Best Merino Hiking Socks: A Hands-On Comparision
Many hikers recommend wearing merino wool hiking socks for trips, and for a good reason. They’re warming, comfortable, and odor resistant. But which merino socks are best for hiking? I purchased different socks from multiple different brands to find the answer.
Key Takeaways:
In my experience, the best merino hiking socks overall are Darn Tough Merino Wool Micro Crew Sock Cushion. If you want an option that is good for warm weather, go for Farm to Feet Men’s Damascus Lightweight Merino Wool Crew Socks. A good winter option is Smartwool Men Classic Hike Extra Cushion Crew.
I’ve tested the different merino hiking socks throughout, and based on my experience, these are my rankings:
| Ranking | Merino Hiking Sock | Main features |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Darn Tough Merino Wool Micro Crew Sock Cushion | Very durable, versatile hiking socks |
| 2 | Farm to Feet Men’s Damascus Lightweight Merino Wool Crew Socks | Lightweight, comfortable and breathable socks |
| 3 | Smartwool Men Classic Hike Extra Cushion Crew | Very warm, comfortable, well-cushioned hiking socks |
| 4 | Darn Tough Merino Wool Boot Sock Full Cushion | Very durable, well-cushioned socks |
| 5 | Smartwool Hike Light Cushion Crew Socks | Lightweight and comfortable socks |
You can also dive deeper and read my more in-depth review of the socks in the posts:
- Darn Tough merino hiking socks hands-on review
- Smartwool Merino Hiking Socks hands-on review
- Farm To Feet Lightweight Hiking Socks hands-on review
In this post, I’ll detail the different criteria for these merino hiking socks, and detail how each sock does in the criteria, so you can make an informed decision.
Comfort
All the different hiking socks were really comfortable but in different ways. Some of them feel much more wool-like, while others are smoother.
I generally like the wool feel better than the smooth feel, but some of the wool socks felt really nice.
My main testing criteria with comfort were how soft the socks felt, whether or not they were itchy, and how snug they were on my feet.
Here are the socks ranked by comfort, based on how I subjectively felt when wearing them:
| Ranking | Merino Hiking Sock | Comfort Feel |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Smartwool Men Classic Hike Extra Cushion Crew | Very comfortable |
| 2 | Farm to Feet Men’s Damascus Lightweight Merino Wool Crew Socks | Comfortable |
| 3 | Darn Tough Merino Wool Boot Sock Full Cushion | Less comfortable |
| 4 | Darn Tough Merino Wool Micro Crew Sock Cushion | Less comfortable |
| 5 | Smartwool Hike Light Cushion Crew Socks | Less comfortable |
Breathability
Most of the socks I’ve tested for this post were not very breathable and didn’t let my feet ventilate.
That, of course, depends on the material blend in the socks. It also depends on the thickness, as thinner socks felt much more breathable.
Breathability is really important in socks, as it makes them feel much more comfortable to wear and they reduce blisters.
Here are the socks ranked by breathability, based on how I subjectively felt when wearing them:
| Ranking | Merino Hiking Sock | Breathability |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Farm to Feet Men’s Damascus Lightweight Merino Wool Crew Socks | Breathable |
| 2 | Darn Tough Merino Wool Micro Crew Sock Cushion | Less breathable |
| 3 | Darn Tough Merino Wool Boot Sock Full Cushion | Less breathable |
| 4 | Smartwool Hike Light Cushion Crew Socks | Less breathable |
| 5 | Smartwool Men Classic Hike Extra Cushion Crew | Less breathable |
Durability
In the preparation for this post, I chose to only purchase merino wool hiking socks from well-known brands. In my experience, this is the way to go.
all the socks I’ve tried felt high quality and durable. Some did start to show signs of piling in the cushioning after washing them but still felt quite durable.
Here are the socks ranked by durability, based on their feel and issue that I noticed after washing them:
| Ranking | Merino Hiking Sock | Durability |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Darn Tough Merino Wool Micro Crew Sock Cushion | Very durable |
| 2 | Darn Tough Merino Wool Boot Sock Full Cushion | Very durable |
| 3 | Smartwool Hike Light Cushion Crew Socks | Durable |
| 4 | Smartwool Men Classic Hike Extra Cushion Crew | Durable |
| 5 | Farm to Feet Men’s Damascus Lightweight Merino Wool Crew Socks | Less durable |
Odor resistance
The odor resistance on the socks I’ve tested varies but is generally much better than any standard hiking socks I’ve tried.
Odor resistance depends on the merino content and the general blend of the sock. I was surprised that some lower merino content socks did better with odor resistance than higher ones.
To test the odor resistance of the socks, I wore them for an entire day and tried to notice any smells at the end of the day.
Here are the socks ranked by odor resistance, based on trying to smell them after wearing them:
| Ranking | Merino Hiking Sock | Odor Resistance |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Darn Tough Merino Wool Micro Crew Sock Cushion | Odorless |
| 2 | Smartwool Men Classic Hike Extra Cushion Crew | Odorless |
| 3 | Farm to Feet Men’s Damascus Lightweight Merino Wool Crew Socks | Odorless |
| 4 | Darn Tough Merino Wool Boot Sock Full Cushion | Slight odor |
| 5 | Smartwool Hike Light Cushion Crew Socks | Slight odor |
Temperature regulation
Based on my experience, the temperature regulation of the different merino hiking socks depends on the thickness, wool blends, and even the cushioning.
The thicker socks felt much better in cold weather, while thinner socks kept my feet breezy when it was hot out. I don’t think any of the models I’ve tested stupid out in regards to temperature regulation – they all generally fit a specific weather range.
I live in a relatively hot area, so for me, regulating high temperatures is more important, but of course, that varies based on your destination and time of year.
Here are the socks ranked by temperature regulation, based on how I felt wearing them:
| Ranking | Merino Hiking Sock | Temperature Regulation |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Smartwool Men Classic Hike Extra Cushion Crew | Hot |
| 2 | Darn Tough Merino Wool Boot Sock Full Cushion | Hot |
| 3 | Darn Tough Merino Wool Micro Crew Sock Cushion | Medium |
| 4 | Smartwool Hike Light Cushion Crew Socks | Cool |
| 5 | Farm to Feet Men’s Damascus Lightweight Merino Wool Crew Socks | Cool |
Cushioning
The cushioning of hiking socks is also something that varies based on the specific model. All the socks I tested had nice cushioning, and the main difference was the thickness.
how cushioned you like your socks up for preference, as some people like to have more padding, while others prefer to feel the ground.
For me, the light cushioned socks weren’t padded enough when compared with the rest of the socks. Some brands advertise their socks as well-cushioned when the padding isn’t really good, so testing for cushioning is important.
Here are the socks ranked by cushioning level, based on how padded they feel when wearing them:
| Ranking | Merino Hiking Sock | Cushioning |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Smartwool Men Classic Hike Extra Cushion Crew | Thick |
| 2 | Darn Tough Merino Wool Boot Sock Full Cushion | Medium |
| 3 | Darn Tough Merino Wool Micro Crew Sock Cushion | Medium |
| 4 | Smartwool Hike Light Cushion Crew Socks | Light |
| 5 | Farm to Feet Men’s Damascus Lightweight Merino Wool Crew Socks | Light |
Conclusions
In this post, we’ve compared the most common merino wool hiking socks in a variety of metrics. For most people, Darn Tough Merino Wool Micro Crew Sock Cushion should do a great job, because it’s really durable and versatile.
If some testing criteria are more important to you than others, though, you might want to make a different choice based on your preferences.
I hope this round-up was helpful in making an informed decision, and that you enjoy your merino wool hiking socks.
