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$15 'Hiking socks' ~ anyone use these?

Melensdad

Jerk in a Hawaiian Shirt & SNOWCAT Moderator
Staff member
GOLD Site Supporter
No secret that I've been walking a lot more lately.

Generally I wear normal everyday crew style socks. But I do have 2 pairs of dedicated hiking socks. They are constructed very differently than normal socks. Both of my hiking socks are a Cabela's brand, honestly I love one of them but not the other pair. The pair that I do not like has too much loose padding under the ball of my foot it bunches where there is padding has matted down. I think there is too much padding? That pair also has a padded calf for wearing with a taller boot, which is a nice feature but I rarely wear boots and instead opt for shoes.

The Cabela's hiking sock I really like is called an "in-Genius" hiking sock and its much better, it actually has less padding, but the same sort of 'fit' as the other Cabela's sock. As will all brands of hiking socks I've found they are tight through the arch, fitted under the ball, fitted in the heel and up around the ankle. There is less padding to shift around under your foot in the Cabela's in-Genius sock and that eliminates the ability for it to bunch up.

I just found out about a brand called DARN GOOD SOCKS, made in Vermont. Apparently they use thinner threads and weave it at TWICE the thickness? I heard about them from another hiker who is far more dedicated than me. Looked them up on Al Gore's internet and found lots of very positive reviews about the brand (yes, people review socks!).

Anyone try DARN GOOD SOCKS?

Or do you use any other brand of "technical hiking" socks? Smartwool? Thorolo? Cabela's? Etc.
 
I have 8 or 9 pair of Thorlo socks. Tennis, not walking. They're great socks, I wear them, they work (which is why I have a bunch). If I had any hit on them it would be personal, and that's that my feet feel like they're wrapped up in a cushion, which is the point I suppose. My feet prefer the great outdoors instead of being stuffed in sacks and crammed into drawstring cocoon shells, even when it's for their own good.

My $0.02: Any of the purpose built socks will be better than a tube. After that, they're like shoes - you have to find the one that works best.
 

Melensdad

Jerk in a Hawaiian Shirt & SNOWCAT Moderator
Staff member
GOLD Site Supporter
My $0.02: Any of the purpose built socks will be better than a tube. After that, they're like shoes - you have to find the one that works best.

I tried tube socks ONCE about 35 years ago. Once was enough :hammer:
 

BigAl

Gone But Not Forgotten
SUPER Site Supporter
Living and hunting all over the place has taught me the importance of good foot wear . Get a sock that will give cushion and wick away mositure from you feet . If you are going to be going through water puddles pick up a pair of gore tex lite weight socks as a cover .Wool is still a good choce as it retains heat value even when wet . Look to our military for guidance . They march all the time .

The feet are usually the first to start complaining in hunting camp each evening ,when we use to do 10 - 25 miles a day of hiking .
Those type of hunting days days are long gone for me now . I seldom leave the property so a pair of "flip flops" will damn near do the job now .


A big old blister can ruin a great trip and cost you a hell of a lot more in the long run , than saving a few bucks on socks !!!!
 

JimVT

Bronze Member
GOLD Site Supporter
I started with the $10 wigwam about two years back. when I need a cushon shock that is what I grab. They are a spoiler.
jim
 

Melensdad

Jerk in a Hawaiian Shirt & SNOWCAT Moderator
Staff member
GOLD Site Supporter
Well I think I am going to try a pair of DARN GOOD SOCKS, actually 2 pairs.

1 pair of their COOLMAX fabric (no wool) and one pair of their warmer wool socks. Both are offered in "trekking-hiking" sock style.
 

Snowtrac Nome

member formerly known as dds
GOLD Site Supporter
Bob I won't hold back I'm cheep. I usually try to find some cheap tube socks to work in, because being on my feet all day I won't get a year out of them. when it comes to going out in the back country I use an issue cushion sole wool USGI sock I pick up at clothing sales and they work well for me and don't cost a lot. another cool find I scored on was at wall mart. my summer safety toe boots are at the end of their life most boots I found were in the $200.00 range by accident I found some $50.00 herman survivors at wallmart. these are a cheep boot but fit real well the selling point was they were about half the weight of other safety toe boots, we will now just have to see how long they stand up.
 

Melensdad

Jerk in a Hawaiian Shirt & SNOWCAT Moderator
Staff member
GOLD Site Supporter
Well I stopped off at DICKS SPORTING GOODS to check out their selection of technical hiking socks. Waste of a trip.

They had 3 pairs. I could have had my choice of either Brown or Blue HEAVY Smartwool hiking socks. And 1 pair of ladies Smartwool hiking socks. Uh, what?

No light or medium weight hiking socks. No other brands of hiking socks. Since I was not shopping for a mid-winter hiking trip in the arctic circle I didn't see much need for HEAVY wool socks in August in Indiana. Do they not understand the seasons of the year at Dicks?

I ended up ordering 4 pairs of Darn Good Socks from Amazon.Com

If I get a chance I'll stop up at Cabela's tomorrow and see what brands they have to offer. I'd like to try at least 3 different brands.
 

EastTexFrank

Well-known member
GOLD Site Supporter
I have a couple of pairs of heavy Smartwool hiking socks and absolutely love them. You're right though, not for wear in summer in Indiana. I used them in Wyoming and New Mexico during the winter and they were a life saver but in Texas, not so much. If we ever have another ice age though, I'm ready!!!!

I also have a couple of pairs of light/medium Coolmax socks and they're good but there's something about them that's just not "right". I don't know what it is. I still wear them for summer dayhikes and they do well. Somehow they seem to "slip" a little bit. I don't know how else to explain it. They don't bunch up at the toes and there's no discomfort when wearing them but they always remind you that they're on your feet, especially when going up and down hills. I wouldn't pay too much attention to my comments on them as it's probably a personal thing.

By the way, I also wear tube socks. I buy them by the 12-pack. Use them mainly for working outside and when digging in our red dirt, they are a throw away item.
 

bczoom

Super Moderator
Staff member
GOLD Site Supporter
Well I stopped off at DICKS SPORTING GOODS
Why would you of all people do that?

I still haven't gotten over their knee-jerk reaction last fall after the CT shooting. Most everyone I know no longer shops there. Oh, and they're opening a new chain "Field & Stream" to try to get their customers back.
 

Melensdad

Jerk in a Hawaiian Shirt & SNOWCAT Moderator
Staff member
GOLD Site Supporter
Dicks is the only store around that sells Koppen hiking pants and I wanted another pair because they were on sale. Generally speaking I totally avoid Dicks.
 
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