How to choose socks for outdoor activities?

Most of the physical work in outdoor sports is done by feet, whether it is hiking, climbing or skiing... ... It is particularly important to keep your feet happy.

Although I spent thousands of dollars on a pair of hiking shoes at the end of my student days, I really had to bear the pain. I am not so keen on mobile phones and bags, but I can't be too complacent and treat myself badly when it comes to equipment and outdoor clothing.

Feet are the first line of defense.
Now it seems that it is worth it.

Many people are curious about how to choose outdoor socks. I have suffered a lot of losses and I will talk to you here to buy the right one at a time.

1. Material:
The top and ideal material is Merino wool. Its unique fiber structure can maintain a high degree of dryness even when the feet are sweating, which is convenient for sweating, quick drying, and heat preservation.

Unlike chemical materials, it also naturally resists the growth of bacteria in a humid foot environment.

Many brands that focus on functionality use this material in their warm and perspiration-wicking base layers (such as long-sleeved Underwear). For example: icebreaker underwear, Patagonia's merino wool blend Capilene 3, Smartwool's close-fitting insulation layer, etc.

It is very suitable for use in extreme climates and geographical environments.

2. Scale and outdoor sports
Take the Smartwool brand as an example.

Most professional outdoor manufacturers, like it, have specific divisions in their outdoor product lines.

For example, in terms of functionality: hunting, hiking/short-line hiking (Hike), heavy-duty long-line hiking (Trekking), skiing (snowboarding) and mountaineering (Mountaineering) and other parts.

Different sports have different focuses on design, and we can choose according to our main outdoor sports.

If you like outdoor sports more widely and cross-cutting, we can choose from another dimension: cushioning thickness.

A more detailed classification is as follows: Ultra Light, Light, Medium, Heavy, Extra Heavy.

There are many advantages to classification from this perspective, which can be applied to other outdoor socks. Here are some details:

Ultra Light. Suitable for hiking in hot summer areas, mainly low-top, light, breathable, and elastic. For example, volcano climbing in Indonesia in summer (walking through the rainforest).

Of course, this is an ideal purchase choice. In reality, in order to save money, ordinary socks can also cope with short hikes in one or two days of sightseeing.

The best choice for cross-country running in warm areas is low-top merino wool socks with good breathability and shock absorption function focused on the toes and heels.

As winter outdoor inner socks, if you have sweaty feet or blisters like me, there is a little trick: wear a layer of ultra-thin inner socks (wool) that feels like silk to absorb sweat and reduce friction, and then wear wool socks, but this method is only suitable for relatively cold environments.

Lightweight. Generally, the natural thickness is about 1 times that of ordinary cotton socks, breathable and not heavy. The bottom is usually thickened with a full terry design due to outdoor hiking, while the instep and ankle parts are not. Suitable for all-season outdoor activities in non-alpine areas. For example: mountain activities in Yunnan and Guilin in summer.

In winter or at high altitudes, the high-top design that extends to the calf or wraps the calf is more suitable for keeping the temperature in the legs and will not hinder blood circulation.

Medium thickness. The thicker design provides good technical support for most mainstream hiking activities, reduces the friction of the feet in the shoes, increases breathability and perspiration. It is right to choose this model for summer and winter hiking in colder areas.

Thick (Heavy), extra thick (Extra Heavy). Thick is suitable for long-distance hiking and skiing in high-altitude areas and other relatively high-altitude ice and snow sports. Thickened wool socks on the soles and insteps are more functional in extreme environments, especially heavy equipment.

Extra thick belongs to high-altitude mountaineering and polar regions, but my feet are easily cold. Although it feels like killing a chicken with a butcher knife, it is indeed warm. Frostbite is terrible. If you have experienced frostbite, there may be certain subsequent dangers and functional loss in subsequent activities. I don’t want to lose a few toes while climbing a snowy mountain. Friends who have the same needs as me should consider buying a half-size to a size larger when buying hiking shoes or alpine boots.

Other factors:

Elasticity: Socks can be slightly tighter to prevent leg edema and vasodilation caused by long-term walking, but they should not be too tight to cause blisters or blood circulation problems. Be careful to avoid buying socks with too narrow and dense elastic bands at the ankles.

Length: Choose a length that is at least higher than the upper of the hiking shoes, so as not to wear the heels. It is best to have a shock-absorbing and thickened sole and heel (Cushion or Full Cushion).

3 Carrying with matching
A trip is likely to involve changes in altitude and geography, from the hot and humid valley bottom to the snow-covered ridge, from the cool streams covered with grass and trees to the vast alpine meadows and lake basins. At this time, outdoor socks may be completely different due to different climatic conditions.

From light to thick models, they can be put into the hiking bag together, but pay attention to the order of wearing, which may affect the order of packing.

For hiking less than four days, you can choose according to the outdoor environment and climate every day, and match thick and thin, 2~3 pairs are good.

For heavy-loaded long-distance hiking in high-altitude cold areas for four days or more, I usually bring 4 pairs of socks.

2 pairs of socks with thick soles (full cushion) for hiking and mountaineering. They cannot be washed or dried in time or replaced on the same day after wading or getting dirty;
1 pair of slightly thicker socks are only worn in sleeping bags (not necessarily for outdoor use);
1 pair of thin socks are worn when starting at low altitudes, and can also be worn with thick socks when it is colder.
If you have sweaty feet like me during winter hiking and mountaineering, you will find that it is useless to bring more socks. There may be no place to wash clothes in time in the wild, and there is no condition to take a shower and wash your feet. The best way is to keep a pair of socks just for sleeping. It can achieve the triple purpose of relaxing your feet, keeping warm, and keeping the sleeping bag that cannot be washed frequently clean.

4. Blister prevention
There are several common possibilities for blisters on your feet during hiking:

1. The shoes are not suitable.

2. The shoelaces are too loose or too tight. Adjust the shoelaces, and tighten the shoelaces close to the part that is prone to blisters.

3. Buy slightly thicker socks. I rarely use lightweight clothing for heavy hiking. I only bring medium-thick and thick ones. In winter, I will also consider thicker soles.

4. Change socks frequently. Dirty and wet socks not only make your feet prone to blisters, but also may cause infection when the blisters break.

P.S. High-functional outdoor clothing is often expensive, and in order to maximize their functions, it is recommended to use them only outdoors. Especially wool, high-fluff goose down and duck down, clothing with special coatings, etc. Try to separate them from non-functional urban wear (although some merchants will specifically point out that they are suitable for daily use, that is just to expand the market and purchasing groups), to avoid wear and tear caused by daily wear. I agree with Patagonia's theory: in the outdoors, clothing is equipment. After all, in the natural environment, they are also part of protection, and in extreme cases, they can save lives.