Bring salt
If you really can't find any leech socks, one way to get by is to spray your socks at the sections above the ankles with ample insects repellent e.g. "Off". This will slow down the leeches when they try to climb up and you can spot and remove them. I'd done this many times.
Stuffed said:But salt soaked socks and insect repellent will be washed off if it rains. So leech socks will probably be the best defence?