Good Hiking Socks are Indispensable

Don't skimp when it comes to protecting your feet!

When it comes to hiking or backpacking, in my opinion, the two most important things on your body are your head and your feet. What you put on your feet can make the difference between a pleasant hike and a terrible one. After you get a good well-fitted pair of hiking boots or shoes, you must be equally careful when purchasing hiking sox. It is important to know the material sock is made from, Heavy, wool socks will treat your feet differently than a nylon material sock. This becomes more important the longer the trip. You might be able to survive a short two-mile day hike if you are wearing the wrong socks, but if you find yourself on a 10-mile trek wearing cheap socks your feet could be in serious trouble. A good pair of socks will keep your feet comfortable and dry while preventing blisters or hot spots. Although opinions may vary, most of the experts say that one of the best materials to look for in quality hiking socks is merino wool. - and that not only for socks but other outdoor apparel as well. To save you time, we've scoured the Internet to find out what the most credible outdoor sites say about quality hiking socks, and here is what we found out. The guys over at Switchbacktravel.com have compiled a smart well-documented list of the best hiking socks out there for all seasons and weather conditions. They say the best used to be a brand called Smartwool, but over the past several years the best hiking sock manufacturer is now a brand called Darn Tough. Switchabck.com features Darn Tough's Micro Crew Cushion Sock as the best hiking sock on the market. Here are the stats they include about this sock:. As with the other high-quality socks they reviewed, you can pop over to REI Coop and pick up a pair for about $24.00.

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Materials: 61% merino wool, 36% nylon, 3% spandex

Cushioning: Light/medium

What we like: Comfortable and last forever.

What we don’t: Tough construction means they aren’t quite as plush as some other socks on this list

Switchback.com's #2 best sock was listed under the categories of best Lightweight low-cut Summer hiking sock. They gave Smartwool brand the nod in this category. Details of the sock include:

Materials: 48% merino wool, 47% nylon, 5% elastane

Cushioning: Ultralight

What we like: Light and breathable design is great for summer hiking.

What we don’t: Minimal cushioning impacts comfort on extended trips.

Other categories for the best hiking socks include best budget synthetic sock, best low-cut hiking sock, and other great categories you will find very helpful. Remember these socks are made of different materials and you should know which material works best for your feet as well as which materials work best in varying weather conditions.