The best way to stay comfortable on longer hikes is to buy good-quality hiking boots. Right after that, choosing good quality socks is very important. Let’s look at which socks you should wear with your hiking shoes to keep you comfortable.
Walking boots should be worn with walking socks that are high enough to reach above the shoe and are made of natural materials (merino wool). Such socks will give you maximum comfort when walking, will keep your feet more rested even after hiking for hours, and will not cause chafing or blisters.
In the rest of this post, I’ll show you the features of the best hiking socks and where you can buy them. I’ll tell you whether it’s good to wear hiking socks in summer and whether thick or thin socks are better.
What socks should you wear with walking boots?
The biggest indicator of the quality of hiking socks is the materials. Materials play an important role in the comfort, skin health, and durability of hiking socks. The importance of materials becomes even more apparent in long-duration activities such as hiking and running. During these activities, our feet are constantly exposed to the friction of the shoe and uneven terrain.
Since running and walking are quite similar activities, I wondered in a previous post whether we could wear running socks for walking, too, and save some money and space in the wardrobe. You can read the full post here.
Quality hiking socks include:
- They are made of natural materials (merino wool),
- They are thick and
- They are long enough to go over hiking boots.
To ensure that the socks give uf comfort even after walking for hours and that our feet don’t hurt too much, we need to choose socks that:
- Breathe well so that our skin is not deprived of fresh air to cool it down, and we start to sweat later.
- Absorb and wick sweat away from the skin. If sweat accumulates on the skin, this causes the skin to heat up and consequently sweat more. It is, therefore, important that socks absorb and wick away as much sweat as possible so that it does not build up on our skin.
- Socks should be long enough to reach above the walking shoes to protect us from rubbing against the shoes and to absorb more sweat.
- Soft and cushioned enough to reduce the foot rubbing that causes pain and unpleasant blisters on the feet.
Hiking socks and ski socks are very similar. If you like hiking and skiing, you may be wondering whether hiking socks can also be worn for skiing. Read the full post here.
Why is merino wool the best material for hiking socks?
Merino wool is great for many types of socks: dress socks, running socks, everyday socks, and even walking socks. It has such versatile uses thanks to its positive properties:
- it is an excellent insulator, so we don’t get cold in cold weather, and we don’t get hot in warm weather,
- it absorbs and wicks sweat away from the skin, so the skin stays drier for longer,
- it has thick and soft fibers, so it is very comfortable to wear, even when worn for hours,
- absorbs more sweat compared to cotton, but remains dry to the touch, whereas cotton stays wet.
Unfortunately, no material is perfect, and like all materials, merino wool has its disadvantages:
- Merino wool needs more care than cotton. Wool socks should not be washed in hot water and should not be tumble dried. You can find out how long wool socks last and how to care for them here.
- Merino wool is more expensive than cotton, but it is not recommended to wear cotton socks for hiking. It is, therefore, worth spending a little more money on good-quality hiking socks. They will make you feel better, and your feet will thank you.
There are many differences between walking socks and normal socks, but some people still wear regular socks for hiking. Here you can read about some of the differences between walking socks and normal socks.
The best brand of hiking socks, in my opinion, is Smartwool hiking socks. You can find their socks for men and women on Amazon. Their price for a pair of socks ranges from 20$ onwards. In the picture below are two of the most popular models, you can also choose from different patterns here.
I also recommend DANISH-Endance merino wool hiking socks, which offer the best value for money. You get three pairs of top-quality socks for only $31.95, which is only $10.65 per pair. They have over 30,000 reviews on Amazon, with an average rating of 4.8.
Do you need hiking socks in the summer?
You also need hiking socks in summer, as hiking socks are best for longer hikes. Hiking socks are more comfortable than ordinary sports socks. Hiking socks made of merino wool are also suitable for summer as they keep us cool. However, it is better to choose socks that are slightly thinner.
Thick hiking socks are also handy in summer, as it’s always cold in the high mountains. Thick socks absorb more sweat, which is their advantage over thin socks (more on this later in this article). For shorter and less demanding hikes in summer, you can also wear low hiking boots and low hiking socks to keep cool.
Merino wool hiking socks do not have to be thick. There are also socks that have thinner fibres that are more suitable for summer and still offer all the properties that merino wool offers. In the picture below you can see a comparison between thick and thin merino wool socks.
The thinner socks are also suitable for shorter walks and hiking up smaller hills. Meanwhile, thick socks are also good to wear in the summer if you are going to the high mountains.
Should I wear thin or thick socks for walking boots?
It is better to wear thick hiking socks because thick fibers are more comfortable, absorb more sweat, and keep you warmer. For hikes that last several hours, it is useful to wear clothes that are as comfortable as possible and that do not get cold feet in the high mountains.
| Thick Socks | Thin Socks | |
| Comfort | ✅Thicker fibers are MORE comfortable | Thicker fibers are LESS comfortable |
| Breathability | Thick socks don’t breathe as much as thin socks | ✅Thin socks breathe better |
| Durability | ✅Thicker fibers are more durable | Thicker fibers are LESS durable |
| Warmth | ✅Thicker socks keep you WARM for longer | ✅Thicker socks keep you COOL for longer |
| Absorbency | ✅Thicker fibers absorb MORE moisture | Thicker fibers absorb LESS moisture |