Posted: 7/3/2012 5:30:50 AM EDT
| I need a couple pair of socks for my bob and ghb. I guess I am looking at hiking socks that can hold up better than everyday cotton socks. Anyone have recommendations for a particular sock or website with any deals.???? Thanks, Scott |
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Depends on what shoes you are wearing?
Good boots, I'd highly recommend boot liners and to no get carried away with brands. They're just nylon thin socks. They wick moisture and wash and dry fast. If you are using that BOB or GHB for real and not on a hike in and camp, you're going to be on the move. Big heavy socks that make you comfortable ice fishing or hunting, will make you miserable on the move. Times have simply changed. Where once we all had unlined leather shoes/boots and we changed socks to match what we were doing, now we change boots. We have summer boots that vent and winter boots that insulate. Socks take on another role to, they are to keep moisture from your feet, wick. Its actually a much better system. What I do in winter is keep one pair of pick your poison thick socks in my BOB, I don't bother in my GHB. I keep 2 or 3 pairs of boot liners (keep in mind you can get 3 pairs for the price of one if you walk over the womens departmetn and simply buy their white nylon socks. Its the same thing) . The thick socks are for when I stop for the night, like putting on house shoes. The boot liners, you can clean and dry quickly. The hardest thing for any of us to prepare for is this idea if you go outdoors you con't have to be dressed for the weather. Other than rain, you simply can't. You'd have to have a wardrobe in a bag and it takes up all your limited space and weight. When thinking on this, I'm always reminded of the guy who's car is broke down in winter and him walking down the road for help wearing nothing but a "T" shirt. We've all seen them. I don't know about you all, but I always think "What a dumbass". Don't be that guy, dress for the weather. You dress for the weather then your contingency planning for being on foot is very limited. My BOB, I use for hiking. My change from summer to winter is only change my sleeping bag, that's it. Anything else is pretty much covered by dressing for the weather. Tj |
| I used to wear cotton socks but have pretty much tossed them for "Darn Tough" socks. I now have collected 15-20 pairs in two weights and wear them all year in cold or hot weather. Yes they are expensive but they hold up. Acording to their ad they are naturally anti-mircobial - my feet don't stink as much. These socks are actually made in the US as well. Second place on socks for me would be smart wool but I don't find them to be as well made. |
| The best socks that I have found are Wigwam trailmix fusion. It is a hybrid sock consisting of polypro on the inside and a merino blend on the outside. It is pretty much a liner and sock in one. They come in several different sizes and in my opinion, they are great. |
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I like those hi-tech socks from REI where they wick the moisture to the top of the sock and dissipate into the air. They cost a more than the everyday cotton sock from Wal-Mart & Target but worth it especially in a GHB/BoB.
BTW: When you guys launder the the hi-tech & wool socks, be treat it with some fabric softener, the fabric soften will help lubricate the fiber so that it will wear longer. |
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Quoted:
Made in China. REI, Cabela wool socks are made in the USA. The Smartwool socks have a much high thread count than their REI, Cabela etc counterparts, but that doesn't really make up for the higher price.
. . Second place on socks for me would be smart wool but I don't find them to be as well made. |
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Darn Tough Socks. Made in Vermont. Unconditional Lifetime Warranty. Very comfy too. http://darntough.com/ |
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If you are going to be wearing them for days, you want something that is light and synthetic, so you can wash and air dry them fairly quickly.
I have some of these for travel, although they are thin, which is good for washing and drying, but not much bulk for padding. |
| Smartwool for outdoor activities, Costco wool socks for daily wear. The Costco brand wool socks are made in the USA, in a factory that used to make socks for Smartwool apparently. They are $9.99 for three pair and are very durrable. I've got a couple brand new pair in my BOB. |
| The key to making the wool last, other than a little fabric softener, is to never dry them in the dryer, any heat at all from a dryer will shrink and bunch the materiel. Tumbling on no heat just makes the fabric bunch. After you wash them, just lay them out, or over something they will dry out in no time at all. Plus you save the cash on running the dryer. They will last for years this way. IMHO of course, as always. |
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I've been wearing the green Thorlo military boot socks for the past 20 years. Nothing beats them for daily wear, IMHO I used to have acouple pairs of Thorlos a long time ago, had the duty socks and the thicker hiking socks. I dunno what I did with them but they lasted a lot of washings and about 5 years before I misplaced them during a move or the dryer ate them. They were around $10 a pair at the Mil Clothing Sales back in the 90's, how much are they going for now? |
| Sam's club sells a particular merino wool sock very similar to the smartwool (brand is escaping me right now) that I've had great experience with. Best thing about them? A 3-pack is the same price as a single pair of smartwool, and the socks that Sam's carries are MADE IN THE USA... |