Bamboo Hiking Socks – For the Long Walks

Short answer: On long hikes dry feet are decisive, and bamboo hiking socks are a strong answer. The bamboo viscose carries the sweat away, reduces friction and blisters and stays fresh day after day, which counts for a lot on trips with several days of walking. The length has to suit the shaft of the boot.

Dry feet are half the hike

After many hours in a hiking boot the foot is warm and damp, and damp skin withstands friction far less well than dry skin. That is why blisters almost always arrive late in the day rather than in the first hour. A material that moves the moisture away from the skin pushes that moment back, and on a long walk that is the whole difference.

The shaft must be taller than the boot

In a hiking boot the sock has to reach higher than the boot shaft, otherwise the edge rubs directly against the skin of the calf. It is the most common single mistake on a hike and the one that ruins most days. Measure against the boot you will actually wear, and take a model that clearly clears the edge rather than only just.

One sock or two layers

Some people hike with a thin liner and a thicker sock over it, so the friction happens between the two layers rather than against the skin. That works for many, but only if there is room in the boot. If the boot is already tight, the second layer does more harm than good, because the foot is compressed.

Never try anything new on the trip

New socks and new boots both need breaking in at home, at least a couple of long walks before you leave. A sock that feels perfect in the living room can fold after four hours, and you only find that out by walking. The same goes for size, which you should check on the skin after the first long walk.

Change along the way

Bring a spare pair and change at midday on long stages. It takes two minutes and gives the foot a dry start to the second half. Hang the used pair on the outside of the pack while you walk, so it is dry for the next day. On multi day trips two pairs in rotation is enough if you dry them each evening.

Bamboo against wool on long trips

Wool holds heat even when wet and is therefore still right in frost and in the mountains. Bamboo viscose is smoother against the skin, dries faster and smells less, and that counts on a summer trip over several days. Many people use bamboo in summer and wool in winter and carry both in autumn.

After the trip and in everyday life

Wash at 30 to 40 degrees and hang the socks to dry. If feet and ankles swell after a long day, light support can help in the evening: see bamboo support socks. The full sock range sits under bamboo socks for men and bamboo socks for women. See also bamboo and temperature regulation and size guide.