I had some from Walmart that were great, but now they have holes. I see articles online about the silver ions from socks getting into the water and harming fish, so I’m wondering if there’s something else to buy. I bought some Adidas “antibacterial” socks off ebay, and some others from Kohls, and they both suck. I can’t even really tell the difference they make.
Ideas?
Anything by Smartwool.
Sierra Trading Post has good deals, and there are usually 20% off coupons floating around online.
For me, natural fiber (cotton, wool) does the trick; synthetic fiber is bad news.
This.
Repeating, synthetic fiber is bad news.
Wool socks help keep odor down by regulating temperature, and wicking away sweat. Most commercially sold wool socks are a blend of wool and acrylic, so when buying them keep an eye on the fabric blend which should be listed somewhere on the package. More wool = better odor protection (as well as warmer, dryer, more comfy feet) but requires closer attention when laundering.
OK
synthetic fiber is bad news.
synthetic fiber is bad news.
synthetic fiber is bad news.
synthetic fiber is bad news.
synthetic fiber is bad news.
…
My feet smell great.
So do my farts.
I don’t know the science behind it, but I’ll nth the wool or mostly wool sock recommendation. They’re my go-to camping socks because, aside from mud puddles, it takes forever for them to look or feel or smell “dirty” in any way whatsoever. Cotton socks get funk with half a day’s wear; wool 80/20 I can alternate two pair (so they have a chance to thoroughly dry) for over a week without needing a wash.
I’m a major fan of Darn Tough’s hiking socks. They’re incredibly comfortable, breathable, and odor-resistant.
One pair can last me several days when I’m in tropical rain forest, in the middle of nowhere, hiking from sunrise to sunset.
However–make sure you wash them with gentle detergent only. I made the mistake of using a laundry booster (containing OxyClean). That stuff can take the lanolin coating off of the wool. My socks are still great–far better than any other socks I own–but they’re no longer as amazing as they were.