View Full Version : Am I bringing too many socks?
Currently I have 3 pairs of darn tough socks 2 pairs of waterproof sealskinz socks 4 pairs of light merino wool socks for an underlayer and I am thinking about getting a pair of Dyneema socks (https://www.getfyf.com) to wear around camp.
Is this overkill, or am I missing something?
bigcranky
12-25-2017, 20:13
What season? For a typical AT March hike I would carry the three pairs of Darn Toughs. Keep one dry to wear in bed, and rotate the other two while hiking.
Thanks. That was what I originally thought, but I was seduced by the word waterproof.
I had two pairs of darn-toughs and two pairs of liners. I also had a pair of fleece socks to sleep in.
What season? For a typical AT March hike I would carry the three pairs of Darn Toughs. Keep one dry to wear in bed, and rotate the other two while hiking.
Same for me, maybe one more for the rotation. I tried sealskinz, and they sure keep your feet dry from the outside, but your feet will smell so bad after a few hours that you'll worry that something died in there.
Used to carry three pairs of darn toughs. Now carry four since a friend made a point that the weight penalty is not that high for the benefit.
HooKooDooKu
12-25-2017, 21:36
What season? For a typical AT March hike I would carry the three pairs of Darn Toughs. Keep one dry to wear in bed, and rotate the other two while hiking.
Include two pair of liner socks and this is what I did for my JMT thru...
I would wear a set of liners and Darn Tough for two days. I would then wash these and given them two days to dry while I wore the other set of liner/Darn Tough.
Socks are light...unless they get wet....
Emerson Bigills
12-25-2017, 21:40
I'm with you - 3 pair. Two for hiking rotation and one to keep dry to sleep in. Darn Toughs rule on the trail.
Socks are light...unless they get wet....
But that is when you are really glad you have the extra pair.
But that is when you are really glad you have the extra pair.
Actually, that is how you end up with four wet pairs.......
Christoph
12-25-2017, 23:11
Your feet and socks are going to get wet, no matter what you do. I took 3 pairs. 2 to hike in (swapped out every day and hung the other pair on my pack while hiking) and the 3rd was a pair of Smartwools that felt like walking on clouds in town. At night, they were great on the feet in the sleeping bag as well. Just do ziplock laundry often to keep the salt off 'em.
DownEaster
12-25-2017, 23:39
You can't go wrong with Darn Tough socks for hiking. You might want to try something different for sleeping: looser, softer, warmer. Of those qualities, warmer is very important. Your feet take a lot of abuse while hiking. Warm feet at night have full blood flow to aid in recovery, whereas cold feet have restricted blood flow.
Gambit McCrae
12-26-2017, 00:25
I carry 1 pair that always stay dry, and 1 pair that stay dry until they get wet. If the socks are wet so are the shoes and the socks will dry before the shoes which means any pair of dry socks that go into the shoes will get wet fast. One could say that once the shoes dry you will want a dry pair of socks to put on with said dry shoes. But if socks dry faster then shoes then my wet socks are dry before the shoes? Lol 2 pair of socks for me
jj dont play
12-26-2017, 01:01
2 pairs darn tough all you need for a thru. When it was colder I did bring a mm extra pair of big fluffy cotton socks for sleeping only, was a nice luxury
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fastfoxengineering
12-26-2017, 06:20
I'll wear the same pair of darn toughs over and over again until they are going to cause a problem. Hike enough and you'll know when it's time for a fresh pair. I've hiked 11 days straight on one pair. It was dry and clean hiking though. I've also gone day and my socks were so muddy that if I didn't switch them out for a fresh pair my feet would probably have gotten mangled by them.
Fresh socks every day on trail would be magical, but not worth the weight penalty.
I've started experimenting with lighter synthetic socks. Especially in the warmer months. A quick rinse and they actually dry overnight. Feel almost like laundry mat clean. Clean without the softness.
Socks are a very personal thing. I think a good starting place is
2x pair of darn tough hikers
1x pair of smartwool thick socks for sleeping
Your feet should be happy with this setup and should mitigate any problems. Adjust as needed.
After a brutally cold, wet, muddy day. A little foot powder and clean, dry, thick socks are legit
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The fastest way to dry wet socks is to hike in them. Two or three pair, period for me. One pair for hiking in - wet or dry, one pair for camp - dry. After a few days, on a nice sunny day, wash the hiking pair and hang on your pack to dry during the day. Hike in the former "camp" socks for the next few days.
In really cold weather, down booties are light, comfy, and add to your sleeping warmth. I find regular socks constrict the blood flow to my feet and toes, thus making my feet colder. Down booties do not have this effect.
Highland Goat
12-26-2017, 10:04
I only carry two pairs of socks; one pair to hike in, usually Darn Tough, but occasionally a thicker SmartWool. I carry a second pair of light socks to sleep in, or wear to the next mail drop in the event of catastrophic sock failure. Usually these are wool running or biking socks, but for some time I carried cashmere argyle socks I received as a gift. When you backpack a lot, people give you socks.
I have started to move towards ankle socks, as I wear low-rise boots and the crew socks have material that does little for me.
There’s really no such thing as practical waterproof.
I carried 2 darn toughs and one possumdown pair for sleep and questioned the 2nd pair of darn toughs. Unless I knew I was going into town the next day I’d just keep wearing the ****ty wet pair because otherwise I’d have 2 wet nasty pairs.
Only on rare occasions did I use the 2nd pair as a morale boost
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Old Hiker
12-26-2017, 10:52
What season? For a typical AT March hike I would carry the three pairs of Darn Toughs. Keep one dry to wear in bed, and rotate the other two while hiking.
This worked for me in 2016. Dry socks stayed DRY in a zip-loc. Other 2 pair rotated as/is needed.
And yes, Darn Tough the whole way.
Tipi Walter
12-26-2017, 10:56
I carry 1 pair that always stay dry, and 1 pair that stay dry until they get wet. If the socks are wet so are the shoes and the socks will dry before the shoes which means any pair of dry socks that go into the shoes will get wet fast. One could say that once the shoes dry you will want a dry pair of socks to put on with said dry shoes. But if socks dry faster then shoes then my wet socks are dry before the shoes? Lol 2 pair of socks for me
My policy precisely. My preferred brand (after years with Bridgedale and Thorlo socks) are Smartwool Mountaineering, the thickest most cushioned socks they make--and I appreciate the cushion after a long day with a 75 lb pack.
I have stayed in my hiking socks for up to 24 days at a time---and they do get a little crusty and stiff. But here's the thing---if you're worried about soiled foul socks after 10 days on the trail you can wash them in a creek and wear them dry.
The reason I just bring two pairs of socks is because one pair is for camping and sleeping and therefore always kept dry and never worn for hiking. The other pair are allowed to get wet in wet boots and can be hiked dry eventually or worn in the tent damp and slowly get dry. TTwo pairs of socks is like two pairs of gloves---allow one pair to get wet and always keep one pair dry.
Taking more than two pairs means you'll end up with more than one pair wet--and carrying this wet weight.
My thick Smartwools are also excellent in the winter and in cold temps can be doubled up in the sleeping bag if the hiking socks are dry.
wordstew
12-26-2017, 11:59
Shoot in warm weather I usually wear no socks at all however I always carry two pair of darn toughs and two lambs wool insoles. I use the insoles in cold weather and switch them out along with various combinations of either no socks, socks only, insoles only, socks with insoles.
Have you hiked wearing the sealskinz? I had a pair when I started my thru, wore them in the Smokys and found that they made my feet sweat so much, even hiking in snow, that I quit wearing them.
DuneElliot
12-26-2017, 13:30
I'm with a lot of others on this one...two pairs of DTs for hiking in and one longer pair to sleep in that are always dry.
What season? For a typical AT March hike I would carry the three pairs of Darn Toughs. Keep one dry to wear in bed, and rotate the other two while hiking.
+1, but would also have two pairs of liner socks as i like liners for blister prevention - your feet may not act like mine do.
Emerson Bigills
12-27-2017, 13:54
Something else I will share about socks. I was in ME for 19 days. I think my hiking socks were dry for 2 of those days. Between the rain, the river fords and the boggy terrain, it was impossible to keep my feet dry. I will also tell you that VT will keep your feet wet. Not much use in wasting a dry pair of socks when you know they are going to be soaked in the first hour, so I often slapped on the wet ones from the day before. Between having my feet wet for so long and the grit in the river fords, my feet were approaching hamburger by the time I finished. Open sores on every toe and bottom of my feet were cracking open.
When the trail started getting wetter, I was advised by some other hikers to try to let my feet air out at night as much as possible. I think that really helped for a good while, but it was tempting to put those warm dry socks on as soon as I got into camp. My feet actually did quite well until I got into the wet trail of VT, NH and ME. If NOBO, you will think you know a lot after 1500 miles, but those last three states are a different beast.
TimOnWhiteBlaze
12-27-2017, 15:29
Did you use gaiters in Maine and Vermont?
bigcranky
12-27-2017, 15:59
Did you use gaiters in Maine and Vermont?
Gaiters wouldn't do much to keep my feet dry, as I wear mesh trail runners. +1 on having wet feet, and on putting wet clothes and socks on in the morning. We were wet much of the time in Vermont. And cold.
The old rule is that you can't have more than one of anything that isn't called socks. So feel free.
fastfoxengineering
12-28-2017, 21:50
Something else I will share about socks. I was in ME for 19 days. I think my hiking socks were dry for 2 of those days. Between the rain, the river fords and the boggy terrain, it was impossible to keep my feet dry. I will also tell you that VT will keep your feet wet. Not much use in wasting a dry pair of socks when you know they are going to be soaked in the first hour, so I often slapped on the wet ones from the day before. Between having my feet wet for so long and the grit in the river fords, my feet were approaching hamburger by the time I finished. Open sores on every toe and bottom of my feet were cracking open.
When the trail started getting wetter, I was advised by some other hikers to try to let my feet air out at night as much as possible. I think that really helped for a good while, but it was tempting to put those warm dry socks on as soon as I got into camp. My feet actually did quite well until I got into the wet trail of VT, NH and ME. If NOBO, you will think you know a lot after 1500 miles, but those last three states are a different beast.In really wet conditions like you mentioned a little powder on the feet before you slip them into camp socks does wonders.
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