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Hiking Socks
The benefits of wearing a good pair of hiking socks are often understated. That’s probably because much of our attention gets focused on the boots, which is admittedly more visible than the hiking socks you wear under them. So, as a result, we tend to forget about hiking socks all together and frequently find ourselves with a drawer full of scratchy, stretched out, rag-wool tubes with holes in the toes and worn spots in the heels.
These old hiking socks may have once walked a million miles with you. You and the hiking socks may have through thick and thin. But you have to face it: Your hiking socks are little more than dinosaurs. Hiking socks like these won’t be able to do the job they’re supposed to do.
Everything else these days is being upgraded. Even a simple hiking stick now comes in adjustable, telescopic variety as opposed to the old run-of-the-mill broken right off the branch ones. So why not hiking socks as well? For hikers like us, who depend so desperately on our feet, that’s definitely a good idea.
Hiking socks provide a number of key benefits to make your feet feel happier and more comfortable. Hiking socks also keep them healthy and protect them from the potentially harsh environment inside the hiking boot.
How do hiking socks protect the feet? Well, first of all, hiking socks provide cushioning. Not only that, they also wick sweat away from your foot and keep your little toes warm. Hiking socks also help fine-tune your boot fit. By wearing hiking socks, you can reduce the friction inside your boot after miles of walking.
Buying the right pair of hiking socks can be task, much like buying a pair of boots. There are several factors involved, not least of which is the material. Hiking socks are made from a variety of materials, including wool, synthetic such as acrylic, Coolmax, Thermax, or some other type of polyester. Each of these materials have benefits specific to a particular type of foot.
For instance, if your feet get cold easily, go with woolen hiking socks. Out of all the materials, wool has the best insulating ability, yet it still wicks sweat away from your feet. A certain type of wool called “merino” has softer, finer fibers than regular wool, perfect to keep your feet comfortable as you go on your hike.
On the other hand, if your feet are on the sweaty side, a synthetic pair of hiking socks is in order. When it comes to the job of wicking away sweat, synthetics do it better and way faster.
The next factor you ought to consider when purchasing a pair of hiking socks is the density of the fabric. Whether wool or synthetic, it doesn’t matter. The only rule is this: the denser the better. One way for you to find if your hiking socks are dense is to turn them inside out and inspect those little fabric loops. The smaller and tighter and denser they are, the more cushioning the sock will have over the long haul.
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