Shoes are all good but what about socks?

[Craig]

Hi Everyone,

I went through the whole "what shoe is good for me?" last year when doing Wild Endurance and worked out the Nike Pegasus Trail shoe is a good fit for my foot (and i wear standard Pegasus when doing my "normal running"), however i have never really put too much consideration into my socks.

As a footy sock man i recently went to Lowes and bought a few pairs (couldn't find any Tigers socks so had to settle for Raiders and Roosters    )for training in but they do get heavy and a bit uncomfy when wet....Having said that i still rate them.

What do others recommend when choosing socks for such an event or are footy socsk as good as it gets?

cheers
Craig

[Peter]

Craig.
I have been using Lightfoot socks for a number of years, since I started doing marathons.
Very few blisters (basically, only when they get wet on long events [rogaines]).
Available from Athletes Foot.
They work for me, you have about 16 weeks to work out if they work for you.

pacman

[Stephane]

Hi Craig

really is a question of time and training. I would suggest that you do want socks that are thin and aerated not thick and heavy. What I did in the previous years (my 5th NF) is have a change of socks from CP3 onwards - nothing like having "fresh feet" before Nelly's Glenn :-)

I use Innov-8 or X-socks and have done so for a while. I like their tight fitting helps on trail terrains I find. They are more expensive than "normal" running socks but last a lot longer. X-socks are guaranteed for life!

Good luck with prep see you in June
Steph

[Osbert]

you might want to try injini toe socks. Have never had a blister wearing them.

[Jill]

Agree with the comment about changing your socks - in a long event like this, the mental approach is just as important as the physical, so anything that will make the going more comfortable, I adhere to.  This includes changing your top, socks and even shoes along the 100ks at various checkpoints. 

Having done 8 Trailwalkers running, I apply this strategy and it works a treat.  Even applying some deodorant (the people you pass along the way will appreciate it too!!) will perk you up and keep your head in the right mental space.

[Craig]

thanks all...i was given some Thorlo's from my training partner. he swears by them - any taker's on these compared to the others?

[Natalie]

Thorlo and Injini? Just went on both web sites and each have a stack of different types of socks, ranging from coolmax to wool, thick, thin, etc. So is it the brand of sock or the ingredients that makes them good? What is the best? I swore by my coolmax wigwams until I changed shoes recently, now find they don't shed enough water after the creek runs. So perhaps it's also the shoe / sock combination? Also, does anyone know anything about silicon toe sleeves - they came recommended from a TNF article I read. More details on sock pretty please?

[Dane]

Socks are of particular interest to me lately. My advice - get double layer socks.

I'd been using Injinis for the past year or so until recently. Found the injinis to be very good, particularly in terms of basically eliminating blisters between the toes thanks to being toe socks. However, a few months back I started getting a different, more painful blister issue, on sole of each foot. Bought a few new pairs of different trail shoes but still was getting worse, and strapping the hot spots wasn't working either. This led me to discover the joys of double layer socks. Instantly fixed the friction problem, they're amazing. Have been trying two different brands of double layer socks so far - one are Wright Sox, the other are Hillys. Both seem pretty great, the wright socks are my favourite so far I think.

[Simone]

HI, I am a bit late to this post but just came across it today as I psyche myslef up for race by getting involved in the discussions again! Last year I wore ininji toe socks and even though I got wet feet at times not once did I feel the need to change socks or shoes (and I had a spare pair of both at each CP!! - who does that??). I didn't get one blister either. However I found that after that and in training I did get the occasional blister so I find now that when racing or going out for extra long training runs I have a brand new pair as they stretch after a while.

I have also just discovered Compressport socks that I think are great and will be wearing them this year. Have again worn them in a 52km training run where my feet were wet pretty much form start to finish and I only took them off once to remove leeches! No blisters and I have been prone to getting a few with all this rain when I have worn different sock. These socks are $24.95 and worth every cent, opt for a smallish size as opposed to larger than normal.

Good luck!

Simone

[Leanne]

I'm an Injinji convert. They have compression socks, wool-blend socks (for cold toots overnight) and the regular variety. I wore them during IM Cozumel last year, when it rained and the roads flooded, and I only had one tiny blister and all my toenails in place at the finish!

I've been wearing them on all my long runs and races and can't fault them. I've even dorkily stuck them under my Vibrams on colder runs! Can you imagine the looks I get!!