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The best hiking socks are ones that keep your feet happy all day long. After all, if you don’t have happy feet while you’re hiking, chances are, you’re not happy either. Hiking socks are one piece of hiking apparel that is often overlooked and thought of last when investing in quality gear.

What are the best hiking socks?

They’re socks that you can comfortably wear for days on end, help prevent blisters, and last for years (or are at least repairable). There are other important aspects of good hiking socks, so read on to learn not only what our top picks are for year-round adventure and the criteria you should use to choose the best socks for hiking.

Having the right socks can make or break your hiking experience, and that’s why choosing the perfect socks became a priority in my life outdoors. After many expeditions filled with problematic foot issues, tons of trial and error, and finally finding the right fit—I was happy to put together a list of the best hiking socks to help other adventure lovers keep their feet happy and healthy on the trail. 

Supporting companies that use sustainable and ethical practices is an important part of my buying decisions. That’s why I most often choose to buy natural fibers over synthetics whenever possible. With hiking socks, this can be a challenge because blends are so widely used. So, I also look for company repair policies, warranties, and verified customer durability reviews.

Why It Made the Cut: The Darn Tough Hiker Full Cushion socks are our top pick for the best overall hiking socks due to their all-season comfort for extended days on the trail and their astounding durability. 

Key Features 

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Darn Tough is the creator of an amazing line of hiking socks for any season and any hiker’s preference. All of their socks have a lifetime warranty. Their Hiker Full Boot Cushion socks made our top pick for their versatility, comfort, and durability. 

You can wear these socks for the most casual day hikes to week-long hiking expeditions with comfort the entire time. The blend of materials and a wool base helps the sock improve temperature control, eliminate odors, and wick moisture away from your skin. 

The height of the sock is a standard crew cut, but some consider it a little higher, calling it a high calf cut. Either way, the height of the sock is usually best determined by the type of boot you’re wearing and your personal preference. 

Another awesome feature of these socks is their heavy cushioning. While some folks may not favor more cushion, this adds a layer of comfort for longer hikes, especially for high-impact activities like backpacking.

Why It Made the Cut: There are a ton of wool hiking socks to choose from, but the REI Ultralight Crew is our top pick for its affordable price, performance in the field, and long-lasting durability. 

Key Features 

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REI has a wide range of hiking socks to choose from, and their merino wool Ultralight Crew is among our favorites. It is a lightweight sock that is snug (can be a pro or con depending on the wearer) that utilizes ethical sourcing of their wool certified by the Responsible Wool Standard (RWS). 

The sock design is ideal for warm weather and shoulder season hikes but is a little too breathable for cold weather. The ultralight cushioning is only in the heels, toes, footbeds, and Achilles to keep these socks comfortable without adding too much warmth. This reinforces to reduce wear as well as protects high friction areas of your foot. 

Compared to other merino wool blended socks of similar quality, the REI price is one of the lowest. Don’t let that trick you into thinking the quality is compromised, though. These are designed for long-lasting value, and if you don’t like them, you always have the amazing REI return policy.

Why It Made The Cut: The unique between-the-toe design of the Injinji Trail Midweight Mini-Crew Socks not only minimizes friction not only around your ankles, heels, and footbed but these socks are also the best hiking socks to prevent blisters. 

Key Features 

Pros

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The Injinji Trail Midweight Mini-Crew Socks are a unique pick with an intentional design. Toe socks are not for everyone and can take some getting used to. But their fit and friction barriers are helpful for hikers that struggle with foot issues like hot spots and blisters. 

They have some cushioning on the bottom of the foot in problem areas like ankles and footbeds or even the base of your toes, but they remain breathable by having a mesh upper on the sock. Labeled as a “mini-crew,” these are true ankle/quarter socks that are great for summer hikes and trail running. 

You won’t need a sock liner when you wear these because of their snug fit and ability to lessen friction even between your toes. 

Why It Made The Cut: The grippy bottoms of these socks combined with the good-quality merino wool of the Swiftwick Flite XT Trail socks make for an attractive pair of trail socks that are sure to please any hiker, backpacker, or trail runner.

Key Features 

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Sometimes a sock is more than the sum of its threads, and this hiking sock imbues its merino wool composition with extra ankle support, paired with grippy fibers woven through its heel and front. When you’re ready for the trail, your Flite XT Trail socks are too. Based on the classic merino hiking socks you’ve probably been using for years, Flite XT Trail socks are improved with proprietary grip fibers sown through the heel and toe, as well as extra support woven into the ankle, so that whether you choose high-tops or low, your ankles get the support they need.

Merino wool has long been a favorite material of hikers for a few reasons: Firstly merino wool has the warmth you need for thin air and mountainous ascents, while still allowing enough breathability to keep your feet dry in the heat. Merino wool is also naturally antimicrobial. This means that those footsies won’t develop the malodorous aroma that haunts the bottoms of sleeping bags on long overnighters, even when worn for a few days in a row. Wool also dries out faster than cotton, so even after your boots get full of snow, your socks could be dry by the next morning.

Why It Made The Cut: The best hiking socks for summer need to be breathable while still offering the much-needed foot protection, and that’s why the Smartwool PhD Run Ultra Light Low Cuts are our top pick. 

Key Features 

Pros

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Smartwool socks are often a top pick for the best hiking socks, and their PhD Run Ultra Light Low Cut socks are an awesome pick for summer or hot weather hiking. Their low cut is not quite a no-show height but isn’t as high as some ankle or quarter socks either. It’s the in-between option. 

The snug band on the top of the sock helps keep debris out when hiking, but this tight fit is sometimes a complaint from some users. The thickness of the sock is perfect for hot and humid hiking conditions with minimum cushioning to increase breathability. 

Although they are an ultralight sock design, the indestructawool technology and PhD shred shield keep these socks in action for several hiking seasons. They’re built for performance and are reinforced in high-risk areas like the toes and heel. These socks are ready for anything and are high-performing, durable, and comfortable to wear.

Why It Made the Cut: Warmth, durability, and moisture channeling are all a priority when winter hiking. As the best winter hiking socks the Smartwool Mountaineer Extra Cushion Crew socks do that and more to ensure comfort even in the coldest temperatures. 

Key Features 

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Having the right sock for winter or cold weather hiking will make winter hiking better. Happy feet mean a happy hike, and the Smartwool team took that into account with this design. This crew-cut sock is great for standard boots in winter hiking conditions, especially for hikers that don’t favor the knee-high sock designs. 

The extra cushioning adds to the warmth of the sock and more comfort for long days on the trail. The sock design also utilizes a virtually seamless toe box area to prevent any friction and lessen the chance of hot spots forming. 

While some hikers may think the sock fits a bit too tight, others will enjoy the 2-degree elite fit system and the performance flex zone added at the ankle joint. While you don’t want too much venting in a winter hiking sock, some can help with moisture control, which is why they intentionally placed ventilation zones in these socks.

(Looking for more winter hiking gear? Check out our roundup on the best winter hiking boots next.)

Before you buy any new piece of gear or outdoor clothing, there are always some considerations to take into account. Don’t skip this part! Knowing what good hiking socks look like can not only save you time as you’re shopping, but it can help save you money in the long run by directing you to higher-quality, longer-lasting items.

If you are looking for the best hiking socks for women or the best hiking socks for men, any of these buying considerations are applicable, and the picks we’ve chosen can work no matter your gender.

Be intentional about your purchases. Your feet are how you get from point A to point B on the trail, and you need to take good care of them. Identifying the intended use for your hiking socks is the best launching point. 

Do you primarily hike in the summer? 

Or are you looking for cold weather hiking socks because you only have thin, breathable pairs?

Do you mostly do day hikes, or are you looking for socks that work well for backpacking or long-distance treks?

Knowing the season, climate, frequency of use, and any other personal preferences or needs will help you with the rest of the considerations on the list.

There is a wide range of heights and lengths of good hiking socks on the market. Each one has its pros and cons, but in all honestly, this particular consideration usually comes down to personal preference and the types of hiking shoes you wear. 

Most sock brands will have four choices when it comes to the height or length of the sock:

There are other variations in the names of sock heights, but for the most part, you’ll find four lengths.

Like other types of outdoor clothing, your socks should be moisture-channeling, quick-drying, and odor-resistant. That means you should avoid wearing cotton socks just as much as you avoid wearing jeans or a cotton shirt. 

Most hiking socks are made from a blend of materials to achieve higher performance and durability. The most frequently used materials include: 

Even the top-rated wool socks on the market are blended with a synthetic of some kind. This helps with fabric elasticity, comfort, and durability.

Returning to your identified intended use, the padding and thickness of the sock will become more important. For the most part, how thick the sock is will determine how warm it will be. So, the thicker the sock, the better it is for cold weather hiking. The thinner the sock, the better for warm weather. 

Thickness can also be a factor for comfort as some hiking socks will add extra cushioning on the bottom of the foot for high-impact activities like backpacking. When a sock has no cushioning and is very thin/breathable, it is either a summer hiking sock or a sock liner. Sock liners are not as popular as they used to be because hiking socks have improved overall performance but are sometimes used to prevent blisters and improve moisture wicking. 

In most cases, light cushioning will be for thin, warm weather hiking socks. The cushioning will be isolated to the bottom of the sock strictly for comfort. The rest of the sock will remain thin and breathable enough to be worn in the summer months. 

Medium and heavy cushioning in socks are meant for cold weather as they help increase warmth. When a company describes that a sock has medium cushioning, they usually mean it is thicker on the heel and the ball of the foot, but the sock itself will still be thicker than one with light cushioning. The medium cushioning socks are great for shoulder seasons but not extreme cold. 

Then, heavy cushioned socks will be the thickest available. They are intended for cold weather backpacking, mountaineering, and any other cold, winter activity. Heavily padded socks are also a frequent shoulder season sock for wearing while you sleep.

When the intended use is an outdoor activity like hiking, durability is always a priority. The sock’s durability often boils down to the quality of the materials but can also be impacted by care. 

Although wool is a popular material used for socks, it isn’t necessarily as durable as synthetics. For the most part, the life of wool socks can be extended by line drying them as this prevents pilling or shrinking.

Other considerations regarding sock lifespan will be if the company has a warranty of any kind or a repair policy.

Finding the right hiking socks can take some time, and having a few choices in your outdoor apparel bin is an excellent investment. Be prepared for all of the hiking seasons and get the most out of your hike by making sure your feet stay dry and comfortable no matter what. Whether or not you choose one of our top picks as your favorite hiking socks, use our buying considerations and methodology to help drive your next purchase to ensure you find the best hiking socks for your needs.

For more than 125 years, Field & Stream has been providing readers with honest and authentic coverage of outdoor gear. Our writers and editors eat, sleep, and breathe the outdoors, and that passion comes through in our product reviews. You can count on F&S to keep you up to date on the best new gear. And when we write about a product—whether it’s a bass lure or a backpack—we cover the good and the bad, so you know exactly what to expect before you decide to make a purchase.