What are the best socks for hiking?

>>676181
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/69626519/faux-paws-animal-themed-paw-socks

>>676181
I recommend Fits. I wear them daily. No seams, they don't bunch up, merino wool. .. just really solid socks.

>>676181
My feet sweat like a motherfucker when I'm hiking innadesert. I like a cotton/wool blend, they seem to stay dry better than most fabrics and blends I've tried.

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>>676219
>cotton/wool blend
really? well whatever whurks. i would think a wool with silk/acrylic/nylon or some variation would be better than cotton, as long as you get an appropriate thickness for your climate and activity. the generic rule of thumb is thin for heat, thick for cold, stay away from cotton at all times. but maybe it's more complicated than that

i use craftsman wool work socks, they're medium thickness and seem to work for everuthing, including the freezing-as-tits cold

I like the darn tough brand of socks. Life time warrantee too.

>>676226
This and smartwool. I own about a half dozen pairs of each.

>>676226
I use Darn Tough, and they are very good socks. My only issue with them is that they become very rigid after 2 days of wear. After 200 miles I got a small hole in the top of one sock, but because of the warranty I am able to return it, The Smartwool PHD are rated very high as well, but I have no experience with them. Check out outdoorgearlab to see reviews on various socks and other equipment, it is a very nice site.

>>676254
> a very nice site

Implying 4chan is a wreached hive of scum and villany.

>>676254
>My only issue with them is that they become very rigid after 2 days of wear
>are your socks so smelly they can probably stand up by themselves?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pOtmdHiCJNY

>>676181
Sandals

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>>676181
These, picked up 4 more pairs since my pairs I purchased in 2004 are beginning to wear out.

>>676221
Some people say that cotton in and of itself is not a deal breaker, its just clothing/equipment made of pure cotton. Cotton blends actually work quite well; have you ever gotten a T-shirt from a fund-raiser or some other event? The tag usually says something like 50% polyester/50%cotton. The purpose is to have the cotton fibers soak up the sweat and then for the polyester fibers, which are right next to the cotton because of the weave, to allow the sweat to evaporate. There are cotton/polyester shirts,socks jackets and other items that might be worth experimenting with.

>>676226
>>676254
Started using Darn Tough last summer. Put some quick and hard miles on em. Got some for the lady hiker too, now she's all about them too.

Just hiked today in Rain and Snow...boots were dry, socks were breathing. Zero hotspots or blisters.

I have some wigwam socks. Ultimax pro I think they're called.

Wore them hiking in 80 degree weather one day.

My feet were on fire. Like surface of the sun fire.

I need some suggestions for got weather hiking socks. Everything I find is just way too hot.

>>676181
seamles thin synthetics as inner socks, and some nice thick woolen ones (I like smartwool, but thats me) on the outside.
The Two socks trick is something I learned in Scandinavia, near impossible to get blisters with this setup.

I don't have any fancy hiking socks. I'm allergic to wool and a lot of them seem to contain wool.

I just use a regular pair of tall athletic cotton blend socks, with a second pair of no-show ankle socks over it.

>>676396
like business socks basically? your inner pair

>>676181
Kirkland brand wool socks from Costco.
Love wool socks, but smart wool and darn tough are too expensive. Like 25-30 for 1 pair.
I got 4 pairs for $11 at Costco, and they're just as good so far.

>>676406
>like business socks basically? your inner pair
Yes exactly. Most storts stores have dedicated liner socks, which are usually cheaper than buisness socks, but normal buisness socks do works just as well. Just make sure they got no cushion to speak of and are synthetics.

The trick is that the inner socks rub against the outher socks, which takes all the friction away from your skin. sounds stupid, but works great.

>>676414
Whats a good brand of liner socks? Sounds like it would be comfy.

>>676475
>Whats a good brand of liner socks? Sounds like it would be comfy.
I usually buy the 4pairsfor5eurosnoname and they work just fine. If you need a name, Rohner is top notch.

If you buy thin (like almost see trough) synthetic socks, they will work fine.

>>676396
Agree. My buddy who was a guide on Denali and Rainier told me about this technique. Will be testing as we prepare for some through hiking this summer.

>>676396
I do this in the winter, dress socks under heavy wool socks. Best part is that on multiple day trips, only the dress socks have to be changed/washed regularly, I'll wear the same wools for a week.

I've been looking into getting some darn toughs though for summer. I walk a ton, in addition to a decent amount of hiking, and I get holes in my socks so quick I'm tired of paying for new ones.

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ive had a million different wool socks as a skier. smartwool is the call, but if its warm out i like underarmor heatgear.

i got pic related for hiking recently, and i love them.

>>676181
rei makes wool, silk or synthetic liner socks. ive had the silk and synthetic, and the silk ones can go much longer than synthetic before turning rancid and needing to be rinsed in a stream or hung up. and they are both the same price for a pair.

>>676181
Alpaca

>/thread

>>676267
It's nothing that intense, just noticeably stiff. My friend has had this issue as well.

>>676952
>/threading you're own post
l do like me some strait up wool socks. Still have some my mom knit for me from years ago. Shits pretty warm. Also have heated socks that were only 10 bucks from Giant Tiger, they work surprisingly well up here

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The best ones are the ones your grandma made for you

>>676256
It is, but that's why I keep coming back.

>>676183
Fuck off shill no one wants your cheap furfag socks

>>676181
Wool.
That's about it, really.

>>677383
My grandma's dead :(

I use Darn Tough boot socks for both every day and hiking wear. I have not found them to get especially stiff for a second day of wear, but I rarely go on outings longer than three days, and when I do, I still tend to wash my clothes.

My feet are rather high volume (double wide according to some shoe companies; also thick/tall) so I can't guarantee anything about the fit for others.

Primarily wool socks are amazing. I was a convert when I first tried out Kirkland brand socks.
I used to get very hot feet, so much so that I'd have to kick off my shoes in class in high school, and once went to the bathroom just to pull off my socks and lot them cool down. But with wool socks my feet sometimes get hot, but never that crazy run away hot that makes it feel like they're melting. I attribute it to the ability to absorb and wick away sweat instead of causing some kind of run away enhancing humidity effect.

One backpacking trip it rained every minute of an in and out. So on the way out some of the trails, particularly river crossings, were completely flooded. We ultimately just marched through water that came up to our knees in places. But in wool socks my feet remained basically comfortable, more so than the rest of me at least, even when we stopped for lunch. (This is part of why I prefer shoes that are not only not water proof, but actually ported, to allow water to exit them.)

I've also tried multiple models from Icebreaker and Bridgedale, and one from SmartWool, Point Six, and Wigwam.

The problem with the Kirkland socks was durability. They were made with inferior wool and it showed. They were very comfortable but I only got a year of use out eight. SmartWool socks (PhD light hikers I think?) were very comfortable, but deteriorated even faster than the Kirkland socks that cost a quarter as much.

>>677546

I barely even remember the deal with the Wigwam socks.

At 2.5 years and counting for the rest of the socks, which I bought in one large batch: Bridgedale's elastic has loosened noticeably, and it has more pilling than the others. Point Six seems like it's grown thinner without actually looking threadbare at all. Like it's lost loft or something. It's still comfortable and still insulates well enough, though I didn't go winter hiking at all this last season (job issues). Icebreaker (despite being all wool) has only had the mildest pilling. The Darn Tough socks look almost new.

The Bridgedale socks were noticeably more comfortable when I bought them than the others. Kind of luxuriously loft.

The Icebreaker socks are noticeably warmer than other socks (but not to the point of causing overheating), and also noticeably tighter. They're the first socks I'd recommend for those of narrow and cold feet.

So Darn Tough only won by a hair really, but they still won.
I'm vaguely considering getting a bunch of high end synthetic or other non-wool socks to compare, but it's hard to justify given how good the wool socks have been to me.

Has anybody tried Bombas socks? Their kickstarter was well advertised, but, especially given the material, I don't find myself that intrigued.

>>676908
>>676396
>>676535
I too recommend liner socks, particularly for hiking. I have tried very few brands, but Bridgedale's is worthwhile.

>>677383
Lucky.

>>676219
I sweat profusely in all climates and find that pure merino works best for activity, and linen for hot weather leisure where one is not wearing a backpack. Different strokes for different blokes, I suppose.

>>676226
>>676254
>>676325
>>677546
I've got a pair of Darn Tough for every day of the week. Only one small hole in the heel of one sock in a year. All other socks only last me a few months at best. They're damn comfortable too.

Duluth makes some pretty GOAT socks.