Socks, you might not think that they are very important; you might think that they are boring or just a necessity of wearing shoes. But, socks are so much more than that, they are the foundation of your outfit and can determine whether you’re having a good day or not. Especially when traveling. Choosing your socks can change how your day goes. I have come to accept that I am a sock snob. By that I mean that I would rather invest in more expensive and less interesting socks in order to make my feet happy. While I love a cool pair of socks with a fun print of a cartoon character or piece of art, I have learned that these loosely knit thin cotton/synthetic socks do not make my feet happy. Instead I choose to opt for wool blends and primarily hiking socks. Two of my favorite brands are Smartwool and Darn Tough. These brands make quality socks that are built to hug and support your foot. The wool blends keep your foot dry and comfortable in a variety of conditions without excessive bulk. Between the two I prefer Darn Tough for my crew socks I find that their midweight hiking sock is the right thickness for me (they make other variations in numerous heights and weights). This sock has padding in the toe and heel and fits snuggly over the arch. Darn Tough has produced this sock in a multitude of colors and prints; the colors do not fade and the socks have very little pilling and don’t stretch out. If however you manage to wear a hole in these socks the U.S. based company will replace them. Which makes the investment well worth it. When it comes to traveling these socks wash well and dry out quickly which is super important when you are changing locations every other day. Overall this sock is comfortable, durable, and cute. Smartwool makes my favorite no-show sock. Having tried other brands that usually are cotton I found that the super thin and durable wool blend of the Smartwool sock stays on the foot better; this is aided by a small strip of rubber in the heel. By keeping the foot from getting sweaty the sock is able to stay on better, this is my number one factor for judging a no-show sock. Another big positive is that they dry out super quickly which is perfect for travel. I have tried Smartwool’s hiking socks as well and I like them alot their hiking socks are really comfortable and perform well. The two problems I have with them are that they tend to pill a lot more than the Darn Tough and the entire foot is padded which makes them a bit more bulky. I do love the Smartwool camp sock though; I travel with them, not to wear them during the day but for cold nights or cold floors they work like a pair of slippers without sacrificing too much space. I’ve had my pair for over five years and they still look brand new. Overall Smartwool’s socks are high quality and very durable. Both brands make high quality products that will keep your feet much happier than a pair of typical cotton socks. Now some people might think that spending 20 or 30 dollars on a pair of socks is ridiculous, but if you think of them as an investment that will save you money in the long run it makes perfect sense. Less is more. I used to have to buy at least three or four new pairs of socks a year but now I only have about 15 pairs of socks in total. I did this through a slow phasing out of my old cotton socks when they wore out. REI and other outdoor retailers often put socks on sale so you can grab a pair or two with seasonal sales until you have your perfect sock wardrobe. In general I am trying to move from buying fast fashion and other non-sustainable practices to investing in key pieces that I know will last me years. By investing in my socks not only do I not need to continually replace them but I also own fewer pairs and my feet are much happier. Investing in quality shoes makes no sense if you aren’t also going to invest in socks. I promise once you make the switch you will never want to go back.
Links
Women’s Hiker Boot Midweight Hiking Sock -Darn Tough
Hike Light Hiker Street Crew Socks -Smartwool
Hiking Heavy Crew Socks -Smartwool
Val's Travels 
Makes me want to go shopping for socks
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