Coolmax socks

[princesscj]

Does anyone wear these to the parks? Thanks!

 

[Tegra89]

I have read about these but have not bought any. I would like some information on them too. If they work, maybe where to buy them.

 

[o2bacelt]

I haven't worn them to the parks yet but I will when I'm down in March.

What I have worn them for is the Avon 2-Day Walk for Breast Cancer and I only ended up with one blister the entire weekend and it wasn't a bad one at all. They helped me a lot and it was pouring rain the first day (more like swimming than walking) but I really recommend them.

Hope that helps!

 

[beattyfamily]

Some people swear by them but they didn't help me. I think it's because my feet just don't like the sock/sneaker combo no matter what I tried. So I switched to Teva sandals with Bodyglide to prevent hot spots and I haven't had a blister since.

But if you really love sneakers, they I do recommend getting some coolmax socks. They keep moisture away which helps prevent blisters. I got mine at Walmart.

 

[ajcolorado]

We have gotten blister resistant socks at both REI and Walmart and my husband says they really do help alot. The key is to not wait until you are already starting to have trouble to start wearing them.

The other product we swear by once a sore spot is starting is Dr. Scholl's Mole Skin. It is sold in the foot care section of the pharmacy area of your grocery store. Cut a piece that much bigger than your affected area (feet move a lot) and stick the sticky side over the sore spot. The fuzzy side allows the shoe to slide over without rubbing the skin. It's also great for sort of holding together a cut, so that you're not re-injuring the foot as it moves.

We also try to make sure our shoes are well broken in before taking them to WDW. We've been known to take a nail file to a pointy or rough part of a strap etc.

We have used the cool-max type shirts alot - it is great that they dry quickly once you get off Splash Mountain etc. Nothing like wet denim to chafe, that's for sure.

 

[GrillMouster]

As far as I'm concerned CoolMax socks and a good pair of walking shoes (New Balance) are a necessity for the parks. Regular socks just absorb sweat and moisture, which makes them stick to your skin. The resulting friction causes blisters or just sore skin. CoolMax wicks away the moisture instead of absorbing it. My feet feel cooler and dryer, and I've never had a blister!

DW swore that her Payless Shoe Source sneakers & thick gym socks were all she needed for our several-hunderd trips to the parks. She would always have blisters and sore feet by early evening. Call me insensitive, but it drove me crazy because she would "slow us down" and would put a damper on the evening. I felt bad for her pain and would always give her a good foot rub each night, but what upset me if that her pains could have been avoided if she would listen to me and get a decent pair of shoes and socks. Last year she finally got a pair of New Balance walking shoes, and we've enjoyed our trips a whole lot more since then. She still insists on using thick gym socks for the cushion they provide. All of the CoolMax socks we've found for women are thin as paper (the men's coolmax socks I got at Target are thick like regular socks). I say the cushion from socks is negligible, and cushion should come from the shoes, not the socks. The socks should wick moisture and prevent blisters.

Many swear by sandals, and more power to them. Personally, I don't like them for the following reasons:
1) I don't like cold feet. Even if it's warm outside, it can get cold in some of the attractions.
2) Sneakers provide better protection when the people around you step on your feet (and they will) and the person behind you (often, but not always a child) kicks your heels.
3) I like the all-around athletic support of a good shoe.
4) New Balance feel as light as air!
5) I've seen so many disgusting feet in sandals; it just grosses me out!

 

[Disney Doll]

I like Thorlo socks. They wick like Coolmax, but are pretty thick and cushy.

I also like crocs as a shoe. They are very comfortable, have little massaging things on the insole, they seem to spread the impact of walking out along the whole insole and therefore along your whole foot, so that no one spot seems to get constant rubbing.

 

[beth_cam]

I wore some cool max socks last time. I only have 3 pairs and I think only 2 made it on the trip. We used to play roller-hockey and wore them for that. I dont know if the ones I have are different, being an athletic performance sock instead of just a moisture wisking sock. They were long enough to come out well above a hockey skate. But, what I really felt helped was the socks are 2 thin layers. Not only did it help with moisture but then layers were supposed to make friction occure between the layers instead of on your foot. I also used on my trip antipersperant as I'd read on here to do. I only got to wear the socks a couple of days but it must have helped it wasnt until the 6th day that I got a blister. I'm considering getting some more of them.

 

[scoutsmom99]

Most major department stores carry cool-max socks. I know that Gold-Toe has some athletic socks that have the cool-max technology.

 

[Deedlbugg]

Never even heard of them, thanks for the tip!

 

[MouseWorshipin]

Used to use MoleSkin, but have switched to Body Glide. Just rub that stuff on your feet! So quick and NO blisters!

And I always wear my cheapo Reebok Princess shoes - the kind nurses wear.

 

[jillybeanjo]

Do I wear Coolmax socks? Yes, indeed! On our first few trips to WDW I ended up with terrible blisters - one on almost every toe and other tender spots on my feet. Then I discovered the joy of Coolmax. On subsequent trips I have rarely had blisters.

By the end of my first trip with Coolmax socks, my DD said, "Mom, get over your socks already!" because I raved about them every single day. I definitely recommend them - they have made a huge difference for me.

 

[ajcolorado]

Where do you buy Body Glide?

 

[beattyfamily]

Where do you buy Body Glide?

At camping stores and sporting goods stores. I got mine at www.rei.com.

Blistershield which also works great and comes in a roll on and a powder (for sneakers) is available at sporting good stores.

I use Bodyglide for my feet and Blistershield for chafing between my legs.

 

[WaltD4Me]

I use Body Glide...and love it! ... I got it at an athletic shoe store.

So if you use Body Glide do you still need Cool Max socks?

 

[jackskellingtonsgirl]

I bought some Cool Max socks at Target before our October trip and SURPRISE! they were HUGE! Even after I washed them they were enormous, which makes no sense. I wear a size 8 shoe! I have never had socks that were too big! There is no way I could have put my shoe on over all that extra fabric! Now I am stuck with socks I will never wear. But I did see that Target now has TONS of moisture wicking socks in all different styles and thicknesses. Just don't wait until the last minute to buy them! You'll need time to buy more if they don't fit properly!

If you have kids, Gap has sport socks that are designed to wick away moisture. Those socks DO shrink, and they shrink DRASTICALLY. Beware.

 

[princesscj]

Thanks for the advice, especially about the kid socks at Gap. I would have never thought of that.