The Agony and Ecstasy of Socks on the Trail: A Thru-Hiker’s Guide to Happy Feet

Choosing the right hiking socks and caring for your feet properly can make or break your thru-hike. Learn how many pairs to bring and when to change socks.

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Josh Koop

I live with my wife and daughter in Katy, Texas and my local trail is the Lone Star Hiking Trail which is an amazing way to experience the Sam Houston National Park!

Shoes and socks soaked from trail muck
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When thru-hiking, you will go through a lot of socks. How many pairs of socks you bring depends on how long your trip will be and how often you plan to change them for a clean pair, dry pair, or to wash them.

For a long-distance trek, I recommend bringing at least three pairs – two will be used to swap out each day while the others dry, and one pair will be designated explicitly for sleeping. This will help you sleep well, and the trail wash will help minimize mineral build-up and cut down on blisters and foot problems.

On the last day when you are hiking into town, some will wear their sleep pair of socks as once in town, they will do laundry, which gives them a chance to get washed and stored for sleep again once you leave town.

How Socks Save Your Feet on the Trail

Socks are a key way to keep your feet happy on a thru-hike. Blisters, foot odor, and general discomfort can all be lessened by paying attention to your socks. Be sure to bring enough pairs and to change them often!

They act like a barrier and absorb the rubbing that would normally go directly to your skin. They also help wick away moisture which can help you to avoid blistering.

Keep Your Pigs Happy: Tips for Healthy Thru-Hiker Feet

Your feet are important to your successful completion of the trail as nothing can derail a hike as fast as foot-related problems and injuries.

Be sure to give them the TLC they need and deserve by cleaning and changing your socks often!

Wool Vs. Synthetic: The Great Sock Debate

There are two solid options for socks in general and thru-hikers tend to use one of these types depending on their personal preferences.

Merino Wool

Merino wool socks are a favorite among thru-hikers as they are great at wicking away moisture, and maintaining warmth even when wet. They also have natural odor-resistant properties and can be worn for several days without developing too much of a smell.

This makes them a strong performer when you are hiking on a trail for a week or longer between towns and real washings .

They can be a bit more expensive than other types of socks, but many thru-hikers feel they are worth the investment.

Synthetic Materials

Synthetic socks are another good option for thru-hikers as they also wick away moisture well and dry quickly. They tend to be less expensive than wool socks, but don’t usually last as long.

They also don’t have the same odor-resistant properties as wool socks, so you may find yourself changing them more often.

Which type of sock you choose is really a personal preference, but thru-hikers tend to prefer either merino wool or synthetic materials.

Get Those Socks Clean: Washing Tips for the Trail

One vital part of trail maintenance you will learn to adapt to is that you must clean your socks often to prevent problems like blisters, athlete’s foot, and stinky feet.

This can be done using a variety of methods depending on your location, water availability, and personal preference.

Some thru-hikers will choose to simply wash their socks in a stream or lake they are passing while others will carry a small bottle of soap to use in town when they do laundry.

Removing Oils, Minerals, Dirt, and Debris

One key to washing is that you can remove all the grime and causes of bad foot odor by using hot water and soap.

This will also help to remove any oils, minerals, dirt, and debris that can cause blisters or other problems.

Be sure to rub the socks well, and don’t scrub as many of these fabrics aren’t known for long durability, running will get everything between the fabric along with getting into all the nooks and crannies of your socks!

The Sock Swap: Optimal Sock Changing Frequency

In general, the best way would be to swap out daily and while you wear one pair you wash the previous day out while hanging on the outside of your pack to dry in the sunlight, the sun will also help kill any bacteria removing the smells!

The exception would be if you got extra grimy like hiking through thick mud that can get inside on your socks and adds to the problem of blisters.

Once through the muddy area, you could look to swap socks for your extra pair while washing mud and grime from the others.

If it is very humid or raining you may want to ring them out as much as possible, and then you could add them to a gallon bag to put in your foot box of your backpacking quilt or sleeping bag to use your heat to dry them for the next day.

Pack Right: How Many Pairs of Socks to Bring

Most thru-hikers will choose to pack only the bare essentials, socks are just the same as many other clothing items.

Personally, I carry three pairs with me, two are for my daily hiking, and one pair is for sleeping specifically to relax in clean socks for bed.

Some may choose to use only a single pair of socks, and others may choose to carry more spare socks because it helps them feel better on the trail to be able to cycle more often.

Extra socks aren’t a huge additional weight, so carrying an additional pair of hiking socks won’t break you.

I can tell you that starting the day in wet socks sucks, but you get used to it, and your feet will generate enough heat to dry them over time anyway, but it’s near bliss to start a day with dry socks!

Surviving With One Pair: Making Socks Last

While this may be sub-optimal many times on your thru-hike, you may have to do exactly this, socks get torn or somehow lost while on backpacking trips, and you may need to make it to the next town with a single pair.

This can lead to an increased chance of blisters depending on how many days you have to town it may well be worth it to wash these out at stream crossings more frequently in the middle of the day where you can still dry out before the night comes.

To Liner or Not to Liner: Adding Sock Layers

For the longest time, I wore Injinji socks as liners with merino wool outer socks. This was due to the fact that it can help some people cut down on blisters by adding another friction level, but for me, when I removed the Injinji, I suffered no ill effects.

This allowed me to remove two sets of socks I was carrying and streamline my kit a bit more. I would say that in the end, this is very much down to personal preference.

I know some who still swear by liner socks and others who don’t bother with them.

Lone Liners: The Pros and Cons

I have done this before, but they are much thinner materials which led to more movement than I could handle without getting hot spots where I was rubbing myself towards blister formation.

If your fit is good with them, the only other big defect I see in the thinness is the fact that they will develop holes and wear out quicker. In addition, holes in socks can be a thru-hiker’s worst enemy.

Double Trouble: Layering Liner and Outer Socks

For those who are heavily blistering prone, it is a very good idea to wear two layers of socks, an outer and a liner pair together as this gives you an extra layer of friction to prevent the material from moving against your skin.

The only drawback is that it can make your feet uncomfortably hot in certain situations, I would recommend testing out different methods before you leave on your thru-hike to find what works best for you.

Final Thoughts on Socks on Trail

I hope this guide has helped you understand more about thru-hiking socks and how to best take care of your feet on a long-distance hike!

Socks are often one of the most important gear for thru-hikers, and it’s important to understand how to take care of them and how often to change them.

Generally, it’s best to change socks every day, but in some cases, you may need to change more frequently. Always know the expected weather and conditions as this may dictate more socks.

Choosing the right socks for your hike and bringing enough pairs is also important. In general, three pairs of socks should be sufficient for most thru-hikers.

Finally, it’s up to you how many you bring and how often you change them, but keep your feet dry and clean to avoid blisters.

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