As humans traipsing around in the woods, we’re at a few disadvantages. One of the biggest ones is that our bodies simply aren’t designed to spend all day out in the cold. We must protect and insulate ourselves from the extreme temperatures. That starts with our feet. One of the most important investments you’ll make before heading to the deer stand will be a good pair of hunting socks.
Why Do Hunting Socks Matter?
Your body loses heat the fastest out of the top of your head and the tips of your toes. Your head is relatively easy to look after; wear a good wool cap and take it off when you get too warm.
Socks are a different story. They’re buried inside your hunting boots, so you can’t just take them off as you get warm. In the past, we would suffer from cold feet for a while and then enjoy a brief time of toasty toes when the insulation finally warmed up.
That didn’t last long, unfortunately. As your body warms up, it starts to sweat. The more hiking through the woods you do, the more your feet end up sweating. Guess what happens to your socks when your feet sweat? That’s right, they get soaked.
Wet clothing loses all its ability to insulate your body. So eventually, those toasty toes start to freeze again. Your wet socks also put you at risk for painful blisters. All in all, it just leads to a bad time. To solve this, you need your inner footwear, your socks, to be able to do two equally important jobs: insulate your feet from the cold, and wick away the moisture from sweat and anything else wet that might seep into your boots.
It’s not all about temperature control, though, as important as that is. You also want to make certain your socks will help support those sensitive pressure spots in your feet and lower legs. The fabric needs to be soft but supportive. You want hunting socks that offer you plenty of arch and ankle support. Otherwise, your feet and ankles are likely to give out on you, maybe before you even get to your deer stand.
The Best Hunting Socks You Can Buy in 2021
Here are the top 5 socks for hunters in 2021. These will keep going through your whole hunt. Your toes will remain warm as dry, your arches will keep comfy, and you’ll feel great support in your ankles.
The Best Overall Hunting Socks: Farm to Feet Ely
For all but the most extreme cold temperatures, these socks are among my most trusted in footwear. The Farm to Feet Ely socks are available in both lightweight and full cushion varieties. Sizes go as low as a woman’s 4, all the way up to men’s 14.5. They’re made of 63% Merino wool and 8% copper. There’s also nylon and spandex added in for additional comfort.
These socks offer great insulation, good moisture-wicking, and fantastic support where your feet need it most. The Farm to Feet Ely socks are also durable enough to serve you through multiple hunting seasons.
Best Overall Hunting Socks Runner-Up: Darn Tough Hunter Socks
I say runner-up, but really these are just as good as the Farm to Feet socks. Darn Tough’s Hunter Socks have great durability, breathability, and versatility. The seamless technology used in producing these socks will make you wonder if the seams are even there, or if Darn Tough somehow managed to make socks out of one piece of material without any sewing at all.
These socks are comprised of 79% Merino wool, 19% Nylon, and 2% Lycra Spandex. They breathe well, keep your feet well-insulated, and come with a lifetime guarantee not to wear, tear, or develop holes. The only drawback is that while Darn Tough’s Hunter socks are heavily cushioned, there’s no dedicated support for your arches or ankles.
For Toasty Toes in the Bitter Cold, Get Smart: Smartwool , That Is
Short of buying heated socks, the warmest hunting socks I’ve found are SmartWool Mountaineering extra heavy crew socks. These are made of a blend that’s 74% Merino, 25% nylon, and 1% Elastane. They’re very warm and offer fantastic arch and ankle support.
You’ll also enjoy the flat-knit toe seam, preventing bunching and pinched toes. An Achilles strap provides extra support at the back of your ankles.
The only downside is they don’t wick away moisture well, so you may want to pair then with a good set of sock liners. A pair of SmartWool Mountaineering socks won’t come close to breaking the bank, though, and neither will the liners.
When You Need Sock Liners, Go with Wigwam’s Gobi
Good material choices will help with insulation, but you may need help getting rid of moisture. That’s where sock liners come into play. You wear these over your socks, and they draw the moisture out of your insulated socks. Then, the moisture can evaporate and leave you warm and toasty.
The best liners I’ve found for hunting are Wigwam’s Gobi sock liners. They are made of 95% Olefin, 4% Nylon, and 1% Spandex. These sock liners will wick away any moisture, keeping your socks dry and your feet warm and blister-free. If properly cared for, these liners could last through several hunting seasons.
Best Year-Round Outdoors Socks: Darn Tough Merino Wool Boot Sock
If you’re on a tight budget and want some good multipurpose outdoors socks, here ya go. The Darn Tough CoolMax Boot sock will serve you well hiking in spring and summer weather as well as hunting in cool fall weather. These socks have Darn Tough’s lifetime warranty, so they’ll either last you for years or the company will replace them free of charge. They’ll keep your feet dry and cool on those summer hikes, but also warm on cooler fall hunts. They just won’t be much help when the weather drops below freezing.
These socks are made from 60% CoolMax Polyester, 31% Nylon, 6% Acrylic, and 3% Lycra Spandex. They are full-cushioned, but the Darn Tough CoolMax socks don’t feature dedicated arch or ankle support.
Good Socks, and Sometimes Liners, Are the Key
So, how do you find a pair of socks that will keep heat in and water out? It’s harder than you would think, but possible. Today’s advances in technology and fabrics, even in hunting gear, are 100% on your side here.
Arguably the best material for hunting socks used to be so expensive only the richest outdoor enthusiasts could afford it. Merino wool is thinner and softer than other types of wool. That makes it infinitely more comfortable to wear, but it still offers the insulation and support you need.
Socks made from Merino wool will naturally be warmer, but they will also wick away moisture to keep your feet dry. When it’s cold outside, the natural crimps and bends in Merino wool’s fibers trap air, insulating you. When it’s warm outside, those same fibers transport sweat quickly away from your skin. This helps keep you cool and dry.
Good quality socks may have other materials sewn in, like copper, to provide even more support. The socks we recommended above are almost all fantastic examples of blending materials together to produce socks that will keep your feet warm and comfortable, as well as support your arches and ankles.