Best Hiking and Walking Socks: How to Choose the Right Pair

The best hiking socks are the ones you forget you are wearing. No hot spot on the heel at the halfway point, no damp chill when you stop for lunch, no seam pressing on a toe for the last five kilometres. The right sock disappears, and the wrong one is all you can think about.

Here is how to choose a pair: the fibre, the cushioning, the height and fit, how to deal with blisters, and when waterproof socks earn their place. Along the way we point to the hiking and walking socks we stock from Smartwool, Bridgedale, 1000 Mile, Sealskinz and our own Exceptio range.

Match the sock to the walk

Start with the kind of walking you do. Find it in the table, then read on for the reasoning behind each pick.

The best hiking socks start with the fibre

Think of socks as the base layer for your feet. The same rule applies as when you layer clothing for the outdoors: whatever sits next to your skin has to move moisture away from it.

Merino wool is the fibre most hiking socks and walking socks are built around. It helps manage moisture, regulate temperature and resist odour, which is how Smartwool describe the merino in their Mountaineer Classic Edition sock. A merino fibre can take up around a third of its own weight in moisture before it feels wet, so your foot stays comfortable long after a plain cotton sock would have turned clammy.

There is a practical payoff here that few people think about before a trip. Because merino resists odour, a pair can be aired overnight and worn again the next day, so you can pack fewer pairs for a weekend in Kerry or a week on the Camino.

Our own 53 Degrees North Merino Hiking Socks by Exceptio are a good place to begin. They are fully cushioned underfoot and around the sock, with a relaxed comfort cuff that sits on the leg without digging in and a fine toe seam to reduce irritation. They come as a pack of two.

Wool is not the only answer. For summer, Bridgedale make the Hike Lightweight Cotton Cool Comfort, with a men's version alongside the women's, using Coolmax for wicking and an open mesh structure to help move moisture. Bridgedale describe it as the choice for anyone looking for a lighter non wool sock for day hikes in warmer climates.

And if you like to know where your socks came from, Smartwool's Hike Classic Edition Second Cut socks are made with a mix of recycled fibres and virgin merino wool. In Smartwool's words, they are hike socks made out of old hike socks.

Cushioning is padding, warmth and boot fit in one

Cushioning is the extra padding knitted into a sock, and it does three jobs at once. It softens impact, it adds warmth, and it takes up room inside your footwear. Smartwool grade their socks by cushion level, which makes the scale easy to follow.

The part most people only discover at home is the third job. A thicker sock fills more of the boot, so the sock you choose changes how your boots fit. A pair of boots that feels a touch roomy with a light cushion sock can feel just right with a full cushion one, and a sock can fine-tune a fit across the seasons. When you try on boots, wear the socks you plan to walk in. We cover the rest of the fitting in how to choose walking and hiking boots.

For year-round hill days, a midweight sock is the dependable middle of the scale. Bridgedale's Hike Midweight Merino Comfort is a boot-length sock for day hikers and trekkers who walk all year, with zonal padding through the footbed and a stretch ribbed cuff that can be worn up or down.

Height and fit: the details that stop rubbing

A sock should always stand taller than the collar of the footwear it is worn with, so that fabric and not skin meets the top of the boot. The brands knit to match. The 1000 Mile Fusion Walking Sock is mid-calf length for high ankle walking footwear, while the All Terrain is crew length for light walking shoes and trainers.

Fit matters as much as height. A sock that is too big bunches under the foot, and one that is too small pulls down off the heel. Look for the features that hold a sock in place: an elasticated arch, a shaped heel cup and a flat toe seam, all of which Bridgedale build into their hike socks. Their women's socks, such as the Hike Lightweight Cotton Cool Comfort, are knitted to a women's specific fit.

Blisters: double layer socks and liners

Blisters come from friction on damp skin, so the cure is to move the friction somewhere else and keep the skin dry. Two kinds of sock do exactly that.

The first is the double layer sock, which 1000 Mile have made their name on. It is a sock within a sock. The inner layer stays with your foot and the outer layer moves with your shoe, so the rubbing happens between two layers of fabric and not against your skin. The Fusion Walking Sock adds padded comfort zones on the heel, toe and Achilles tendon to that double layer, with high volume merino wool for warmth from autumn through to spring, and 1000 Mile back it with their blister-free guarantee. For warm weather, the All Terrain pairs a merino wool outer with a wicking Tactel inner and air flow channels across the top of the foot.

The second is a liner: a thin sock worn under your main sock. Bridgedale's Coolmax liners, sold in packs of two for men and women, sit next to the skin and carry moisture out to the main sock, where it can evaporate. They also dry fast enough to be ready the next morning after a quick wash, which makes them a clever choice for multi-day walks: rinse the liners each evening and your main socks stay fresher for longer.

Waterproof hiking socks: choose by temperature

Waterproof socks sound like a contradiction until you see how they are made. Sealskinz build theirs in three layers: a stretch outer, a soft inner, and between them a membrane that blocks water from outside while letting moisture vapour from your foot escape. On the Stanfield, that membrane carries a hydrostatic head rating above 20,000mm. If that number is new to you, we explain it in waterproof ratings explained.

What they give you is freedom in your choice of footwear. With a waterproof sock, a breathable trail shoe becomes an option on wet ground and across the bog.

The question nobody thinks to ask is which one. All three below are waterproof, so the real choice is temperature.

Making good hiking socks last

Good socks reward a little care. Follow the label on each pair, because the right wash differs by fibre and construction. Sealskinz, for example, specify a 40°C wash for the Stanfield followed by a low tumble dry or drip dry. Bridgedale set their socks with a process they call Thermo Fit, so that each pair returns to its original shape and size after every wash. And remember that merino needs washing less often than you might expect, which is kinder to the sock and lighter on your packing.

Find your pair

Pick the fibre, match the cushioning to the temperature and to your boots, and check the height against your footwear. If blisters or wet ground are part of the picture, a double layer sock, a liner or a waterproof sock will do more for your day than any other small change. You can browse all our hiking and walking socks, and our teams in store are always glad to help you match a sock to your boots.