What is the best material for hiking socks? The best main material would be merino wool. However, in order to create good hiking socks, a blend of merino wool, nylon and spandex is used.
Why merino wool is the best material for hiking socks
In order to understand why merino wool makes a great material for hiking socks, we should take a look at the qualities of regular wool. Note that there are actually plenty of different types of wool and merino wool is simply a type of wool. The name merino wool comes from the name of the sheep that provides this type of wool, the merino sheep.
Wool is an amazing insulator and is perfect for keeping your body warm. Additionally, wool is water resistant and it wicks moisture – which means it will pull sweat away from your skin. This is very important for keeping your feet warm, but also for avoiding blisters and irritation. The breathability of the fabric makes it a good option for both winter and summer. Last but not least, wool also provides some very nice cushioning. However, there is one big negative about using regular wool, it’s itchy and scratchy.
So wool would be perfect if it wasn’t that itchy and scratchy. Well, there is a solution, a type of wool that has all the benefits, but is not itchy… merino wool! The fact that merino wool is a lot softer and finer than regular wool makes it a lot more comfortable. But this isn’t even the only advantage of merino wool, it also provides more warmth in comparison with regular wool. It’s actually pretty impressive how much warmth this lightweight material can provide.
Oh and one last thing, merino wool is great against odor. So, in some situations you might benefit from gifting a pair of merino wool socks to your hiking partner (especially if you share the same tent).
Good alternatives to merino wool socks
It’s generally accepted that merino wool socks are best for hiking. But, this does not mean that every alternative is terrible, there are some good alternative materials for hiking socks.
The best alternative to merino wool would probably be a synthetic blend. Nylon and polyester are the most common alternatives as the primary fabric. Note that synthetic socks are often still mixed with spandex and sometimes even with wool. Years ago, synthetic socks were actually very common. Once the benefits of merino wool got known, hikers quickly changed to merino wool socks.
Especially when hiking in warm temperatures, using synthetic socks might be a good idea since you don’t really need the warmth that merino wool provides. That said, merino wool does perform well in both cold and warm temperature. It’s good in cold temperatures because it’s a great insulator. It’s also good in warm temperatures because it’s breathable and moisture wicking.
If you have some synthetic socks lying around and you are wondering whether or not these are decent for hiking, I would say that you can definitely use them. However, if you are thinking about buying new socks, I would always recommend merino wool over synthetic socks. You could also try both and find out what works best for you. There are still some hikers who prefer synthetic over merino wool. In the end, personal preference is always a big factor, but overall, merino wool is considered the best material for hiking socks.
The material that you want to avoid at all cost would be cotton. Even socks with a material blend that contains cotton should be avoided. The main reason for this? Cotton does a very bad job at moisture wicking, and having moisture wicking socks is very important on a hiking trip.
Perfect material blend for hiking socks
As I mentioned before, socks will not consist 100% of merino wool. The perfect hiking socks will be made from a blend where most of the material is merino wool.
A small percentage will come from a synthetic fabric (mostly nylon). This will help with making the socks more lightweight and less bulky. Additionally, a tiny percentage will come from spandex (elastane). Spandex will be responsible for making the socks elastic.
I found that the best merino wool hiking socks generally consist of 60%-65% merino wool. However, for winter socks, the amount of merino wool used might be even higher.
Best merino wool hiking socks
So, now we know that merino wool is the best material for hiking socks. But what are the best merino wool hiking socks? As usual, there are tons of good options out there, but I can definitely make a very solid recommendation.
Darn Tough Hiker Micro Crew Cushion Sock
I have been recommending Darn Tough hiking socks for a while now, and with good reason. Darn Tough is a brand that knows what they are doing. These socks do everything you would want from a hiking sock, they provide warmth, are very good at moisture wicking. I have never met a hiker who was disappointed by Darn Tough.
These socks are better than the competition because they are extremely comfortable and extremely durable. Now it’s easy to claim that your product is “extremely durable”, but Darn Tough actually proves it with their lifetime guarantee – no strings attached. However, if you live outside the U.S. there is a small chance that this guarantee does not apply to you, you can check it here. That said, complaints about durability are very rare anyway, so it doesn’t even matter that much.
Darn Tough is pretty confident in their product, and with good reason!
Our unconditional lifetime guarantee is simple and without strings or conditions. If our socks are not the most comfortable, durable and best fitting socks you have ever owned, return them for another pair.
No strings. No conditions. For life.
Keeping in mind that they offer a lifetime guarantee, these socks are actually pretty cheap as well.
In case you are interested, you can buy this socks from amazon, they are available both for men and women.
Men: Darn Tough Men’s Hiker Socks
Women: Darn Tough Women’s Hiker Socks
Conclusion
The answer to the question “What is the best material for hiking socks?” is quickly answered with “Merino wool”. However, once you dig a little bit deeper, you will quickly learn that there is more to it. Hiking socks are rarely made from one single material. Instead, the best hiking socks are made from a blend where merino wool is the main ingredient.
When it comes to the best brand for merino wool socks. I would recommend Darn Tough. As I said before, there are plenty of good alternatives out there, I obviously haven’t tested them all, so I wouldn’t be able to tell you whether or not they are the best hiking socks ever. That said, I can say that these socks are very high quality – especially at that price – and that I would be surprised if they would disappoint you.