GreyBeard
What do you use for ultras? My drymax have been bothering my feet lately... the material seems rough. Anything soft yet water resistant you can recommend - brand / style?
2020
I'm far from an expert, but I can tell you this. Did my first 50 mile trail race yesterday. 4 loops with a colllld water crossing 3 miles in, so I ran 47 miles with wet feet. Bodyglided my toes, wore smartwool socks. No blisters, and my feet stayed acceptably warm. I'd use them again.
A list of my PRs in a misguided attempt to impress people that do not care.
funny - I won 12 pair of drymax and gave them all away - I tried one pair and it lasted 5 runs @ 80 miles total - I can not afford the kindof cost per mile. I just use $1 cotton socks - I never have had issues with blisters ... in fact I ran in the same pair of socks all 154 miles of the 24 hour race - No issues.
Long dead ... But my stench lingers !
for about 2 minutes
Wondered... don't they get heavy in water?
What style of smart wool? Do think body glide is reason or wool? Ty
I use smartwool socks, not sure what style, I just bought the ones that say running socks. I've had good luck with them, used one pair since 2007 for long runs all winter long (December-March). They still have not worn out. Yes they get wet like anything else, but they feel more comfortable when wet and seem to wick more. I am too lazy to put glide on my feet so I wouldn't know if glide helps but I generally don't get blisters when wearing wool socks. I've only ran up to 30 miles in really wet conditions using them but I've ran much shorter distances using conventional socks and was less comfortable.
The idea that wool socks are good for wet conditions is not new, we used them in the boy scouts 25 years ago when hiking boots did not do release water (or stop it) like they do today. They weren't as fancy or expensive as the brands sold today as today but worked just as well.
They're smartwool PhD Outdoor Light Mini socks. I suspect the no blisters thing was a combination of both, but the socks on their own are really comfy. I plan to get more of them.
FWIW I also ran the same race as Greg and wore drymax socks and bodyglided the crap out of them. I still can't walk but that has nothing to do with blisters or anything. Not a one. Also, it was my first run in those shoes, so the bodyglide apparently made my feet idiotproof.
I have had good luck using Drymax socks with blister shield. Mine last forever, but I let a friend borrow a pair and she put a whole in them during one wear! Maybe sock-life depends on your feet.
~Sara It's supposed to be hard. If it wasn't hard, everyone would do it. The hard is what makes it great. ~ Jimmy Dugan
It also depends on the running surface. I wore through a pair by running through sandy surfaces with wet feet. That run earned me some really impressive blisters also.
But with normal running socks last a really long time.
I bought a couple of pairs of drymax trail running socks mainly because they are a little taller and thought they may help keep debris out a little better when running trails. I have not been able to tell if it makes a difference.
I have been a fan of Smartwool for a few years now. I wear them in all seasons on the road and on the trails. I usually wear the PhD Running Light Micro and don't have issues with blisters.
Others I have tried with sucess are Swiftwick and Darn Tough. I use the Darn Tough (Quarter Merino Sock) in the winter for really cold runs since they are a little thicker and the Swiftwicks (Merino Zero) I like because the cuff on the ankle is tight to the skin unlike the smartwool's that I usually wear. It seems that the SmartWool & the Swiftwick seem to wear about the same.
Once the smartwool ones wear down, I use them for summer or warmer weather socks. Aside from the Darn Tough, the Swiftwick & SmartWool do great wet due to the natural qualities of wool. Feet stay warm and blister free when wet and or cold.
I ran BR100 in the summer in SmartWool PhD Running Light Micros and changed them once. I ran a double marathon on sloppy muddy trails a little over a week ago and ran in one pair Swiftwicks. I have to admit, I am leaning a bit more towards the Swiftwicks these days.
Yes, they cost more at about $14-15 a pair, but they outlast any other synthetic sock I have owned. In the end, they are probably a little more, but I think it's well worth it. That's my $0.02.
Wool yo.
Myabe your stride too? I chewed through them fast ... Since I have no blister issues with cheap cotton and they seem comfy to me ... no reason to change.
. Mine last forever,
I imagine weighing next to nothing helps
"Famous last words" ~Bhearn
I've had mixed results with smartwool, but Drymax has done me solid especially the trail socks.
They come with a more dense weave and seem to last longer than any others I've tried.