Socks that are thin, but warm?
-
- Posts: 213
- Joined: Fri Sep 23, 2022 12:33 pm
Socks that are thin, but warm?
I'm in between sizes on certain footwear, can anyone recommend socks that are thin, but also retain warmth? thank you
Re: Socks that are thin, but warm?
You could try merino wool. I don't know if it would achieve what you want or not.
Re: Socks that are thin, but warm?
Heated socks?
https://www.tripsavvy.com/best-heated-socks-6822348
https://www.tripsavvy.com/best-heated-socks-6822348
Ipsa scientia potestas est. Bacon F.
- TomatoTomahto
- Posts: 16350
- Joined: Mon Apr 11, 2011 1:48 pm
Re: Socks that are thin, but warm?
I wore merino wool socks for years at hockey practices and they worked well. Of course, thicker is better. SmartWool and Darned Tough are two reliable brands.
I get the FI part but not the RE part of FIRE.
Re: Socks that are thin, but warm?
Perhaps these would meet your needs: https://www.costco.com/CatalogSearch?de ... wool+socks
Re: Socks that are thin, but warm?
What socks do you wear now? I'm not fond of wool. Acrylic is a great wool substitute. I think cotton is bad. But women have all kinds of sock options. Do you want no-shows? low-cut? ankle? calf? knee-highs?
Last edited by livesoft on Sun Sep 17, 2023 4:28 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Re: Socks that are thin, but warm?
Second this - merino wool, SmartWool or Darned Tough - bothe will give you what you're looking for. Added bonus is merion wool doesn't itch.TomatoTomahto wrote: ↑Sun Sep 17, 2023 3:48 pmI wore merino wool socks for years at hockey practices and they worked well. Of course, thicker is better. SmartWool and Darned Tough are two reliable brands.
Re: Socks that are thin, but warm?
I wear these:
https://www.macys.com/shop/product/mens ... cCatID~z57
They wear like iron, they are thin, they don’t wear out at the heels, and they are fairly warm. I have worn them or similar socks for over 60 years. I currently have about 24 pairs of them, they are all black, and I rotate them to spread out the wear. I do wear socks almost every day. I don’t think that I have bought any new pairs in the last 10 years, but I was shocked at how much they cost now.
https://www.macys.com/shop/product/mens ... cCatID~z57
They wear like iron, they are thin, they don’t wear out at the heels, and they are fairly warm. I have worn them or similar socks for over 60 years. I currently have about 24 pairs of them, they are all black, and I rotate them to spread out the wear. I do wear socks almost every day. I don’t think that I have bought any new pairs in the last 10 years, but I was shocked at how much they cost now.
Re: Socks that are thin, but warm?
here in Minnesota, we are somewhat experts in warm feet. Merino wool are the warmest that wick moisture and stink away, but they are not necessarily always thin. There are thinner ones out there, if you can find them. unfortunately, i can't give you alink to one because we don't bother with thin socks here in the winter. 

4X top-twenty S&P 500 prognosticator. I'd start a newsletter, but it would only have one issue per year. |
dumb investor during 1999 tech bubble, current slice & dicer.
- nisiprius
- Advisory Board
- Posts: 50613
- Joined: Thu Jul 26, 2007 9:33 am
- Location: The terrestrial, globular, planetary hunk of matter, flattened at the poles, is my abode.--O. Henry
Re: Socks that are thin, but warm?
Alas, I am mourning the discontinuation of some thin, inexpensive 100%-or-almost merino wool socks I used to get from REI. I haven't found a replacement yet. So I have no suggestiongs. It's been about ten years since I bought my last batch, which tells you how durable they are were. I really like merino wool better than anything else I've tried. Smartwool is good, but too thick for me. Of course, thicker is warmer so that may be right for you.
Read the labels carefully, there are way too many socks that will say
GENUINE MERINO WOOL
blend
on the package and will contain only something like 20% merino wool.
ADDED: Funny! I hadn't check out sports' suggestion from Costco when I made that wisecrack, but here you go... a real-life example. To be fair, these are 57% merino wool.

Read the labels carefully, there are way too many socks that will say
GENUINE MERINO WOOL
blend
on the package and will contain only something like 20% merino wool.
ADDED: Funny! I hadn't check out sports' suggestion from Costco when I made that wisecrack, but here you go... a real-life example. To be fair, these are 57% merino wool.

Annual income twenty pounds, annual expenditure nineteen nineteen and six, result happiness; Annual income twenty pounds, annual expenditure twenty pounds ought and six, result misery.
Re: Socks that are thin, but warm?
These socks from Germany are wonderful: https://www.falke.com/us_en/women/
-
- Posts: 14284
- Joined: Fri Dec 31, 2010 8:53 am
Re: Socks that are thin, but warm?
I have these socks (purchased for a fraction of retail at Costco liquidation store). Not only are they not 100% merino wool, but they are quite thick. I do wear them snowshoeing and they are warm.nisiprius wrote: ↑Sun Sep 17, 2023 7:30 pm Alas, I am mourning the discontinuation of some thin, inexpensive 100%-or-almost merino wool socks I used to get from REI. I haven't found a replacement yet. So I have no suggestiongs. It's been about ten years since I bought my last batch, which tells you how durable they are were. I really like merino wool better than anything else I've tried. Smartwool is good, but too thick for me. Of course, thicker is warmer so that may be right for you.
Read the labels carefully, there are way too many socks that will say
GENUINE MERINO WOOL
blend
on the package and will contain only something like 20% merino wool.
ADDED: Funny! I hadn't check out sports' suggestion from Costco when I made that wisecrack, but here you go... a real-life example. To be fair, these are 57% merino wool.
![]()
- lthenderson
- Posts: 7913
- Joined: Tue Feb 21, 2012 11:43 am
- Location: Iowa
Re: Socks that are thin, but warm?
+2 On Darned Tough socks. After buying a few pairs many years ago, I will never buy any other if there ever comes a time when I need to replace them.TomatoTomahto wrote: ↑Sun Sep 17, 2023 3:48 pm Of course, thicker is better. SmartWool and Darned Tough are two reliable brands.
Re: Socks that are thin, but warm?
I have a few pair of darn tough thinner merino wool socks - love them! I’ve purchased them both at Amazon and REI.
-
- Posts: 19
- Joined: Tue Apr 18, 2023 1:19 pm
Re: Socks that are thin, but warm?
darn tough has many thicknesses. They are expensive, but have a lifetime warranty. I've used the warranty a few times, and it's real, but still a bit of a hassle. I used only cotton for over 30 years, I now only have wool socks for all occasions.
-
- Posts: 604
- Joined: Thu Jul 13, 2017 5:57 pm
Re: Socks that are thin, but warm?
[Thanks to BanquetBeer for providing link to website referenced in previous post. Moderator Pops1860]
https://darntough.com/
https://darntough.com/
Re: Socks that are thin, but warm?
Socks are a very personal experience. Too thick, too thin, too rough, too tall, too short. Too tight, too loose. On and on. I find that even holding and feeling socks doesn't necessarily work. Wearing them for a period of time is the only way.
I have had good luck with the Timberland Pro brand from Amazon (or Walmart or whoever has the best price).
They do have men's and women's versions of the Timberland Pro. I find the quarter length works good for most times. Taller crew for colder days.
Experiment until you find the right mix.
I have had good luck with the Timberland Pro brand from Amazon (or Walmart or whoever has the best price).
They do have men's and women's versions of the Timberland Pro. I find the quarter length works good for most times. Taller crew for colder days.
Experiment until you find the right mix.
Last edited by bloom2708 on Tue Sep 19, 2023 11:44 am, edited 1 time in total.
Re: Socks that are thin, but warm?
Darned tough socks have pure merino wool, also some thin that are easy to wear
"All man's miseries derive from not being able to sit quietly in a room alone. " -- Pascal
-
- Posts: 11
- Joined: Thu Jul 27, 2023 9:09 pm
Re: Socks that are thin, but warm?
I see a lot of recommendations for Darn Tough and SmartWool and completely agree with one caveat.
These kind of wool socks just absorb animal hair from around the house. You get globules of animal hair on your feet.
It is annoying, but the socks are worth it.
These kind of wool socks just absorb animal hair from around the house. You get globules of animal hair on your feet.
It is annoying, but the socks are worth it.
- PottedPlant
- Posts: 82
- Joined: Tue May 30, 2023 11:30 am
Re: Socks that are thin, but warm?
Darn Tough socks are excellent but for serious hiking I use DeFeet Wooleators. They are meant for cycling, are thinner than any of the Darn Tough socks and not as durable, but they dry fast, are warm, and feel great.
Re: Socks that are thin, but warm?
How thin is thin?
I love my Warrior alpaca dress socks.
Cozy. Not too thick. Have held up well. Come in a variety of colors.
I love my Warrior alpaca dress socks.
Cozy. Not too thick. Have held up well. Come in a variety of colors.
-
- Posts: 1486
- Joined: Sat Oct 06, 2012 1:10 pm
- Location: Where I wanna be.
Re: Socks that are thin, but warm?
I like merino wool (darn tough) -- but I have noticed that their thinner socks smell more than thicker. It could just be me thoughLaurenRose wrote: ↑Sun Sep 17, 2023 3:18 pm I'm in between sizes on certain footwear, can anyone recommend socks that are thin, but also retain warmth? thank you

-
- Posts: 211
- Joined: Thu May 04, 2017 12:40 pm
Re: Socks that are thin, but warm?
I like Falke https://www.falke.com/ and icebreaker https://www.icebreaker.com/ socks. Icebreaker is available from REI. Smartwool quality has diminished (in my opinion), and I find the ribbing at the top of the Darn Tough socks to be too tight.
Re: Socks that are thin, but warm?
Ski socks!