walking socks

Hi Kathy,

I wore Smartwool socks all over London and Paris for two weeks and my feet were as happy as gamboling lambs in the Spring. My tootsies were very comfortable and never an itch was felt. Mind you, my trip was in late Sept / early Oct, so it was a little coolish at the time. But I walked all over heck and gone (Kew Gardens is huge!) and enjoyed every step of it.

-- Mike Beebe

kathyw, you have an image in your mind of wearing your grandmother's sweater on your feet. Smartwool is a brand that comes in many thicknesses and styles from thin dress socks to ski socks to hiking socks, in all weights. You need to check some out in a store and see. You wouldn't be able to tell what fiber they're made from any other brand of non-cotton sock, just by looking at them or feeling them. They're as comfortable and non-itchy as any other sock brand, and made well too.

Both Smartwool socks and Sockwell socks are blended with other fibers along with wool so they are very comfortable and not too hot to wear.
They also come in cute patterns and are fun to wear.
Sockwells have the advantage of also making compression socks (if that would be useful for you.)
I prefer Sockwells because I think that they are better made and last longer, at least for my feet.
Both brands are available from REI.

I always wear a medium weight blended wool sock - Smartwool is one brand but there are other similar blends at half the price. A blended wool sock is far superior in cooling and comfort than a cotton sock. However, buy the socks and wear them when fitting the shoe. I have found very nice wool socks at Costco.

Kathy, one good source of many socks, various brands, many purposes and weights and fibers, various sizes, and some periodic sales is the web site SocksAddict.com. And a good store to look at for a similar variety of socks is Outdoor World, if there is one near you. Both of these carry Smartwool and others, I believe.

The last 20years has seen the growth of Merino wool into the 'sportswear' causal/ready-to-wear category. To keep it short, the suiting industry used Merino exclusively; today most jobs today don't require suits and socially, we don't wear a lot of suits or, sport coats, thus the Merino industry shifted towards sportswear or, ready-to-wear clothing.

Brands like Smartwool Icebreaker and Ibex exploded and have become a mainstay within the outdoor industry. Wool socks have alway been around but, those from yesteryear used boiled wool or, worsted wool; they were thick, itchy and usually associated with heavy hiking boots. Merino wool comes from Merino sheep, which offer a finer hair than the old boiled stuff, thus a much softer hand which greatly reduces the prickly/itchy sensation. Wool in general helps retain warmth, while also expelling moisture from your sweat, it doesn't absorb huge amounts of moisture and it helps regulate your body heat so, summer time use is perfectly fine.

Today, there are brands that specialize in wool socks, check out: Smartwool, Darn Tough, point6 and Farm-to-Feet. They all come in a wide variety of thicknesses, fun/interesting colors and patterns. Personally my favorite are Darn Tough, they're made in the USA, however you may enjoy some of the other fun varieties from other brands.

Ditto all the previous comments. Not itchy! And check out Sierra Trading Company. Great deals on SmartWool and other wool socks, too. You'll get coupons if you sign up with them. I like the SmartWool for the neat colors and patterns.

I've been wearing a lot of merino wool blend socks this winter. I have several pairs of varying weights that I've picked up from Bass Pro and Duluth Trading. They're all warm, comfortable, not at all itchy and help keep my feet dry. They can be pricey, but happy feet are well worth the cost.

I have used Wright Sock Cool Mesh Il. Check out their website, they are also sold at REI, shoe stores, etc.

Ditto the Wright Socks. I wear the double layer cool mesh, and I never get blisters. I have walked the streets of France and Italy and have run a marathon wearing them. Amazon has several styles in white and black.

Hi Kathy,

I practically live in Smartwool (or similar brand) socks year-round, unless I'm wearing sandals or dress shoes! They keep my feet warm in the winter and cool in the summer, because of their wicking and quick-dry properties, and I don't find them to be itchy. I wear them to work and I've worn them walking across Spain in July and hiking mountains in the US year-round. They come in many styles and weights so you can find what you like best, and what works with the activity you're going to do. And there are other good brands, too, like Darn Tough- I took 2 pairs of their ankle socks to Italy last summer. Happy travels!

Thank you so much for all the suggestions. I can tell you are sock authorities! And.......some of your comments made me chuckle. Sounds like I need to take a trip to REI and see several actual socks and then I can order them online if need be.

With appreciation,

Kathy

I did the Breast Cancer 3-Day Walk (60 miles) and wore Wright Socks Anti-Blister socks. I did not get blisters. They are double layer and come in a variety of styles. They are available online or at REI. They are the best socks I have ever worn for walking. I am going on a tour of the Lippizan horse farms in August and September and will be buying more to wear on my trip.

I love Smartwool for their colors and designs and own several styles from thin/normal to medium with padded instep. My other favorite is Wrightsocks, no blisters happening with them on my feet, they just don't come in any interesting colors. Both are well worth the price and I buy from Amazon.