Let's talk socks! Do they really make a difference?

Since my preference in shoes has been mentioned (above post), I wanted to add that with my Lowa Trail Eaters--suitable for Cinque Terre trails or an evening at La Scala--I wouldn't be caught dead in anything but a polypropylene liner sock under a wool outer sock. And if wearing one's Ex-Officio convertible trousers/shorts in the "shorts option" (trouser leg bottoms zipped off for those times when you want to let the local Italian males know that real men CAN wear shorts), make sure (and I realize this practically goes without saying) that at least the wool outer sock matches the rest of your outfit.

not wanting to get into the socks or no socks discussion with birks... I think socks are almost as important as the good shoe. Ive tried many different wool socks on various trips (alpine and rual and urban "hiking") over the last couple years.

My favorites are from Patagonia. But the most important part is to pick Merino Wool. Its light, breathable, and sturdy. The Patagonias have a special wicking design and keep their shape very well - almost mold to your feet, and are very strong. 3 pairs is all you need.

other good brands: Smartwool, Coolmax, Teko, Icebreaker, Alpaca-Dalhgren brand socks. But I still like the Patagonia. While you can expect to pay between 11$-18$ a pair - quailty counts. With good fitting shoes and socks - you shouldnt have any blisters! Wool is a must.

Also - an old hiker long ago told me that wool socks are best worn 2-3 days in a row ... but on a city tour - maybe 2 is enough! just air them out each nite and wash every other day!

don't get cotton socks. If it rains they get wet and stay clammy. If you try and wash them in the sink they take forever to dry.

My suggestion is to get synthetic socks. They wick moisture and keep your feet dry, and drip dry overnite when you wash them. REI sells them, as do most sporting goods & camping stores. You can also get them from LL Bean.

I also agree w/Mike but for 2 additional reasons: added cushion & "climate control." They keep my feet warm when they need to be warm & cool when they need to be cool. No, there is no mechanical HVAC system attached to it just the coolmax fibers doing its job. Don't buy anklets. They sometimes don't protect the feet from the rubbing of the sneaker. The brand I use is the Walking Shoe Company socks, $10.95/pair. They have basic colors, nothing stylish to match w/Kent's walking/opera shoes for Italy. (see Yet Another Shoe Question posting.)IMHO.

I am an OLD hiker and have never heard of wearing wool socks two or three days in a row. Maybe that is the max you can wear them. I wear wool socks year around and especially when traveling. If it is cold I will add a liner. IMO a medium weight wool is critical and big difference in comfort --- BUT --- if the shoe was not purchased with a wool sock as intended usage, then going to a heavier sock from a thin cotton sock could cause problem. Another very important consideration is a removable inner sole especially if you are not changing shoes daily. Dry shoe interior is critical. I change and wash my wool socks daily and also change the inner sole daily.

washing socks - isnt that what those "bidet" things are for in france? :)

Use your Environmentally friendly soap or the inhouse-hotel soap dispenser stuff that good for hair/body/clothes/dog/car etc... use your sink or shower/tub (assuming you have one and dont have to go to the village fountain). Do it before bed and hang up for AM use. Use the fountain after dark when the locals have gone to bed. Or just wear them and splash about in the water to rinse!

As Underarmour proclaims... cotton is the enemy!
Someone turned me onto Thorlo's a few years ago for running (I was just starting). It really does make a difference! The majority of my socks are now either Thorlo or SmartWool. Whenever I run, I put on my Thorlo's. But for walking, I've got some different thicknesses of hiker/walker socks. And they also go with jeans and my khaki travel pants.
Just make sure to read the directions. They recommend washing them inside out to keep the padded areas "fluffy," and to use fabric softener which becomes a sort of fiber 'lubricant'. Whereas if you get hi-tech shirts/pants/compression wear, you'll want to avoid fabric softener as it clogs the pores that 'push' the moisture to the surface. I love this stuff, but it's made doing laundry a little more thought-provoking.

Ok, first the socks- YES. Absolutely they do make a difference. I'll second the comment on Thorlos- they are great. Just make sure that they fit well with the actual pair of shoes you will be wearing and that they will not make your shoes too tight, for example of the cushioning is too much.

Whoops, I forgot my second thought.

Another benefit of the synthetic socks is that you can use the in room hairdryer to dry them in a jiffy, after you've finished washing your socks in the bidet, that is.
Just slip them right over the end, hold on and turn on.

My father the electrician would kill me if he heard me say that....LOL

I am quite a fan of Tilley socks for travel. They are expensive, but are comfortable, cool and almost always dry overnight. I usually take only two or three pairs and wash every few nights in the bathroom sink. Two pairs of shorter socks (because I am a shorts guy and one longer, dressier pair).

As other posts mentioned, look away from cotton and to something that dries quickly. I usually like wearing white socks, but learned last trip to go with tan, gray, etc, as they don't show the dirt and grime as easily.

With all that said, in my personal opinion travel socks (along with travel undies like Exoficio brand) are money well spent.

Pete

I am allergic to wool and synthetics - so I only go with cotton. Everything I wear has to be 100% cotton. I just got back from 10 days in Europe. I brought 10 pairs of socks. Socks are just as important as the shoes, I agree with that! My friend brought cheap socks and kept ending up with blisters. I had no feet problems at all. My hiking socks are Wigwam. I also went to a "running" store and bought extra cushion socks. My shoes were well broken in and used to those type of thicker socks. Do not go cheap on socks - sore feet will ruin a vacation.

OK, I have to say, socks and underwear are the two things I CANNOT wear unless they are clean. It just grosses me out. Fortunately, both are small and I can take 5 or 6 of each and catch them whenever I do laundry. For me I buy whatever wool/synthetic socks are on sale at the outdoor store and make sure the first time I wear new shoes/socks is not during my trip. I have a cute shoe thing, and I aways bring at least one pair of ballet flats and stockings -- they take up almost no room, and for the theater or a nice dinner I find that I feel much more appropriately dressed in my travel skirt/dress. I buy stockings here because the ladies know that there are few things designed to make you more uncomfortable than ill-fitting panty hose for a whole evening.

Since my travel dress is more like business casual, I wear black socks that are non-cotton. I found some gold toe black crew socks that were perfect. They are thicker than dress socks. They are comfortable, go with my khakis/leather walking shoes and they wash and dry easily.

You are traveling casual. Costco has some nice wool blend hiking socks that are cheap (four pairs for $10) and perfect for travel. These are what I use for camping trips at home.

Good quality socks will make a difference if you do a lot of walking. I'd suggest buying new, high quality socks to take along- avoid ones with a lot of wear.

A good tip is to turn them "inside out"- so that the seam you often find across the toes protrudes out instead of rubbing against your toes. I've found that this seam if turned inward can cause blisters and pain if you walk a lot. (I'm told that this is an old hiker's trick.)

I will throw in my 2 cents. When I am doing a lot of walking, I often wear 2 pair of socks. One is a thin silk sock liner and the second is a normal weight pair of socks. The silk sock liners dry incredibly fast --- overnight. They are also great for preventing blisters. REI has a good selection of many of the socks mentioned in this thread.

You have to look at those that dry quickly, like non cotton.
Another thing to take into considaration is the cushioning, if you are going to do a lot of walking. I have very sensitive skin, and when I walk a lot, I feel like my skin rubs against the shoe. I found some cool workout socks that squeeze your feet in the middle. They feel very nice and dry fast. I think these work the best for me. I had a problem with the thick cushioned socks when I did a llot of walking last year in NYC. They felt OK, but I got blisters. I think the drying time matters a lot.

I don't know anything about what socks to use.
The only thing you should'nt do is wear white ones in Europe. Unless you want to make a fool out of your self.

Cesar

Please don't wear socks in sandals while in Europe. It either shouts "I'm 55 and older!" or "I'm an American tourist!". Nothing wrong with either one though. So if that's what you want to represent go ahead. By the way do you know what an "ÜFÜFÜ" is? It stands for "Über FÜnfundFÜnfzig" meaning "55 and over" in German ;-)

Andreas,

Your post immediately brought to mind Herr Köpke, my college German professor in his birks and black socks when our class went to Germany for 6 weeks. Yes, he was over 55...

Birks and white socks in Europe must be the equivalent of white tennis shoes with DARK Socks in the US!

I second the silk sock liners. I got two pairs from Cabelas and they are great.

My vote is for Thorlos. expensive but no blisters. about $13 per pair at athletic shoe stores. and buy running shoes walking shoes are not good enuf for lots of walking in Europe.

I have used a variety of socks over the years, Smartwool, REI brand, Thorlo, etc.... Last year I decided to splurge and bought a pair of Bridgedale Ventum Light Hikers. This is the perfect sock. They are foot specific (a right sock and a left sock) with padding in all the right spots, yet cool in your shoes/boots. They cost $18 a pair, but when you consider that as part of the cost of your most valuable transportation equipment investment, it is relatively inexpensive. Three pairs is a good bet--one to wear, one just washed and drying, and one to put on next. That is less than $60, or $3 per day, in a three week trip, I think that is reasonable.

You can buy them at REI, and see them at this link:

http://www.rei.com/product/752274

By the way, if you haven't tried Keen Newport sandals, do. You may wonder why you ever liked Birkenstocks. Best of all, with the closed front, no pebbles get in under your foot.

Happy Walking!
Kevin

I've reached the age where I don't give a hoot whether wearing socks with shoes looks goofy or not; I go for comfort.
I have worn The World's Softest Sock for several years now. You can find them online. They wear like iron--I have some that are at least 3-4 years old and show no signs of toe holes.
They don't dry very fast, true, but boy are they comfy! They come in men's and women's, various colors.

Kathy, I buy my socks from Travel Smith and are made of a silk/bamboo blend. They are dressy, comfortable and dry overnight when washed. However, these are not socks for hiking, albeit, great for walking around town on when on tours. Just google the company. Travek Smith also has a lot of other travel clothing that I have used over the years. My wife also uses some of their clothing. Dorsey