When people prepare for a trek, there’s usually a lot of thought that goes into the big stuff.
Boots. Backpack. Jacket. Navigation. Food. Water. Maybe trekking poles.
Socks?
They’re often an afterthought.
Which is strange when you consider that your socks are in direct contact with your feet for every kilometre you walk.
A good pair of trekking socks won’t make the scenery look better or make the climb any shorter, but the right pair can make a surprisingly big difference to how your feet feel at the end of the day.
And after spending plenty of time testing and selling hiking and trekking socks, we’ve found that the best ones tend to have a few things in common.
What Should You Look For in Trekking Socks?
There isn’t one perfect trekking sock for everyone.
The right choice depends on the terrain, weather, footwear, distance and even your own feet.
But if you’re heading out for a serious day on the trail, there are a few things worth paying attention to.
1. Moisture Management
Wet feet aren’t particularly happy feet.
Your feet sweat when you walk, particularly when you’re carrying a pack or climbing for several hours. If that moisture has nowhere to go, your socks can become damp and your skin can become softer and more susceptible to rubbing.
That’s one reason Merino wool is so popular in trekking socks.
Good Merino can help regulate temperature and manage moisture while remaining comfortable against the skin. It also has natural odour-resistant properties, which becomes particularly useful when you’re wearing the same gear day after day on a multi-day trek.
It’s one of the reasons Merino has remained a staple of outdoor clothing despite all the high-tech synthetic fabrics that have appeared over the years.
Sometimes the old stuff still works.
2. Cushioning Where You Actually Need It
More cushioning isn’t automatically better.
A huge, thick sock can feel fantastic for five minutes and then become too warm, too bulky or too tight inside your boots.
What matters is where the cushioning is and how it works with your footwear.
Trekking socks should provide additional protection around areas that take a beating — particularly the heel, forefoot and toe area.
You’re going to take thousands of steps on a long trek. On uneven ground, steep descents and rocky trails, those repetitive impacts add up. Good cushioning helps take some of that punishment away from your feet.
And there’s a simple test for whether your socks are doing their job:
You stop thinking about your feet.
That’s usually a pretty good sign.
Blisters: Where Trekking Socks Really Matter
Blisters are one of those problems that don’t seem particularly important when you’re sitting at home planning a trek.
Then you get halfway through a long walk and suddenly that tiny hot spot is the only thing you can think about.
Blisters are generally associated with friction, and friction can be influenced by a combination of things — movement, moisture, footwear, socks and the individual shape and characteristics of your feet.
That means there isn’t a magical “blister-proof” sock.
But a well-designed trekking sock can help create better conditions for your feet by managing moisture, reducing unnecessary movement and providing cushioning in the areas that take the most punishment.
It’s also worth remembering that socks are only one part of the equation.
Your boots need to fit properly. Your feet need to be prepared.
And if you know you are prone to hotspots, dealing with them early is far better than waiting until you’ve developed a full-blown blister.
So What About Merino Trekking Socks?
This is where things get interesting.
There are plenty of excellent synthetic trekking socks around, and we’re certainly not going to tell you that Merino is the only option. But there’s a reason Merino keeps turning up in serious outdoor gear.
It’s comfortable, helps regulate temperature, manages moisture and handles odour particularly well.
For trekking, that’s a pretty useful combination. The other advantage is that Merino can feel comfortable across a surprisingly broad range of conditions.
Cold morning?
Good.
Warmer afternoon?
Still good.
Several days into a trip?
The odour resistance starts looking even better.
For that reason, Merino trekking socks have become a bit of a go-to for many hikers and trekkers.
Where GearSocks Buffalo Fits In
This is where we’d probably put our hand up and say: if you asked us which trekking sock we’d start with, the GearSocks Buffalo would be very high on the list.
Why?
The Buffalo is a trekking sock built around the things that matter when you’re actually walking.
It uses Merino, has substantial cushioning underfoot and incorporates terry zones around the heel and toe areas to help protect against the sort of abrasion that can become noticeable during long days on the trail.
It’s also designed to work with proper hiking footwear rather than simply being a thick everyday sock.
And that’s an important distinction. A trekking sock shouldn’t just be comfortable when you put it on.
It needs to still be comfortable several hours later.
We Didn’t Just Put Them on a Shelf
One of the reasons we’re particularly comfortable talking about the Buffalo is that we don’t think trekking socks should be judged from a product description.
We took them up Mt Bogong in winter.
That wasn’t a quick walk around the block either. Mt Bogong is Victoria’s highest mountain, and the route involves significant climbing, long hours on your feet and proper winter conditions.
We documented the experience in our full review:
Conquering Mt Bogong in Winter: Putting GearSocks Buffalo to the Test
Take a look, if you’re keen, to see how we tested this.
That’s the sort of testing we find far more useful than simply telling you that a sock is “high performance”.
Put it on. Walk in it. Climb in it.
Wear it for hours. Then see how your feet feel.
Australian Made — Without the Australian-Made Price Premium
The Buffalo is also Australian made. For us, that’s important.
Local manufacturing matters, but we don’t think being Australian made should automatically mean a product costs considerably more simply because it was made here.
The Buffalo is sold directly to customers, which helps keep the price competitive with comparable trekking socks made overseas.
So you get an Australian-made trekking sock without paying a huge premium simply for where it was manufactured. And they’re still cheaper than most of the others.
That’s a pretty good combination.
The Best Trekking Socks Are the Ones You Stop Thinking About
There’s a funny thing about good outdoor gear. When it’s working properly, you don’t really notice it. You don’t think about your socks when you’re walking along a ridge. You don’t think about your socks when you’re climbing. You don’t think about your socks when you’re taking in the view. You only start thinking about them when something isn’t right.
They’re rubbing.
They’re slipping.
Your feet are sweating.
Your heels are getting hammered.
You’ve developed a hotspot.
That’s why trekking socks deserve a little more attention than they usually get. They’re not the most exciting piece of gear you’ll buy for a trek. But they’re one of the pieces you’ll use every single step of the way.
So, Which Trekking Socks Should You Buy?
There’s no single trekking sock that’s right for every person, every boot or every trip.
Some people prefer a thinner sock. Others want plenty of cushioning.
Some like Merino. Others prefer synthetic fibres.
And sometimes the best trekking sock is simply the one that fits your foot and your boot properly.
But if you’re looking for a high quality Merino trekking sock with plenty of underfoot cushioning, a hiking-specific design and Australian manufacturing, GearSocks Buffalo is one we’d definitely put on the shortlist.
We’ve used them in the sort of conditions they’re designed for, including a winter ascent of Mt Bogong.
And if Buffalo isn’t the right sock for you, that’s fine too. We sell plenty of other trekking socks because different feet, boots and adventures call for different gear.
The important thing is to give your socks the same consideration you give the rest of your kit.
Because when you’ve got another 15 kilometres to walk, you’ll be very glad you did.
Useful Resources
GearSocks Buffalo
Conquering Mt Bogong in Winter
Lightweight Hiking Socks
Trekking Socks
Blister Prevention Tips for Hikers
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