Quick drying socks?

Smart wool.
Use Forever New soap purchased in lingerie department of your major department store.
Squeeze dry.
Wrap in bath towel and squeeze to remove as much moisture as possible.
Hang to dry.
It is always helpful to have heated towel warmers but I have facilitated drying with a hair dryer.
Using this technique my socks have always been ready to wear the following morning.

For travel I have LL Bean branded Coolmax socks for walking about and Smartwool boot socks (medium weight). The Coolmax fabric socks dry twice as fast as the wool socks.

Coolmax is a moisture wicking material so its faster drying is no surprise:
http://www.coolmaxbrandsocks.com/technology.aspx

http://www.llbean.com/llb/shop/88582?page=coolmax-hiker-sock-multi-color-2-pack
http://www.llbean.com/llb/shop/88686?page=coolmax-hiker-sock-multi-color-2pair-mens

Have always wondered about the Smart Wool socks, I will give them a try. And I already use the "Forever New" soap.... Thanks for the recommendation!

We love our Tilley Endurables. http://www.tilley.com/canada_en/catalogsearch/result/?q=Socks

Wool socks. After washing and getting dry as possible, roll the socks very tightly in a towell. Then walk on it. Then hang up the sock. Always dry by morning.

I am a die hard cotton socks guy. I carry three or four pairs. I sink wash them at at the end of the day, or whenever convenient, wring them out and hang them to dry overnight. In the morning, they are still slightly damp. I put each sock over the hair dryer and blow them for about 30-60 seconds each and they are toasty dry. No stinky socks in my luggage.

I do as funpig does.. I am totally the princess and the pea with wool.. I can feel even 5% wool and it makes me insane .
Cotton socks.. same method of cleaning as everyone else( love ForeverNew) and same towel roll, stomp, hang method.

We almost never stay less then 2-3 nights in one place so I am just sure to wash socks on arrival day .. not day before departure from accomadations.

Coolmax and wool socks work very well for me. At the moment, I use REI brand merino wool blend socks and follow Carole's advice above. Both socks are available at REI with 10% off if buying three or more pairs, plus typically 10% annual rebate.

I was backpacking for seven weeks last summer and decided it's best to do what is most comfortable for you and not to break the bank buying several pairs of high-priced socks (not knocking smartwool, they're great, but pricey!). Occasionally the odd piece of laundry would take longer to try and I'd toss it in a large ziploc bag and hang it up at my next destination. Nothing got mildewy or otherwise unpleasant.

Caroline

Socks take up a minimal amount of space especially if you stuff your extra socks in shoes that you may pack. (During summer travel I wear hiking boots and pack light shoes). Dry feet are important to me. During rainy weather, I hike with spare socks and change out soaked socks during lunch. On walking trips, 4 pairs are a minimum in that I may have two wet pairs drying overnight.

Thanks to all of you for the great suggestions!! Looks like I have some options!! Thank you! Karen

I travel lighter than Edgar...one pair on, two more in the bag. Plenty. Oh, and I use plastic J style laundry hooks that hang from damn near anywhere to dry socks after sink washing, and rolling/crushing in a towel. Using a hair dryer is the last resort, but I learned the hard way that you must be very careful.

The towel rolling is the key for accelerating the drying process!!