The best hiking socks we tested
Best hiking socks: Darn Tough Light Hiker Micro Crew
Best hiking socks runner-up: Swiftwick Flite XT Trail Mid-Crew
One of the biggest surprises I ran across when I started hiking every weekend was how darn important the best hiking socks are in a well-rounded kit of hiking gear. I made all the mistakes that newbie hikers are wont to make: wearing cotton socks that made me blister, choosing padded socks that bunched up around my heels and assuming that socks washed in a creek would magically dry overnight in my backpacking tent.
In short, I’ve personally experienced the good, the bad and the ugly when it comes to hiking socks, whether that be on mellow strolls around Yosemite Valley, trekking the John Muir Trail or summiting a 14er. After 10 years of hiking across every kind of terrain in the great outdoors (and on all seven continents), I’m convinced that merino and alpaca wool are the best materials for that oh-so-coveted blister-free fit.
So, I rounded up 12 pairs of the best hiking socks on the market, then spent two months wearing them on early morning dog walks, Rocky Mountain day hikes and overnight backpacking trips in Colorado. The top four contenders were also taken on a wilderness photo expedition with Natural Habitat Adventures in the harsh Arctic climate of Greenland. I also created an at-home testing rubric to perform controlled tests on every pair I selected. After all the extensive testing, two pairs reigned supreme.
With the perfect blend of padding, sweat-wicking and durability, our tester loved these lightweight hiking socks from Darn Tough. Best of all? They’re covered by the brand’s legendary lifetime warranty.
Lesser-known brand Swiftwick really hit the mark with these lightweight yet still cushioned hiking socks. With contoured compression that helps support your foot’s arch, natural merino wool and a no-slip fit, they're all-season socks for the outdoorsy athlete.
Best hiking socks: Darn Tough Light Hiker Micro Crew
Darn Tough’s Light Hiker Micro Crew socks feel like a soft hug when you first slide them onto your feet, a welcome sign if you’re about to pound out 10 miles in these babies. Made with a blend of 54% nylon, 43% merino wool and 3% Lycra spandex, they’re a stretchy and durable design built to last for years.
Even before I started testing for this article, I’d been hiking in a version of the Light Hiker Micro Crews for about seven years. My first-ever pair was still going strong when I picked up a new set for this guide. The heel and ball of the socks are well padded, with a little extra cushioning behind the Achilles tendon, to prevent uncomfortable ankle rubbing. I was surprised that, even with self-described “light cushioning,” these socks felt as equally supportive as the brand’s cushier Darn Tough Hiker Micro Crew. Plus, because the socks are made with a blend of merino wool and a synthetic material (nylon, in this case), they’re more durable in the long term than pure merino competitors.
While testing these socks on a two-night trip in Colorado’s Indian Peaks Wilderness, I noticed zero bunching or blisters, even while carrying a 40-pound pack up and down rocky, narrow trails. When I took them to Greenland a month later, they certainly weren’t my warmest pair (that prize goes to the Darn Tough Gatewood Boot Sock Full Cushion), but they were toasty enough to wear at night under a blanket or inside a sleeping bag, even when temperatures dipped into the 30s. The lighter weight of these socks makes them a great year-round pick for nearly every climate, but for cold weather hiking or those who need a little extra cushion, try the Darn Tough Hiker Micro Crew.
Because these aren’t technically full-cushion socks, they dried faster than most socks in the testing pool, coming in fourth place out of 12 pairs and drying fully after roughly five hours in the shade in 75-degree weather. They also showed just minor piling after five hikes and two machine washes, which is a good sign for their long-term durability.
Perhaps most notably, Darn Tough, as the name might suggest, is famous for its long-lasting hiking socks and offers a legendary lifetime warranty for its products. Simply complete an online form, ship your socks back and the brand will mail you a new pair of lifetime-guaranteed socks. In other words, if you wear a hole in them, even after years of abuse, you can mail them in for a new pair.
Best hiking socks runner-up: Swiftwick Flite XT Trail Mid-Crew
You may not have heard about Swiftwick yet, but the brand has been making waves the last couple of years with its form-fitting, lightweight hiking socks that are nearly impossible to get blisters in. The XT Trails are one of the newest socks in its lineup, and the company claims they’re the most technologically advanced socks ever offered. Compared to the Darn Tough Light Hiker Micro Crew, they’re a bit less cushioned but dry quicker and might be more suitable for hot climates.
One of the first things that truly stood out to me about the XT Trail was how delightfully form-fitting their design is, hugging every curve of my foot with contoured compression and arch support. On hikes near my hometown of Boulder and backpacking trips in the high Rocky Mountains, I suffered zero blisters while wearing them, even in a thunderstorm on unstable terrain filled with boulders and roots.
The socks’ proprietary blend of merino wool and Olefin fibers (a synthetic, water-repellent fabric) combines to wick away moisture from your footbed better than any sock we tested. Because of this, the Swiftwick Flite XT Trail were the second-fastest-drying socks in our lineup, behind only the Injinji Liner Crew Wool. Even though the socks are made with over 75% synthetic fibers (and only 24% wool), I didn’t notice them stinking up more than other socks on this list, even after 90-degree hiking days and sweaty bouts at the gym.
The XT Trail were one of the most expensive socks in our testing rubric at $27 per pair (the average price was around $24). However, the brand offers a deal few others boasted: When you buy three pairs, it’s only $69, or $23 per pair. If you’re shopping for stocking stuffers or looking to stock up on high-quality hiking socks, this is an excellent price point for technical merino wool.
Though it’s not nearly as well advertised as Darn Tough’s lifetime guarantee, Swiftwick also stands behind its products with a lifetime performance guarantee. If they wear out for any reason, you can mail them in and replace them, just like Darn Tough.
Overall, these Swiftwick socks are lightweight and quick-drying, and they offer excellent arch support for long trail days in warm weather. We love them as a summer or fall hiking sock, when moisture management is key.
How we tested
Our editors picked through top outdoor stores, scoured the web, consulted with trekking experts and developed an extensive testing rubric to put every pair of hiking socks on this list through a series of real-world tests. These included hikes and backpacking trips as well as intense at-home tests.
They selected 12 of the best hiking socks based on the top-rated and best-reviewed products across various websites and retailers. The socks that made it into our final list were put through a rigorous series of city walks, overnight treks, long day hikes and controlled, in-home tests to determine which ones performed the best. The four pairs of wool hiking socks that scored the best in our rubric were also taken out on a multiday backpacking trip in the Rocky Mountains as well as a 10-day photo expedition in Greenland.
Performance
- Comfort: We tried on every pair of hiking socks and wore them for at least 2 miles in 70- to 90-degree weather on neighborhood sidewalks and local Colorado hiking trails, wearing the same pair of shoes (the Altra Olympus 6 trail runners) to ensure accurate comparisons.
- Fit: We made notes if the sock seemed to fit wide, narrow or average-shaped feet better.
- Cushioning: We made note of the cushioning provided in each pair of socks, then tried them on with a pair of Hoka high-top hiking boots and walked around to see if they bunched up or rubbed at all. We also noted any arch support and compression.
- Durability: To check durability, we had a tester walk at least 100 yards in a concrete parking lot while wearing each of the 12 pairs of socks, then checked the toe, ball and heel areas for any fraying or signs of wear.
- Breathability: We walked for at least 1 mile in the same pair of trail runners in temperatures of 80 to 90 degrees and noted how sweaty our feet got. We also made note of whether the socks’ cushioning inhibited their breathability.
- Odor control: Each pair of socks was worn three days in a row, then checked to see how their natural odor protection stacked up against the competition.
- Dry time: We soaked all 12 pairs of socks in a bathtub, wrung them out, then laid them out in the shade to test their drying time. A tester went back to check on the socks every 15 minutes for six hours to note which socks dried the fastest.
Design
- Color and sizing: We counted the number of colors and styles that each hiking sock is available in. We also noted how many sizes were available for each sock model.
- Aesthetics: We envisioned pairing the socks with a work or evening outfit and noted if the socks could potentially be worn for a multitude of different uses, like going out after a hike.
- Price: We marked the price of every pair of hiking socks we tested, then ranked them against one another.
- Warranty: We researched and wrote down the warranty length and terms for each pair of socks and ranked them accordingly.
Everything you need to know about hiking socks
The three main things you need to consider when picking out a pair of great hiking socks are materials, cushioning and length.
Most top hiking socks in stores today are made with merino wool or alpaca fibers, which are naturally odor-resistant, insulated even when they get wet and wick sweat and moisture away like a dream. Wool hiking socks often cost more than their synthetic counterparts, but the trade-off with more traditional fabrics is typically a sock prone to stink up much quicker after a long trek.
To help ease some of the pain of pounding your hiking boots on hard rock and gravel trails for miles on end, most companies offer hiking socks that are padded under the heel and forefoot. While this can create a much more comfortable, mattress-like pillow for your foot to strike when you’re out all day, more cushioning means more warmth, more thickness and longer drying time. If you love a heavily cushioned sock or have sensitive feet, size up your hiking boots a half size so they can accommodate the extra floof.
Lastly, think about the shoes you like to wear and where you’ll be adventuring before picking out a hiking sock length. If you love a high boot with firm ankle support, consider grabbing a pair of well-cushioned, crew-length socks that’ll prevent unnecessary heel and ankle chafing. If you live in a climate with ticks and bugs that bite, it’s also a great idea to select a higher hiking sock, like a crew or 3/4 crew, to ward off unwanted guests in your shoes. Love rambling around in the desert in trail runners? You can stay cool, save money and show a little more skin with a quarter-crew length.
Other hiking socks we tested
Darn Tough’s Micro Crew socks are well cushioned and great at wicking sweat.
Though our tester adored the ample padding and odor control of Darn Tough’s bestselling Hiker Micro Crew, they found that it was a bit too warm and expensive to win our all-around title.
While we love Farm to Feet’s American-made sock ethos, the Damascus’ heel bunching eliminated it from earning our top prize.
There’s a lot to like about USA-based Farm to Feet, which uses 100% American-grown merino in its products. However, the socks’ lack of breathability and heel bunching made them less comfortable on longer treks and peak bagging missions.
Injinji’s wool liners are a fantastic, lightweight hiking sock at an unbeatable price.
Though Injinji’s merino wool Liner Crew were the fastest-drying socks in our tests and never gave our tester a single blister, we ultimately decided they needed a bit more padding to take home the grand prize. Check out the brand’s Midweight Crew if you’re interested in the blister-free toe sock style.
The warmest sock on our list, Darn Tough’s Gatewood Boot Sock was almost too padded to score a top prize for all-season hikers.
Packed with plenty of padding, the full-cushioned Gatewood Boot Socks offer a super-comfortable fit with fun, colorful stripes. The downside? All that cushioning means tons of sweaty warmth, and our tester preferred to wear these as nighttime socks for sleeping in rather than out on the trail.
We love Icebreaker’s Merino Hike+ Light colorways, but concerns about durability and bunching caused them to score lower.
Though they slid on comfortably right out of the package and offered unique left and right foot distinctions on each sock, we found that Icebreaker’s merino crew socks bunched up in the heel and forefoot when we took them out for long strolls. Thankfully, they didn’t cause any blisters.
Though they're only available in basic colors, Feetures’ Merino 10 Max are well-padded socks with a surprisingly high crew length.
The Merino 10 Max Cushion Crew by Feetures scored solidly in the middle of the pack in every one of our tests, including dry time. They’re well-fitted and cushioned socks that sport an uncomfortably high crew length, similar to knee-highs. They might be good for those who live on the East Coast, where ticks run rampant, but seemed a bit warm for most climates.
REI Co-op provides a solid, no-frills budget option with its Flash Merino.
At just $20, REI’s Flash Merino Wool Lightweight Crew Socks were a sight for sore eyes (and wallets). Though they weren’t the most breathable or supportive on our list, they did provide solid moisture management at a low price. Pro tip: Our tester was between sizes and found that this pair bunched up in her boots on longer day hikes when she wore the larger size.
Smartwool is giving Darn Tough a run for its money with this ultrasoft and supportive crew sock.
With thoughtfully placed mesh zones for venting, great cushioning and excellent arch support, our tester loved wearing these Smartwool socks in Greenland’s unpredictable and rocky terrain. They weren’t fast to dry and did not sport a lifetime warranty, which placed them just below our top two winners.
The most technical sock yet in Paka’s lineup, the Trail Crew wick moisture like a dream.
Paka’s Trail Crew socks come in loads of muted earth tones, dry unbelievably quickly and manage moisture when you’re on a sweaty trek. Our tester also noticed these socks were virtually impossible to stink up, even after three days of wear.
Durable and technical, the Performance Hike Light Cushion socks offer loads of cushioning where hikers need it most.
Like the Zig Zag Valley socks we tested from the same brand, the Performance Hike Light Cushion offer a dialed-in, no-bunch fit and plenty of much-needed padding underfoot. Plus, a Virtually Seamless toe box makes blisters a thing of the past. The only catch? Smartwool only offers a two-year warranty, not a lifetime one.