What Are The Best Hiking Socks And How To Choose The Right Pair

• Darn Tough Hiker Micro Crew Light Cushion Socks

  Made in Vermont with a lifetime warranty, these socks are tough, comfortable and fit well with very few negative points

  TotalHiker’s Best Overall Hiking Socks

• Danish Endurance Merino Wool Hiking Socks

  The Danish designed socks have been taken to the top of Everest. These are a great choice.

  TotalHiker’s Best Value Hiking Sock

• Darn Tough Coolmax Micro Crew Cushion Sock

  Entirely synthetic, these are tough, fast drying and comfortable with sll with no Merino wool

  Best Hiking Socks For Vegans

• Smartwool Heavy Cushion Trekking Crew Socks

  The heavy cushioning makes these socks a great choice for tough trails with heavy loads and cold weather trekking.

  Best Hiking Socks For Cold Weather

• Smartwool Men’s Crew Ultra Light Hiking Socks

  Lightweight Merino socks that fit well and keep your feet cool, just the tocket for hot summer hikes.

  TotalHiker’s Best Hot Weather Hiking Socks

Please note, we may receive a commission on anything you buy after clicking one of these links. This does not affect the picks as we would get paid anywyay, but it does help us to keep this site running.

Hiking Sock Reviews

Above is our list of the best hiking socks depending on what you want them for.

We split this out into the best all-rounders, best budget, best non-wool/for vegans, best for cold weather and best for hot weather.

Within those you should be able to find a pair that works well for your needs. If you are a casual hiker, then we would suggest you go for the all-rounders as they will work in pretty much any situation or either the budget or vegan picks as they are also great all-rounders.

The cold weather pick is great for both cold weather and, because of the additional cushioning, they make a good pick for wearing with heavy packs or on really rugged terrain.

Finally the hot weather pair we would only suggest you pick if you are only hiking hot weather or trekking very lightweight as they lack the cushioning of the others. HOwever they are suprb if you are desert trekking!

With that, let’s get into more detail on the individual reviews…

Darn Tough Hiker Micro Crew Light Cushion Socks – Overall Best Hiking Socks

We gave the Darn Tough pair the top prize because they fit really well, the Merino is tough, yet comfortable and does a great job with regulating your temperature in pretty much any weather.

However, the thing that tipped it was their lifetime warranty – you can literally buy them, wear them out, send them back and get a new pair!

That is not to say they wear out easily – quite the contrary! With seamless construction, high-quality merino wool married to high-density knitting creates a seriously tough pair of socks.

This toughness does mean that there are some socks out there that feel a little plusher, but not enough to make me give up the toughness and warranty.

There is also excellent cushioning and breathability, Darn Tough seems to have found the best compromise between comfort and retaining too much heat.

All this would be pointless if they slipped down into your boot or got riled up and caused blisters, but they don’t. The seamless construction has created no pressure points for me and the grip around the toe and foot is just right.

Overall these things can be used in just about any weather bar the very hottest and coldest and are hands down my favorite.

Danish Endurance Merino Wool Hiking Socks – Best Value Hiking Socks

These Danish designed socks are remarkably good value at the moment.

However, the thing that tipped it was their lifetime warranty – you can literally buy them, wear them out, send them back and get a new pair!

They were designed with a Danish mountaineer and you can tell the engineering is great. The fit is really good, although some people with chunkier calves may find them a bit tight there.

I had no issues with pressure points or them slipping down and found the cushioning to be excellent too.

The merino wool is comfortable and the breathability is possibly even better than the Darn Tough’s above!

I also really like the look of them – being Danish, they naturally come in red, but the yellow looks good too…and don’t worry, they come in much more muted tones too!

Overall these run the Darn Tough’s close in most categories and even beat them in some.

So why didn’t I give these the best overall prize? It is Darn Tough’s lifetime warranty! I think that these are great and the price is surprisingly low, but if you doa lot of hiking, the extra you pay for the Darn Tough will be paid back many times over.

However, if you are not going to be hiking that much, these are a great choice and are also available in women’s sizes through the same link above.

Darn Tough Coolmax Micro Crew Cushion Sock – Best Hiking Socks for Vegans / No Wool

If you are vegan or simply do not want wool in your socks, these are an excellent choice

As you would expect, Darn Tough has kept the same fit as our top picks and yes, they fit really well!

By removing the merino wool these socks will also dry out even faster than their wool siblings. They are also pretty much as comfortable too.

So why not pick these as the best overall? Well, merino does a great job with regulating your temperature in both hot and cold, that these cannot quite match.

That is not to say these are bad, quite the contrary, they are excellent socks and I would have no problem pulling on a pair of these if the others were not available.

They also come with Darn Tough’s lifetime warranty, which means you can buy them, wear them out, send them back and get a new pair!

The cushioning and the fit on the trail are excellent with no slippage or any pressure points, so my feet came away blister-free.

Overall these things can be used in just about any weather bar the very hottest and coldest and are hands down my favorite.

Smartwool Heavy Cushion Trekking Crew Socks – Best Cold Weather Hiking Socks

These socks feature quite a bit of padding. This makes them remarkably comfy and warm.

All this cushioning means that if you are going to be hitting some rough terrain with a heavy pack, these are the socks to slip on.

It must be said, they do lack some of the clever breathable panels of some of the other socks, which means that your feet will get hotter, so keep this in mind if you are hiking in the warmer months.

On the flip side, this means that in the colder months, you have even more reason to go with these. They will keep your feet warm, even in a sleeping bag at the end of the day.

The biggest downside of this extra thickness is that they can take a while longer to try than other socks. If your boots are good and waterproof this should not be an issue though.

The other thing you do need to check though is the fit with your boots. The extra cushioning adds a little bit more depth to these socks. So if your boots fit well with lighter cushioning, you may find things a bit tight with these.

Finally, they are not quite as well fitted as the thinner socks. I did not get any blisters with these, but there were a few hotspots that might cause issues if you wear these on a big thru-hike.

Smartwool Men’s Crew Ultra-Light Hiking Socks – Best Hiking Socks for Hot Weather Hiking

If you like to hike in the heat, you are probably not going to be taking too much extra gear, so for hot-weather hiking, this is our pick as the best ultralight hiking sock.

As you would expect, it is engineered to be highly breathable and wicking to get that sweat away from your skin as quickly as possible.

On the downside, there is not much cushioning, so you will feel what is under your feet a bit more making them less good for wearing with heavy packs.

In addition, the thinner materials also mean they are less hard-wearing. To counter this, Smartwool has started to use Indestructawool, which helps to make them more hard wearing. You will not get the same level of warranty as the Darn Tough models, but they are not going to wear out any time soon.

So if you are looking for a very lightweight sock, these are a great pick, but if you only hike in heat occasionally, some of the others are better all-rounders and we would go with those.

What To Look For In A Good Hiking Sock

Hiking socks for a day-hike or longer backpacking trip should match the forecast weather and hike conditions.

A well-fitting sock can benefit from compression ache panels, cushioned toes, and heels. Plus, a liner system can help protect the feet on a long hike. A thick sock in wool is great for extra comfort and warmth while also helping to prevent issues with blisters.

When picking out hiking gear, we tend to forget one crucial area, one that is, strangely enough, the area we use most when hiking – our feet. While a good set of hiking boots is a must, what about the socks?

Socks specially crafted for hiking aren’t just another money grab, they can make the difference between being able to complete a long day hike with just sore muscles or quitting early in utter misery with blisters and worse.

It is a piece of gear you want to invest in, but you definitely don’t want to use your everyday socks for the same purpose.

Why Choose a Hiking Sock?

When looking for a good pair of hiking socks, you need to know exactly what their purpose needs to be.

For some, they want hiking socks that do a lot of things that their normal socks don’t, but for others, they just want one or two good features. When looking for a pair of good hiking socks, consider which of these features you want:

• Extra cushioning – Hiking boots, especially those not broken in yet, can be pretty hard on your feet.
• Wicking away moisture – Excess moisture is one big cause of blisters.
• Keeping your feet warm in colder temperatures – Obviously not a priority for desert hiking.
• Reducing friction – Another anti-blister measure.
• Improved boot fit – If your boot is a size 11 when you should have gotten 11 1/2, a hiking sock can help keep things comfortable.

Types of Hiking Socks

It used to be that you didn’t have much choice in hiking sock. You got the thick rag-wool models that worn down pretty quickly and kept your feet almost unbearably warm.

However, these days hiking socks are practically technical wonders. Now they come in a variety of different materials that can suit almost anyone’s needs.

Now some hiking socks come with tighter elastic so your socks don’t slowly roll down your calves while walking, others come with stronger fibers to resist abrasion, and the best socks come with extra cushioning and moisture-wicking power.

Of course, with the technical advances in hiking socks also came with an increase in price, so it is best to know what to look for in a hiking sock before buying.

Choose the Right Material

Hiking socks should never be made out of cotton, even if hiking in hot climates where the breathability is preferred. Cotton sops up moisture and holds it there. Not only do they take forever to dry, but they cause blisters. Instead, your choice should be between wool and synthetics.

Wool tends to be more expensive, but it both keeps feet warm and dry at the same time. Merino wool is preferable as it tends to be softer and less scratchy.

Synthetics, on the other hand, should be used in hotter climates or for those with really sweaty feet. They are the best material for wicking away moisture.

Get The Proper Fit

This can be so hard when shopping for a hiking sock online, but so many hikers don’t have many other options.

Luckily, most manufacturers give recommended shoe sizes for their socks. It might take a bit of experimenting, but a hiking sock should be snug, but not tight. They are not compression socks, after all.

Any bagginess or extra length at the heel or toe means that your socks are too big. They should be returned for a size smaller, if possible.

Caring for Hiking Socks

Hiking socks are expensive, so it is worth it to go out of your way to take good care of them. By making the extra effort with them, your hiking socks will last as long as possible.

Here are some cleaning tips to keep your hiking sock working hard:

• Wash the socks inside out – The inside of your boot should be pretty clean, so what you really want to wash off is all the skin and sweat on the inside of the sock from your foot.
• Use only a small amount of fabric softener – Using too much fabric softener will breaks down the elasticity of the fibers, using too little will make them less soft and comfortable.
• Air dry – Not only will commercial dryers shrink your socks, but they will also wear out the elasticity. Air drying is gentler, and doesn’t put your socks at risk.
• Use only for hiking – Not only will wearing your hiking socks every day put more wear and tear on them, but you will have to wash them more frequently. Hiking socks are strictly for hiking only.

Here are seven things to look for when searching the right pair of socks for the next hiking trip:

Cooling Technology

Sock with a cooling technology are manufactured from a fabric with technical and natural fibers which is useful for its ability to wick moisture from the skin and promote air circulation.

Socks of this nature are a practical choice for hikes taking place through the warmer months of the year.

Fit

A pair of hiking socks should provide a comfortable and tight fit. Socks that are too tight can have a negative impact on circulation in the region of the feet – but socks too loose will rub and lead to chafing and blisters.

The length of the socks is also important. If the socks don’t pull up above the height of the boots, discomfort might be noticed from the tongue and heel of the boots – although, for the socks that can be pulled too far up this can result in the feet/lower legs getting too warm.

Material

The preferred material of the hiking socks should match the planned hike. A preferred fabric for wet-weather hiking is wool which is great at protecting the feet, but will take a while to dry after getting wet.

For the hike in wet or cold climates, it can benefit to wear a mid-range to heavy sock in wool for the outer layer and a tight first layer sock can also be worn. For the hikes in mild temperature, fast-drying fabric in a synthetic material might be advisable. Socks with nylon in the makeup are useful for wicking moisture from the skin.

Also for the lighter socks that don’t perform well with wicking, it might benefit to wear liners. Plus, make sure you aren’t allergic to a particular fabric before buying the socks.

Padding

Extra padding for the socks means more comfort for the feet on the trails, especially in the toe and heel area.

Plus, padding can even appear underfoot to increase the cushioning while hiking over the most difficult terrain.

Thickness

Hiking socks vary in the thickness of the material from thin to double-layered. A thin, light pair of socks is a practical choice for the short length, easy or warm day hikes. A mid-range pair of sock is best for the reasonably warm weather hikes and tougher hikes.

Upgrade to the thick socks if planning a hike in cold or damp hiking conditions.

Treated

Hiking socks can be treated with special technology for better and long-lasting protection on the trails.

Socks with anti-mosquito properties are great at repelling insects in the warmer climates. Plus, the anti-bacterial socks help to prevent issues with odor to make them wearable for longer if needed.

Wicking

The most effective socks for hiking or similar outdoor activities are those rated with high wicking which means the fabric has the ability to move the build-up of moisture from the skin.

This has a practical benefit from preventing the development of blisters and helps to control the temperature of the feet.