Best Hiking Socks in 2023

Smartwool Hike Light Cushion Crew Socks

The Smartwool Hike Light Cushion Crew Socks are a great all-around pair of socks for hiking in both warmer temperatures and cold ones too.

These smartwool socks are made from a special blend to create “smartwool” which includes a good amount of merino and recycled materials, along with Shred Shield and Indestructawool technologies.

This makes these Smartwool hiking socks a greener choice, super durable and long-lasting, plus they perform excellently on the trail as the merino ensures your feet stay dry, warm, and cool, and the socks stay odor-free too.

The combo of materials along with the seamless design and medium cushioning means these socks are uber comfortable on long hikes and provide all the support your feet need.

They are also warm enough for most seasons but might be a little thick to hike with on a hot summer’s day.

Darn Tough Light Micro Crew Socks

The Darn Tough Light Hiker Micro Crew Socks, are as you might expect, darn tough socks. Jokes aside, these are some of the best hiking socks around when it comes to handling wear, with better durability than most.

This is thanks to their design and materials, plus if they wear out, Darn Tough will just send you a new pair so you will have some awesome hiking socks for life.

Built from 54% Nylon 43% Merino Wool 3% Lycra® Spandex with mesh panels on the top, these socks hit every nail on the head. The materials have great wicking power to ensure you never have sweaty feet, the merino wool will keep your feet cool in hot weather and warm in cold weather, so comfort is a given.

The design of each hiking sock provides a cushioned underfoot, seamless toe for preventing blisters, and with a perfect height that comes just above hiking boots, your feet will be in ultimate comfort when wearing these.

REI Co-Op Merino Wool Ultralight Crew Socks

The REI Co-Op Merino Wool Ultralight Hiking Socks are some of the best socks around if you are looking for a pair that work with lighter footwear over long multi-day backpacking trips or trail running.

These hiking socks are made from a whopping 72% merino wool which ensures temperature control, moisture management, and breathability so your feet are always the right temperature and don’t get sweaty either. Not to mention, the merino wool is responsibly sourced too!

No matter if you are hiking in warm weather, cooler weather, or wet climates, the merino wool ensures that your feet are never uncomfy.

Each part of the hiking sock that might experience wear is reinforced for durability so they last for long distances over many years of hiking, and the design ensures great comfort on the trail too.

With enough cushioning for support and a seamless design that removes the chances of chafing and helps prevent blisters, they will keep your feet happy with snug fit.

The only con to these otherwise awesome ultralight socks is that they are a little too light for things like winter camping or when you are wearing heavy duty hiking boots. But, you can always wear multiple pairs to get around this if you want to.

Injinji Outdoor Midweight Crew NuWool Socks

The Injinji Outdoor Midweight Crew NuWool Socks are some of the best overall hiking socks around when it comes to stopping you from getting blisters on long hikes and this capability lies within their design.

These are toe socks which means instead of having a toe box, they have individual places for each toe, hence the name toe socks. This means that your toes do not rub as you are hiking as each one is protected, meaning blisters will be a thing of the past. If you get blisters often, then you should take a hard look at this toe sock.

This hiking sock is built from NU-wool, which is merino wool which gives it moisture-wicking properties for dry feet and these are actually enhanced by each toe being surrounded, so your feet will always be dry. Another great thing is that you can also wear these socks with flip-flops at the campsite to give your feet a break after a long day.

When it comes to durability, these hiking socks are ok and will last if you don’t hike too intensely but for thru-hiking over multiple days, chances are, they might only last a few trips.

Farm to Feet Damascus Lightweight Crew Socks

The Farm to Feet Damascus Lightweight Crew Socks are great hiking socks, in fact they could be my favorite pair simply because the merino they use is responsibly grown and sourced in the US plus their high content always equals a great sock.

The use of merino, as you will already know from the other socks features, ensures sweat and moisture is wicked away for dryness and it keeps your feet warm in cold weather, plus cool in warm weather too. It’s also lovely and soft on your feet.

But merino isn’t the most durable material hence why these merino wool socks are mixed with nylon and L-spandex which are tougher. The design features reinforcements in high-wear areas like toes, heels, and the footbed too for extra durability.

The height of each hiking sock is excellent as it sits halfway up your calf to prevent rubbing from boots and shoes, plus the seamless design makes sure of no chafing and reduced blistering too.

Overall, these wool socks are awesome and their only issue is sizing so be sure to work out what size works best for you or order a few pairs in different sizes and send the pairs that don’t fit back.

Darn Tough Coolmax Micro Crew Cushion Socks

The Darn Tough Coolmax Socks are a great choice for anyone looking for some socks that are made for use on hot days. You might be put off since they are not made with any merino but these Darn Tough Micro Crew socks come with Coolmax Polyester instead.

This special kind of polyester makes sure you don’t have hot feet by providing “air conditioning” through actively removing heat, sweat, and moisture. They are the ideal summer sock and great for use when running or using light shoes on the trail.

Darn tough makes sure that these socks are comfy too by featuring a seamless design for no blistering or chafing, they are also made light with less bulk but without sacrificing sock cushioning and therefore support.

There are some complaints about the durability of these socks but they are light in order to be cool so will wear faster than usual but with Darn Tough’s unconditional lifetime guarantee, you can just get a new pair if this is the case.

The only downside to this sock is some find them a little bit too tight and they are not heavy-duty enough for boots or warm enough for cold weather hiking.

Sockwell Circulator Compression Socks

The Sockwell Circulator Compression Socks are made to ensure that your blood flows through your feet and legs at all times. They are built with 4 different compression zones that help to minimize fatigue and reduce swelling.

This is most useful on planes but it also works well while you are hiking too, so you should think of these as an all-around sock instead of a performance hiking sock.

Built from 32% Merino, 32% Nylon, 31% Rayon, and 5% Spandex, each light cushioned sock is good at wicking sweat, managing odors, and maintaining good foot temperature while being comfortable to wear.

Being seamless they help stop rubbing and their tight fit is nice and snug. The only issue with these socks is that they are super light so are best used in the summer or when going running.

Sealskinz Walking Thin Ankle Socks

The Sealskinz Walking Thin Ankle Socks are designed for the worst of weather and hiking through harsh terrain that is wet, windy, and cold. They are built to be fully waterproof and fully windproof so that your feet are fully protected in the most adverse conditions.

You might think that these socks would be sweaty and horrible to wear considering they are waterproof but they are breathable and wick sweat too. They feature an inner merino lining that takes care of wicking, odor, and temperature control while the outer layers block the elements.

These are thick socks that are great for winter and the cold months around it and with their full cushion are great in heavy boots. The protective cushioning ensures comfort on the trail while the tough build ensures they last a lot of miles.

These socks are a bit expensive though and they only come up to your ankles, so may cause rubbing when used with boots and not shoes. But they would work well as an underlayer.

Icebreaker Hike + Light Crew Socks

The Icebreaker Hike + Light Crew Socks are another great pair of socks to use for hiking in the warmer months or as a baselayer in the freezing months.

Built from a large % of merino, these socks are great on the trail. They ensure your feet are never too hot or too cold, that sweat is wicked away for dryness, and they will actively prevent odors too.

The design is seamless to evade chafing and blisters and comes with a full cushion to provide a ton of support for your feet while hiking. They are also anatomically sculptured so they really do fit well.

Overall, these are a durable pair of socks that are great for hiking but they might be a little light for winter but would work well as a baselayer.

Wrightsock Coolmesh II Crew Socks

The Wrightsock Coolmesh II Crew Socks are a little different from all the other hiking socks featured in this article as they are double layered and they aren’t made with any merino wool.

These socks are made from 71% Dri-WRIGHT polyester, 24% nylon, and 5% Lycra Spandex and it is the Dri-WRIGHT polyester that provides the performance. It is very effective at breathing and wicking sweat away so that your feet are dry, plus it is warm too.

The double-layer design ensures warmth and it prevents rubbing as instead of your foot rubbing, there is a layer of sock on each side doing it instead. This means chafing and blistering will be a thing of the past. Plus a double layer equals better durability.

The only downside to these socks is the lack of merino, as it is the best material for foot comfort overall and they might not be warm enough for winter use.