mlw,

DH and I have only ever worn those special socks made for hiking--don't know their name but I get ours at Whole Earth Provision. They are softer than cotton, imo, and wear like iron, absorb sweat, etc. They can be pricey but over the years have proven to be worth the money.

The first hiking shoes I bought were the high-top leather ones that I waterproofed--and I hated them. They were too heavy and too hot for most of my day hikes. I'm sure they would be approprite for multi-day backpacking through water and over rocks.

Since then I've worn various lighter weight hikers (still high rise but fabric that I waterproofed) or the newer lowrise hikers with great success on trails in Alaska, California, Utah, Switzerland, and various other places. I've only had one twisted ankle (I don't remember what I was wearing) and a few slides in loose dirt/rocks. They really take the loose material and slippery surfaces of trails better than walking shoes.

My husband has purchased his first pair of trail runners. He's wearing them on our daily walks on the asphalt trail here at home to break in for wherever our next hike is.

I bought my shoes at a local sports and casual clothing and shoe store. My husband bought his at one of the discount shoe chains. My are Salomon. I don't have luck at REI instore as they tend to just carry medium width.

I did switch from cotton socks to synthetics plus a sock liner for hikes. I don't know that the socks have made a difference, but the liners help me avoid blisters.

I gave up hiking boots long ago; my ankles didn't seem to need the extra support, and I figured I didn't need the extra weight to lift on every step. I do tend to prefer a "rough terrain" type shoe with a stiffer sole and more tread depth over a pure running shoe for backpacking or rocky trails.

I've become a total convert to Thorlo hiking socks. Amazingly durable, comfortable, and do a great job of keeping my sweaty feet dry. I was put off by the price in the past, but now they are my default socks unless I'm wearing dress shoes.

I have some day hikers that I got at REI online, but for an upcoming trip I bought a pair of Vasque Gore-tex hikers. They are ankle-high and fabric/leather combo. It took me six tries to find the right boots - I ordered two batches of three pairs from Onlineshoes.com, which had a great selection of hiking boots.

I've been ordering hiking socks from Campmor.com. I'm new to hiking socks, but the Columbia ones seem pretty good so far. I'm trying different brands and I'll post how they are after my trip.

I do a LOT of hiking, plus cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, etc. After a lot experimenting, I've settled on Thorlo and Smartwool socks as the best. Try REIoutlet.com for sale socks.