Are you looking for a sock that can keep you warm and dry in a variety of winter activities? Thermal socks are an essential winter item to prevent cold feet all winter long. Whether you’re shoveling snow on a stormy morning, skiing on the slopes, or staying warm inside, thermal socks are versatile and necessary for colder months.
In this article we’ve highlighted our picks for the top thermal socks for 2022 as well as tips for what to look for when buying a pair of these winter socks. It’s important to consider what you will be using the socks for and what type of activity you’ll be doing in the socks. We’ve created a list of our top choices and highlighted their intended purpose, price point, and some pros and cons of each sock. Read on for our tips for the best pair of thermal socks.
Best thermal socks 2022
- Editor Choice - Darn Tough Boot Cushion Sock
- Premium Choice - Heat Holders Thermal Socks
- Top Pick - Carhartt Extremes Heavyweight Sock
- The Winter Performance Sock - Danish Endurance Merino Wool Cushioned Hiking Socks
- For Long Winter Boots - Icebreaker Women's Ski Plus Medium OTC Socks
#1 - - Editor Choice
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If you’re looking for a thermal sock that is well-made and long-lasting, look no further than Darn Tough’s Full Cushion Sock for Hikers. Made in Vermont, Darn Tough socks excel at keeping your feet comfortable even in extreme winter conditions.
Best for active lifestyle
If you’re looking for a pair of socks for active winter activities such as nordic skiing or hiking, these are an excellent choice for moisture control. They were a great choice for our leisurely activities as well like hiking around our neighborhood. They also are a great choice or if you tend to have sweaty feet.
Merino Wool is an excellent fabric that naturally wicks and we recommend these socks for extreme activities as well as daily activities in the cold. Darn Tough also makes excellent socks for other sports such as skiing and trail running, but their hiking socks are their most popular and versatile because they perform well for outdoor activities like hiking as well as daily use.
We recommend the version of these socks that come with a full cushion on the bottom. This feature can kept our feet comfortable and prevented irritation in a variety of winter shoes and boots. They also offer a little more protection to keep your feet and skin comfortable in harsher winter climates.
Pros:
- Darn Tough socks have a lifetime guarantee, so your purchase is guaranteed for quality.
- These socks are exceptional at moisture-wicking and keeping your feet dry while sweating.
- These Merino Wool socks are breathable even in extreme conditions or during extreme activities such as winter sports or snow sports.
- The cushioned bottom is great for hiking or walking and keeping the bottom of your feet comfortable in winter shoes and boots. They also offer arch protection.
Cons:
- These socks can be pricier than other options, so aren’t as affordable.
#2 - - Premium Choice
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Heat Holders market themselves as the warmest thermal socks, and for good reason. These thermal socks are the antidote to frozen toes and are excellent at keeping feet extremely cozy and comfortable during colder weather.
Coziest Winter Option
According to Heat Holders, they have a Thermal Overall Grade rating of 2.34 (and describe other socks as tending to fall much lower). This means that they will definitely keep your toes warm and retain heat well.
If you’re looking for a sock to keep you dry while sweating, you might want to look elsewhere. We did notice that that kept our feet warm and dry in the extreme cold, but did not offer protection if your feet get wet. For activities where you might be sweating, we recommend one of our other top picks. For example, the Darn Tough Hiker Boot Full Cushion Sock in Women’s and Men’s or the Danish Endurance Merino Wool Cushioned Hiking Socks in Women’s and Men’s.
These are an Amazon bestseller and have an Amazon rating of 4.6/5. Customers rave about the comfort, fit, and warmth of these socks all winter long. They also come in a variety of colors and patterns, so can be a good choice for everyday use or if style and color is an important choice when determining the right pair of thermal socks for you.
Pros:
- These are an extremely warm and cozy pair of socks that are great for every day use.
- Heat Holders thermal socks are make of heavy bulk yarn, which keep feet warm and comfortable.
- These socks trap heat while also maintaining comfort due to inside of each sock being intensively brushed.
- Heat Holders socks are affordable and have a great price point, so these socks won’t break the bank.
Cons:
- These aren’t the best at moisture wicking, so if you’re looking for a sock to keep your feet dry while sweating, these probably aren’t your best choice. They also aren’t the most lightweight thermal socks on the market.
#3 - - Top Pick
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These Carhartt socks might be our best pick for an all-around thermal sock choice. With a 4.7-rating on Amazon in 2022, these socks fit the bill for a variety of uses and customers. We loved using them for everything from going to the office to cold winter hikes outside.
Carhartt began as durable workwear clothing brand and has branched into outdoor and active gear. As a result, their pairs of socks offer functional warmth at a great value.
Best socks for a variety of activities
These socks are made of a blend of materials that includes 66% Acrylic, 21% Merino Wool, 12% Nylon, and 1% Spandex. As a result, they have some moisture wicking capabilities with high quality merino wool, as well as a blend of materials that offer everything from antibacterial properties to comfort in low temperatures. They can be used for a variety of purposes and are a great all-around pick for a thermal sock.
Pros:
- These socks are popular and affordable with a $10 price point.
- These socks are made for big boots as well as normal streetwear shoes.
- The blend of materials accomplishes a variety of purposes, so they can stay dry in different activities while also keep your feet comfortable in colder months.
- These socks are simple and stylish and come in a variety of subtle and neutral colors.
Cons:
- These are a great pair of all-around socks, but aren’t the best pick if you’re looking for something super specific, such as snow sports or ski socks.
#4 - - The Winter Performance Sock
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We love these cushioned hiking socks by Danish Endurance are made of premium merino wool to control moisture and retain heat while also being breathable. These socks feature ventilation mesh lanes that help wick away sweat while maintaining warmth.
They are ideal for hiking and outdoor uses such as trekking, walking, or camping, but they can also be used for everyday wear. One tester took them on a winter camping trip, and they were excellent at performing throughout, and his feet stayed dry the entire time. These are another excellent pair of merino wool socks that can be used with hiking boots, running shoes, or streetwear shoes and feel comfortable in any scenario.
Great for winter performance
According to Danish Endurance, these socks are thermal socks for extreme conditions as well. They are recommended by Rasmus Kragh, who in May 2019 became the first Dane to climb Mount Everest without the use of supplemental oxygen. During his training and different expeditions, Kragh tested these socks for their ability to perform in tough conditions.
Pros:
- These socks are a great value for a good pair of active and outdoor thermal socks, coming in around $30 for a pack of 3 pairs.
- Danish Endurance thermal socks can be used for extreme conditions such as hiking and training in cold and wintery environments.
- Made of Merino Wool, these feature thermoregulation by way of the merino wool blend. This means that they keep your feet feeling good in summer activities and also warm in the winter.
- The cushioned bottoms keep feet comfortable and come with arch support. This can help prevent blisters and hot spots from hiking as well as provide arch support for miles of hiking or traveling outdoors.
Cons:
- These are excellent pair of performance socks, but are lightweight and specialize in performance. If you’re looking for something super soft or with a cozier feel to it, try one of our other recommendations for thermal socks.
#5 - - For Long Winter Boots
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These Icebreaker Merino wool socks are our top pick for a longer pair of wool socks that go over the calf.
Great sock for longer coverage
These thermal socks are a great choice for people that want to get sock coverage over the calf for longer winter boots, or can also be used with ski boots.
These over the calf socks are made of 65% Merino Wool, 33% Nylon, and a 2% Elastane blend, which offers breathability and odor resistance along with helping with cold feet.
These socks can also enhance recovery due to a graduated compression and precise anatomical fit. While they maintain stretch, they also have compressive qualities. Some describe that compression socks enhance performance and recovery, and we’ve noticed these socks are a great choice to maintain circulation in the winter as well as enhanced our recovery afterwards.
Pros:
- The longer fit of these socks work well for winter boots, including snow boots, ski boots, and longer rain boots.
- Icebreaker Merino socks have graduated compression and maintain a precise anatomical fit that can help with performance and recovery.
- Merino wool maintains breathability and naturally wicks while keeping feet fresh in the cold and heat.
- The longer fit of these pair of socks can maintain extra warmth and coverage over your foot and calf and can protect skin from colder conditions.
Cons:
- At $28 per pair, these socks are a little more expensive. However, they can be worth it for the lifetime guarantee that Icebreaker Merino offers.
Our review process is based on first-hand experience. For thermal socks, we took a look at customer reviews as well as the quality of the brand. We then narrowed out the list and chose socks that excelled at a variety of uses, were affordable, and backed by positive customer and wear test experiences.
Next, we tested products in a variety of circumstances, from keeping your feet warm in cold weather to keeping them dry in winter activities. We determined which excelled and which did not in different cases and scenarios.
Finally, we narrowed this list to our top choices based on the above criteria. We’ve provided ideal use situations for the socks listed in this review.
Buying Guide
Here are a few thinks to keep in mind when choosing a pair of thermal socks.
Intended Use of Thermal Socks
Thermal socks can be used throughout the winter for everything from ski sports like downhill skiing, backcountry skiing, cross-country skiing, hiking, sledding, and snowshoeing.
If you’re looking for socks that feel warm and cozy on your feet indoors or during daily activities in the winter, we recommend a pair of socks that have a brushed interior for comfort or made of a heavy bulk yarn. A soft and comfortable fabric is important for a warm pair of thermal socks for this type of activity. One of our top picks is the Heat Holders in Women’s and Men’s for extreme warmth and comfort. These are a great pair of socks for everyday use and keeping feet comfortable and warm.
If you will be participating in activities in the outdoors where your feet might get wet or sweaty, then the warmest thermal socks are actually a blend of wool socks and lightweight fabrics. These socks are more lightweight and have a performance design to make sure that any sweat or moisture is wicked away and that heat is maintained around your foot.
When you are sweating or exposing your feet to the elements, whether that’s hunting, skiing, hiking, or camping, warmth often means staying dry and sweat-free. If a sock is cozy when dry, but wet and damp when cold, then this won’t be a good choice for the warmest pair of thermal socks.
Materials Used
Merino wool is an excellent material for thermal socks and some of the best hiking socks are made of this fabric. Be sure to check out our guide on the best hiking socks of the year as well for some of our tips on this. As a result, merino wool are thermal socks for extreme activities as well as for people looking to have warm feet all winter.
Some other common materials are blends of nylon, polyester, lycra, acrylic, or merino sheep wool. When you’re shopping for your first pair of thermal socks, we recommend reading the list of materials used to make the socks. A good pair will usually have a blend of these types of materials. The percentage of wool in the sock can often dictate what type of activity that sock will be used for.
Cost
Cost is an important factor in our review process and our buying guide. Some performance materials to wick away sweat and keep skin dry can be very costly, so we wanted to choose socks that excelled at doing their job, but also did not break the bank.
We selected thermal socks that were affordable and also well-made and durable. You’ll be pleased to find that these socks will last you for many winters to come, at are at a price point that you can buy more than one pair.
Pro Tip
Before taking your new pair of socks out on a long winter activity, we recommend trying them out first for wear and fit in your home. You can also take them out on a short activity, but have another pair of socks handy in case they don’t work for you.
Like any piece of clothing or footwear, it’s important to choose the right fit for you.
Which thermal socks did we test?
We tested 5 different thermal socks.
We've taken a closer look at the following thermal socks to find out which are the best of 2022.
Frequently Asked Questions
#1 - What are the warmest thermal socks?
For deciding the warmest pair of thermal socks, it’s important to consider what you will be using them for. Determine the intended use will help you choose the best pair of socks for you. It’s important to consider if you value comfort, or also require performance from a pair of thermal socks. This is an important factor when trying to decide the warmest thermal socks. In this buying guide you’ll see our trop picks for the best socks for warmth and performance.
Choosing a thermal sock can be tricky, but we recommend choosing based on what you will be using the sock for. It’s important to consider your activity and what is required of the sock, whether that be comfort in extreme cold or keeping feet warm and dry during winter sports. Read on for some of our recommendations for the best material for thermal socks.
#2 - What is the best material for thermal socks?
A good pair of thermal socks is made of material that are able to handle moisture and keep feet odor-free. Wool is the best material for thermal socks because they offer moisture-wicking at an excellent price and help reduce odor.
Cotton socks are a fabric that can become damp and heavy when exposed to moisture and cause stinky feet. This material is not quick drying and is not a good choice for winter activities or cold weather. We recommend avoiding cotton socks for winter activities, whether that’s on your feet or your body.
#3 - Are thermal socks any good?
Most people overlook socks as an essential item of clothing, but buying the right socks can make a huge difference, especially in the winter. Thermal socks are an important item of clothing because they are made with a special blend of fabrics that have the ability to keep your feet warm and also dry in a variety of elements and conditions.
If you’re looking for other recommendations for breathable socks that will keep your feet dry and warm when hiking, or recommendations for more winter gear, check out our recommendations at Camping Style. If you’re looking for winter foot wear, or shoes to go with your choice of thermal socks, we have a list of the best walking boots as well as best walking boots under 50 pounds in the UK as well as the best walking boots of the year for wide feet.
in Kington