Podiatrist Dr. Neil Moncrieff said a good sock is important for all walkers taking part in this weekend's Catlin End-to-End event.

"Many people buy packs of ten pairs or so for discount rates in drug stores and supermarkets," he said. But unless those value packs are good sport socks he says people are doing themselves an injustice.

"What's the point of having a two dollar sock and then putting your foot in a $120 sneaker,' he said.

Support and cushioning are important for the foot but most important is keeping the foot dry. According to Dr. Moncrieff, cotton socks, once thought to be the best thing to wear, have now been improved on with man-made fibers.

"These new fibers wick away moisture from the foot keeping them drier than a cotton sock used to," he said. The less time moisture is in contact with the skin of the feet the better. Feet need to be kept dry to minimize the chance of blisters, bad odour and fungal and other microbial growth.

In fact there are sport socks on the market that are constructed with anti-microbial fibers, cushioning and support. Dr. Moncrieff recommends these new fiber socks and depending on the activity you are using it for, you may want it to have gel cushioning, or arch support.

He noted that the new fibred socks are also better able to hug the foot, cutting down on loose sock material bungling under the foot or around the ankle causing added friction and increasing the chance of chafing and blistering.

"If you are diabetic and your feet are prone to swelling, make sure that the sock does not hug above the ankle too much," he said.

And he suggested that white or light coloured socks are probably best for diabetics, just in case they get a blood blister that breaks, they'll be able to identify it more readily.

Sock colour for non-diabetics is purely a matter of personal preference, according to Dr. Moncrieff, although he noted that dark colours retain heat and will keep feet hot.

Wearing two socks for more cushioning? According to Dr. Moncrieff it's better to get a double-layered sock. These are marketed as anti-blistering, as there are two layers of fabric through which the moisture is wicked. The inner layer wicks moisture directly off the skin while the outer layer helps ensure the moisture doesn't seep back to the foot.

Double layered socks also reduce friction that would normally occur on the skin of the foot. The interaction of the outer and inner sock layers sees that friction absorbed within the sock.

Dr. Moncrieff said the single double layer sock will be less bulky and most likely allows your walking shoe or sneaker to fit much better. This further reduces the chance of developing a blister.

He recommends the following makes and styles all available locally: Asics anti microbial microfibre and WrightSock double layer.