Lets talk about socks baby

[Jeremybj]

Hey guys,

I broke the bank yesterday and got a new set of Kenetrek Extreme Mountain uninsulanted boots.

I decided to go with the uninsulated option since most of my hunting is early goose, duck, pheasant, and antelope. BUT, I do deer hunting in mid-late november and may be out chasing birds into December.

I was a little nervous about the no insulation, but I felt like it was the smarter option.

My question for you guys is socks. The guy that sold the boots to me told me that a nice set of wool socks will be better than any amount of insulation in the boots.

Can you guys make a recommendation to me as far as what kind of wool socks to buy and what type % of wool, cotton, poly to look for?

I know this isn't a high end optics discussion, but its probably just as important!

 

[royinidaho]

Once upon a time I had a hand made pair of western packers. Wore regular heavy cotton boot socks. Jumped on the horse @ -20* F each morning for three days moving cattle from summer pasture. Was the best thing I ever did. Now I knit my own wool socks. With leather boots w/o insulation I seem to get along real well. And I'm pretty particular about the ol' feet.

 

[Joel Russo]

Now I knit my own wool socks.

You're going to make someone a good wife some day, Roy.

I've been wearing a pair of Meindl boots with 200 gram insulation and a merino wool/olefin blend sock. Feet have been toasty as long as I don't use them for stand hunting in extreme low temps..

 

[royinidaho]

You're going to make someone a good wife some day, Roy.

Joel, Cut me some slack. What's an old man gonna do with all that spare time? Sure can't seeing wasting it. (Big grin goes here, but my icons don't work)

 

[Edd]

My favorite brand of wool socks is Filson.

 

[hoovertx4]

The best socks I have used so far, are made by under armor.

 

[Trickymissfit]

You're going to make someone a good wife some day, Roy.

I've been wearing a pair of Meindl boots with 200 gram insulation and a merino wool/olefin blend sock. Feet have been toasty as long as I don't use them for stand hunting in extreme low temps..

years back I dated a woman that was a well known "fabric artest". She some how or another came into an antique sock weaving machine, and made me a set of socks out of angora wool. Very comfortable, and very warm. Problem with them was that your feet sweated with them! I now wear synthetics with my hunting boots, and they tend to wick away the moisture.

Wish we still were on polite terms again, so I could con her into weaving me a dozen pairs of socks again!
gary

 

[Edd]

You are supposed to wear thin synthetics like Under Armor under your wool socks.

 

[barnesuser28]

Joel, Cut me some slack. What's an old man gonna do with all that spare time? Sure can't seeing wasting it. (Big grin goes here, but my icons don't work)

I know what you could with your spare time (well what I would do anyway). SHOOT MORE!!!! KILL MORE COYOTES!

 

[solitude]

Liner socks are not necessary any longer. Back in the old days, when I wore itchy, ragg wool socks, it was imperative to wear a silky liner sock. Today's merino and synthetic socks don't require a liner. Just make sure you're buying a quality sock. Check out Teko Socks.

 

[Edd]

You don't wear liners for protection from itchy material. You wear them because your feet stay dryer with them. They also provide a friction surface other than your skin.

 

[solitude]

You don't wear liners for protection from itchy material. You wear them because your feet stay dryer with them. They also provide a friction surface other than your skin.

Edd, today's socks are equally effective at moving moisture as a liner. Likewise, the liner as a friction layer is obsolete with today's socks. They are simply unnecessary if you have good fitting, quality sock.

 

[solitude]

Also wanted to add...

If you fitted your boots with standard or lightweight socks, then you might have a problem with using a heavyweight sock... toe box volume/crimping, toe bang, heel slipping, etc. Also, what the boot salesman told you is not correct. You can't completely make up for insulation by just wearing a thicker sock. Synthetic insulation in boots is far more effective than "thick" socks. However, you could wear an overboot or insulated gator that would help in colder conditions.

 

[Edd]

Edd, today's socks are equally effective at moving moisture as a liner. Likewise, the liner as a friction layer is obsolete with today's socks. They are simply unnecessary if you have good fitting, quality sock.

This simply isn't true, but it's your feet so believe what you want.