of socal desert (and mountains). I think they were coolmax or something like that. I still use them.

Wrightsocks don't use the Coolmax brand material, you're probably thinking of their Coolmesh proprietary fabric used in some of their socks.

http://www.nononsense.com/Womens-Socks/soft-and-breathable/Soft–and–Breathable-Womens-Ventilated-Liner.aspx

They are for women, but I wear them all the time. Get the black color and no one will know. Feet are never sweaty and never have blisters. And I refuse to pay $12 for a pair of socks so maybe that's why I prefer these.

You can get 3 pair for $4 at WalMart as well.

I'm a long time merino sock user. My standard sock the smartwool adrenaline light. I tend to prefer thinner socks. I use Inov-8 terrocs or NB mesh shoes (not sure the model number)

Most of my socks are pretty worn out and I'm now looking at getting some more. I've noticed lots of experienced hikers seem to prefer thin cheap nylon dress socks.

Can anybody comment on how well they work, especially compared to thin merino wool socks? Durability is not a big issue, I'm wondering more with regards to wearing them wet, blister protection, etc.

Thanks

After my Smartwool Adrenalines became worn, I replaced them with Darn Tough Vermont Socks due to an article by Roger Caffin about a month ago. I got one pair of 1/4 mesh and 2 pairs of 1/4 cushion on sale from BackCountryGear in Eugene Oregon. Both types of socks are Merino Wool. The 1/4 mesh are very thin and my guess is that they would do well in the 105 degree summer temps I sometimes hike in. I'll find out this summer. The 1/4 cushion are thicker, especially on the bottom, and are more of an all around sock, but I would wear them in heat if I had to. I've been wearing both types of socks in up to 80 degree weather for the past month and I really like them. I would characterize the quality of the Darn Tough socks as at least as good as Smartwool and maybe a notch above.

+1 on the Wrightsocks. They are double layer so they accomplish the same thing as sock/liner, friction occurs between layers. But they are very lightweight so your feet stay cooler and drier. The one are that could be a negative is they provide almost no cushioning. This has not been an issue for me but it may be for others. I have done up to 39 miles a day in these without a single blister.

YMMV

Josh, are those mostly cotton content?