best type of sock for hiking?
105340
Thorlo 'hiking' sox or their 'back packing' socks. Thick and very comfortable.
813815
The little neoprene toe covers are the greatest thing ever. Pearl Izumi's version is called calientos and they are about $20 a pair. I love the extra warmth, and they are easy to take on and off and fit over the toe box of your standard bike shoes
1041216
Socks - -  History\n\n        The word "sock" is derived from the Latin soccus, the Old English socc and the Middle English word socke. The "soccus" was a shoe worn by Roman comic actors. It was a "calceoli" or sock-like and fitted loosely so they could be taken off quickly. Roman’s sometimes wore soccus with sandals and then removed their sandals indoors; the soccus remained on their feet.\n\n        8th Century Barbarians wore brightly colored socks.\n\n        During the Crusades and Gothic periods (1000-1300) linen hose made from two-leg profile pieces replaced tube hose sewn together. Tapes tied to the waistband held these up. Under the hose was worn a shapeless pair of linen legs which were stitched through the crotch, hemmed at the top and gathered by a drawstring around the waist.\n\n        Over time, the outer hose were joined and called closed hose or a pair of legs.\n\n        From about 1340 onwards men started to wear shorter garments called gippons or pourpoints. Long garments survived at court and ecclesiastical and academic circles. Short garments exposed the leg and required hose that was better supported and tighter.\n\n        By the 12th century the word meant a low shoe or slipper and later a knitted foot covering sometimes extending to the knee. By 1583 the word "stocking" was used to describe a covering for the feet and legs. "Hose" came from the Old English and Old High German word hosa, meaning leg covering.\n\n        Reverend William Lee of Nottinghamshire, England invented a sock-knitting machine in l589, and started to make hosiery out of cotton, wool and silk. The machine made bright colored socks easier to produce, cheaper, and encouraged their popularity.\n\n            The developments of better knitting techniques were enveloped as well as the introduction of the full bottom hose and codpiece. The leg sections of these limb coverings were made to fit more smoothly by means of a series of small darts, hidden by embroidery, around the ankles of the hose. As doublets and suercotehardies came into general use the hose or chausses were first worn over the breeches but eventually these became only brief trunks and were then discarded in favor of the full bottom hose. Either these styles of leg coverings were attached to the doublets or jupes by cord laces with metal tap tips.\n\n        The embroidered ankle decoration known as "Clocks" were hot fashion stuff on thigh or knee high hose in the 17th Century!\n\n        In the eighteenth century both men and women wore stockings usually white made of silk or wool.\n\n        It was the Victorians in the late 19th century who insisted than men should wear dark socks especially after the death of Albert, Queen Victoria’s husband in 1861. A long period of mourning followed which, in addition to the industrial revolution, made black the most prominent color in men’s wardrobes.\n\n        In the 1930s a new circular knitting machine meant garments could be made in one piece, and no longer needed to be sewn together.\n\n        Julian Hill was one of the scientists at the Du Pont Company in Delaware, in a group led by Wallace Carothers. Hill was looking for a silk substitute, and one day he discovered that by pulling a heated rod from a mixture of coal tar, water and alcohol he could create a filament that was strong, sheer, and silk-like in appearance. Further research led to the first synthetic fiber, which soon came to be known as Polymer 6.6. Two years later, in 1937, Du Pont patented the discovery, the same year Wallace Carothers, fatally depressed, committed suicide. As a tribute to his work, Du Pont decided that he - rather than Hill should be hailed as the inventor of Polymer 6.6.\n\n        Synthetic fibers were presented to the public at the World's Fair in New York in 1939. Taking the NY from the city's initials, the fiber became known as "nylon".\n\n        Nylon
1111774
i go canoeing almost everyday and i wear a T-shirt bathing suit or light shorts and i usually go barefoot, if you wear sandles they have a good chance of falling off if you tip and they will float away, so if you dont want to go barefoot use an old pair of tennis shoes you can get wet, and since it is your first time i highly recomend a life vest, espeically if you are going in a deep river or lake
266360
Natual footwer should be made of cotton. Try Airosoles
411917
If the air and water are warm, less is better (shorts, shirt, shoes, hat and sunblock).  If it's not, then you will need something waterproof to keep you warm (splash top and bottom, or maybe a wet suit) worn over some warmer clothes.  Synthetics are better than cotton in both cases.  They dry faster and that keeps you warmer, too.\n\nAn old pair of tennis shoes is usually a good choice, with a pair of neoprene socks if it's colder.  Lots of people like to wear sandals on the river, but you have a much better chance of smashing a toe on the rocks and your feet are less protected.\n\nOf course, always (ALWAYS!!!) wear a life jacket. No matter what type of river you're on.\n\nIf you're going on an extended (multi-day) trip, there is a great gear list on this web site: www.restwhenyoudie.com.  Just go into the rafting section, go to Middle Fork Salmon, click on Middle Fork Support, and click on "gear list" at the bottom.
834906
The best shoe period is New Balance. They have lots of wide sizes - fit great - and are still tylish
115913
You want something he will keep forever? Okay... I am a dorky person who kept a pair of socks given to me by a girl when I was in High School. She carefully selected some nice wool socks that still keep my feet warm on cold winter days & I am 43 these days.
1127853
Mittens are the warmest, but hardly the right gloves for working hands.  You should log on to outdoor apparel websites where gloves are weather/temperature rated.  The best gloves would probably be the ones that crosscountry skiers would use, since we need flexibility in gripping the poles.  Downhill gloves are probably thicker.  With modern fabrics, gloves don't have to be heavy to be effective.  Also, buy the ferrous chip packets.  You shake it to activate the heat and stick it into your gloves or boots.  They last for an hour or more.\n\nwww.REI.com\nwww.LLBean.com\nwww.Campmor.com
928777
Check out www.sierratradingpost.com  They have great stuff at a discount.  Best brands for winter sports.  Return policy is really easy too.  I have ordered tons of stuff through them for the whole family and have always been satisfied.
301445
It depends on your foot shape and structure. Your best bet would be to go to a good running store and ask the person who works their. I personally prefer Sacony's, although they are a little bit heavier then other shoes they offer more padding for the front half of the foot and have a wide base.
968540
Try pure vaseline -petroleum jelly. Wash you feet, dry them and apply a thick layer, and wear a breathable cotton socks. You will see remarkable smoothness in a few days.
564377
I carry the osprey atmos 50.  Super comfy and plenty of space if you know how to pack.  The vapor trail by granite gear and the g pack by Gregory are 2 other sub 3 lb packs that hikers like.  You don't want more than 3500 cubic inches because you will be tempted to stuff it with stuff you probably won't use.  One of the easiest ways to keep your pack weight down is to not give yourself space for junk.
145306
I do all my "outdoor" shopping at Sierra Trading Post online. Why? Because the prices are awesome, they carry name brands, they deliver quickly and they always seem to have exactly what I need.\n\nDo beware, shopping online here can take up HOURS of your free time! They not only carry hiking boots and backpacks, tents and gear -- they carry exactly the type of undergarments you seek. The silk long underwear is really nice, but they also carry the high-tech fibers that do a great job of moisture-wicking to keep you dry and warm. (see the Wickers Expedition Weight line and the Kenyon Expedition Weight long underwear pieces).\n\nHope this helps! Happy backpacking.
251804
There are many options for non-leather boots. What I recommend depends on what kind of boots you want and how much you want to pay.\n\nA vegan friend of mine who works in a warehouse doing manual labor swears by Payless Shoes for his work boots. You can probably also find boots like this at Target, WalMart, or other discount retailers.\n\nIf you want to pay a little more for something that may last longer, you can look at a variety of hiking boots. Many athletic and outdoors shoes/boots are being made out of microfiber or other synthetic leathers because they are lighter and more durable. I found a very nice pair of non-leather hiking/backpacking boots from Lowa. They are the Vertex GTX boot, made of microfiber, nylon, and goretex. They're fantastic boots, but they were pretty pricy ($225). However, I expect them to last for years of hiking and backpacking.\n\nOf course, there will be boots that fall between these price extremes. Check out the sources I listed below for some online retailers.
1083937
There are entire books devoted to tips for hiking/ backpacking (Allen & Mike's Really Cool Backpackin' Book is a favorite) so I will just focus an the 3 items you listed, food, shoes and dangers.  \n      \nFor food you don't want anything heavy (canned, ect.) or anything that takes to much fuel/time to cook.  Ramen and Lipton dinners are popular "boil and serve" options that dont cost much.  $0.10 for the ramen and less than a buck for the Lipton dinners.  You can try the link below if you want to spent a little more and buy prepackaged dehydrated meals.  Most are pricey but supprisingly good.  You want to make sure you filter and/or boil all of your water you drink AND use for cooking.  As far as eating things in the wilderness I dont recomend it.  That falls into the "If you have to ask you shouldn't put it into your mouth" catagory.  You can be a long way from a hospital in the woods.\n     \nThe terrain you  are covering and the amount your pack weigh are the 2 biggest things to consider when choosing footware.  The more your carying the more support your feet need.  Also if your hiking off trail in the wilderness you need more ankle support.  If you plan on hiking a well established trail, like the Appalachian Trail, you should be able to wear a light hiking boot made of canvas or leather and canvas.  Boots with Gore-tex have pluses and minuses.  On the plus side they are water proof but that means they dont breath as well.  Save your money if your hiking in a place that water doesn't matter.  For example, If your only crossing 1 to 2 streams a day your feet will be dryer over all by breathing without Gore-tex than if your feet were sweating all day.  Get fitted by a pro at a hiking shop and make sure to break them in before you go.  Make sure you have god socks too.  Cotton white athletic socks dont cut it.  If you are prone to blisters use a spray antiperspireant or ankle length nylons to help prevent them.  If you feel a "hot spot" on your foot while your hiking stop right away and fix it with mole skin or duct tape.  I also like to take flip flops or crocs as "camp shoes" to give my feet a break from my boots at night.\n     \nDanger depends on where you are hiking.  Wild animals want your food, not you, so you can reduce your unwanted interactions with them by not cooking by your tent, by hanging your food away from where your sleeping and by properly disposing of your scraps.  Another danger is lightining.  Stay away from ridge tops and tall trees during storms.  Speaking of tall trees you need to check for dead ones or even dead branches before you make camp.  If they come down in the night you might wake up dead.\n     \nIf you are backpacking you really want to go as light weight as you safely can.  You will be able to see more with less effort and pain.  I also highly recomend treking poles to help take the strain off of your knees and feet.\n     \nI swear I hike better than I spell.  The dag gum spell check is not working right now.  sorry.
947924
I'm going to watch this questions, because I've had the same problem!!!!  I bought silk socks to wear under my thicker wool ones and that helped a little, but the best thing I ever found was to wear boots that did not bind or tie up.  They caused the circulation to decrease in my feet.  Eventually, I just learned to ignore the cold feet if I was going to enjoy my horse.  Course the first trail ride of the winter was always sooooo miserable!  Good luck hope you get some good advice.