OBLONG, ILLINOIS — Sienna Whitfield discovered a dirty little secret about backpacking partner Tayla Neville. In a drastic break with backpacking’s conventional wisdom, Ms. Neville apparently does not maintain a pair of sacred socks used only for sleeping.
“So we’re in the tent getting ready to go to sleep and Tayla asks me why I’ve got a pair of socks just for sleeping… who doesn’t know about sacred socks?” Ms. Whitfield wonders in a mystified tone. “It’s like Backpacking 101, you put on a fresh pair of socks when getting in your sleeping bag. It keeps your bag cleaner and gives your feet a chance to heal from the day’s sweat, salt, and pounding.”
Ms. Neville responds that she just didn’t want to carry the extra weight, she’s never able to sleep in socks, she doesn’t think the technique helps her foot care regimen, and that Ms. Whitfield’s sacred socks smell gross.
The Hiking Times 