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Best Toe Sock Liners for Hiking: Comparing Injini Coolmax and Nuwool Liners with Smartwool Merino Socks

ThomCatStevens

New Member
Time of past OR future Camino
Future Frances or Portugese
Hi all,
Has anyone used Injini Coolmax toe socks or Nuwool toe socks with 41% ‘Nuwool’(NOT the ones with 74% Merino wool) under merino socks?

Pros and cons for each for blister prevention? I guess both would dry out quickly after washing and drying in June...

I'm walking the Camino Frances in June.

Thanks in advance for your feedback!
 
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Have used the Injini Coolmax for about the last 5 years, both on Camino and walking in UK. Never had a blister since using them. I do also use Gehwol, which comes highly recommended.
Buen Camino
 
Phil Smith said:
Have used the Injini Coolmax for about the last 5 years, both on Camino and walking in UK. Never had a blister since using them. I do also use Gehwol, which comes highly recommended.
Buen Camino
Click to expand...
Thanks for that, Phil. I've heard a lot of good feedback on them and glad they have worked for you.
I'm trying to get people's thoughts on one or the other (Coolax vs. Nuwool versions).

thanks again!
 
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Always! I won't take a walk without them anymore. Even a shorter walk at home. I used to blister around my toes all the time - never a problem since I started wearing them with my merino wool cushioned socks (darn tough or injinji brand). I rarely get any blisters now - if I do they are very small but they are usually because I change something about my choice in shoe. I do have a combination of the merino vs nuwool injinjis - they are the same on my feet.
 
I have injinji liner socks, also the coolmax and merino ones too. Without toe socks I suffer from blisters between my smallest two toes. On camino I wear the liner injinji with Icebreaker light merino hiker socks. They are my most comfortable solution combined with my choice of shoes.

I suggest you try out sock and shoe combinations to find what works best for you. I did a lot of testing to find what worked best for me and had no foot issues on the CF last year. As manufacturers change their products and I don't have standard shaped feet I am always testing at home!
 
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I have used both. The wool ones are a little thicker, and I like them for colder weather, but have used them in the Summer, also. Whatever fits in your shoes the best. If you have one foot bigger than the other, as I do, you could use the wool on your smaller foot.
 
I wear Injini socks daily. Started using them on my first CF in 2015 and never looked back. Four CFs, total of four blisters which were my fault.
 
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I wear them under a pair of darn tough socks and they are great! No blisters at all!
 
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On the Francés I wore them with darn tough socks but on the VDLP I wore them on their own. Love them - no blisters!
 
Can't stand to have anything between my toes. Don't even like flip flops, so try out a pair before you invest too much money,
 
I've worn both types, on their own without having issues. I now wear them while I'm home. Can't imagine walking/hiking without my "toe socks".
 
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J Willhaus said:
Can't stand to have anything between my toes. Don't even like flip flops, so try out a pair before you invest too much money,
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Yep - definitely try them out before investing in too many pairs. That said - give them a good decent try. I thought I would hate them. Took a month or two to get used to them. Now I won't hike without them.

But some of us will LOVE them, some of us will HATE them haha. But really - give them a at least a month before deciding! Unless they cause foot problems beyond you just don't like anything between toes. (This statement isn't to J Wilhaus as I know you are a veteran pilgrim and I know you know what you like in footwear - but to the others reading this thread)
 
The Injini Coolmax toe socks were a Godsend for me! I had major blister problems on my first camino in 2015 and a couple of hiking trips after where I continued to have blister problems. A few years after those initial painful journeys I discovered the Injini liners and never looked back! So 7 years later and several pilgrimages later they have been the perfect solution for me - never any feet problems since. It may feel a little funny at first but you'll get used to them very quickly and not even notice you have them on.
 
As with all gear, try it out at home before your Camino on a 25Km walk to see if it works for you!


-Paul
 
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