Unsweaty socks

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Tenderfoot
Dec 19, 2008
64
2
Somerset
Anyone got any recommendations for reasonably priced, non-cotton socks? Avoidance of sweaty sock syndrome is the main objective. Already follow good foot hygiene. Looking for a medium weight sock, and looking to buy multiple pairs, so £20 smart wool and the like are out of my budget. There are a number of sellers on eBay offering inexpensive merino mix socks, but they all contain at least 20% cotton. Any suggestions, please?
 

C_Claycomb

Moderator staff
Mod
Oct 6, 2003
7,355
2,366
Bedfordshire
For what purpose do you want the socks? Every day sedentary, every day active, occasional outdoors/hiking, long term expedition?

Personally I find that my feet appear to sweat more in 100% polyester sports socks than they do in 100% cotton sports socks. It may be though that the feet sweat the same and it is just that the cotton is better at drawing the sweat away from my feet. For outdoor hiking and expedition use I like 100% merino Icebreaker lite socks, but they are expensive, and the lack of any polyester means they are not as durable as one might like. I do however find them more comfortable than the Costco Smartwood Merino/poly blend, and hugely more comfortable than my oldest Bridgedale Merino/Coolmax blend. The newer Bridgedales are better than the older pair I have.

None of the wool socks are really cheap. For home use I have a lot of cotton socks which get changed daily. I think I got them from Marks & Spencer. For outdoor use I don't mind the expense because I can wear the wool for three or four days without bothering to rinse out.

I have been told that acrylic can work as a faster drying alternative to wool, but that was for bog trotting across the Scottish mountains, not as a comfortable every-day sock.

I have tried bamboo socks and while comfortable they take longer to dry out than cotton, and are less durable...not as expensive as wool, but not cheap.

I will be interested to hear what other folk have to say.
 

slimshady

Tenderfoot
Oct 29, 2014
72
15
Oxfordshire
Choices I have are to buy Wool rich socks when on offer or wear cotton socks ( not white ) with sandals. Not a cool look but cool feet.
Obviously if your needs are not compatible with sandals , then perhaps change socks at lunchtime.

Alex.
 

Janne

Sent off - Not allowed to play
Feb 10, 2016
12,330
2,293
Grand Cayman, Norway, Sweden
Thin cotton socks in thin airy shoes.
Sweaty feet = hot feet.

I recall an article in one medical journal how the wearing of trainers have caused all sorts of problems from fungus to back problems.
 

R.Lewis

Full Member
Aug 23, 2009
1,098
20
Cambs
Jul 24, 2017
1,163
444
somerset
Seal socks, military AFAIK so surplus stores but will be about £20 a pair used them on a few of my moor hikes this year and I get very hot feet they are very good next trip coming this week so I went a bit ott and got some merino mix socks at £37 the pair there very nice highland hose with garters made in Scotland so I don't mind the price, I'm going a bit old school and using tweed breeches and hike boots:D
 
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baggins

Full Member
Apr 20, 2005
1,563
300
49
Coventry (and surveying trees uk wide)
in this weather i generally use the M&S lambs wool thin socks. i wear chainsaw boots all day, yet my feet are never too bad (still hot, but thats going to happen until they invent the chainsaw flipflop). they actually last very well and also work well as an inner sock in cooler times, sighhhh!!!!!!
 

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