Is there anything better than cocooning your cold and tired feet in your warmest socks at the end of a long day in the mountains? A blazing campfire and some warming cocktails to help complete the cosiness? Very few things beat it. I’d even go as far as saying that getting your feet warm again can be as comforting for the soul as a hot cocktail and crackling campfire put together!
I’m constantly battling to stay warm when I’m out camping, and if I could have one superpower it would be to always maintain a comfortable body temperature. Forget about solving world peace. If I didn’t spend so much time and effort keeping myself warm I’d be able to do that too! OK, so maybe it would be a slight abuse of power. But I just wish I wasn’t so cold all the time. It’s 18ºC and sunny outside right now and I’m sitting here in a merino base layer, hoodie, down vest, thick joggers, the warmest socks I own and down slippers. Seriously. And my feet are the worst of all. I have to warm them up each night to be allowed into bed.
I know I’m not the only one who suffers from this problem, and thankfully, I am incredibly fortunate to be able to just turn the heating up a little, run around a bit or put more layers on. So I really should stop my moaning right now. But I also really want to know what are the warmest socks?
In an effort to spread my sympathies to all you fellow cold folk out there, I’ve made it my mission to find the warmest socks available to combat the chilblains and frosty toes once and for all this winter. So here’s some of the best and warmest socks for cold feet out there, so you too can finally put more time into saving the world, one hot step at a time!
The warmest socks on the planet!
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Bombas Merino Wool Terry Calf Socks
Not only are these Bombas Merino Wool Terry Calf Socks up there with the warmest socks on our list, they’re also amongst the softest. The unique terry texture, with its inside-out effect, creates an incredibly soft and cosy cocoon for your frosty feet to curl up in on the coldest days of winter. Plus, the 44% merino wool is blended with polyester, acrylic and elastane for strength, stretch and durability, as well as TENCEL Lyocel (wood-based fiber), which ups its eco-credentials a notch or two.
And finally, if you need a little more convincing that these Bombas socks are the right choice to pad around the house in all winter, then their donation process might just seal the deal. For every pair of socks bought, Bombas donates a pair to the homeless community. To date, they have donated over 75 million essential clothing items!
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Bombas
Warrior Alpaca Socks
Alpaca fleece fibers have a similar structure to that of sheep wool, but provide greater levels of insulation and water resistance. However, much like wool, you will rarely find garments made from 100% alpaca fleece. The finest fibers will be plenty soft enough for humans to enjoy, but their durability won’t stand the test of time. And the thicker, coarser fibers are simply too itchy. That’s why these Warrior Alpaca socks blend their alpaca fleece with manmade materials to create a pair of excellent boot socks and good contender in the quest for the warmest winter socks.
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Amazon
The Ultimate American Bison Down Sock
Now I bet you never knew that firstly, bison down was even harvested, and secondly, that it is also much warmer than wool. And it gets better – this brilliant by-product of the bison meat industry is also more effective than wool at moisture control, more durable than wool, and super easy to care for. The Ultimate American Sock from United By Blue blends bison down, merino wool, spandex and polyester to create a cosy but practical pair of winter socks, complete with reinforced heels, toes and arches.
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United By Blue | REI
Smartwool Premium CHUP Crew Socks
Whoever said that socks should be dull? Certainly not Smartwool! Their new line of Premium CHUP Crew Socks take fun-looking socks very seriously, offering an array of bright colours and funky designs. But more importantly, these medium cushion socks keep chilled toes warm and cosy in all but the chilliest conditions. Blending nylon with 73% merino wool, the socks not only provide all the anti-microbial, thermoregulating benefits of merino, they also offer durability that 100% merino products struggle to deliver. Which is convenient, as once you’ve snuggled into them, and all their colourful cosiness, you’ll not want to take them off!
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Amazon | REI | Smartwool
J.B. Extreme 30 Below XLR Winter Sock
Winter socks made in Canada are winter socks that are guaranteed to do the job. And these J.B. Extreme 30 Below cushioned tubes of warmth certainly live up to their name. J.B. Fields have maximised the magic of merino by blending it with nylon and spandex to create a soft, non-itchy sock that holds up to the harshest winter conditions. With cushioned ankle and arch support, these are some of the warmest wool socks out there and are a great choice for skiers and snowboarders, or everyday winter boot wearer. And if things are getting really icy, you can also opt for -40 and -50 versions – the warmest socks for extreme cold!
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Amazon | Amazon UK
Swiftwick Pursuit Hike Eight Heavy Cushion Socks
This dream combo of merino wool and synthetic Olefin (a lightweight fiber that wicks moisture and dries quickly) offers exceptional moisture management for those prone to sweaty feet. The Pursuit Hike Eight socks are designed to withstand extended trips in the backcountry and provide warmth and support in the most extreme conditions. Plus, their extra length makes them ideal to wear with technical winter boots. They are the warmest socks in Swiftwick’s Pursuit range, and balance performance, when trekking with heavy loads, with warmth and cosiness that is truly hard to resist!
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Swiftwick | Amazon
Tibetan Socks Long Wool Slipper Socks
OK, so these may be pushing the boundaries of what constitutes a sock, but what could be better than snuggling into a pair of slipper socks at the end of a long day? Well, a pair of fleece-lined Tibetan Socks slipper socks would do it! The 100% New Zealand sheep wool foot warmers are handmade by economically disadvantaged housewives in the Himalayas. These women sure know a thing or two about how to keep your feet happy with this generations-old craft. But if even the idea of that doesn’t manage to warm your frozen toes, then perhaps your heart will be warmed instead – each purchase will provide 12 lunches to the Sikkim community in india, amongst other charitable programmes.
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Amazon
Smartwool Trekking Heavy Crew Socks
These Smartwool Crew socks are not the heaviest in this range, which makes them a touch more useable with normal shoes. In fact, they are amongst the best hiking socks for extended winter hikes and backcountry treks, as their cushioned design sits comfortably inside your hiking boots without any extra bulk. Once again, merino is working its magic as the main wool in these winter trekking socks, but for a higher merino content and thus one of the best thermal socks for extreme cold, the Mountaineering Extra Heavy might be for you.
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Amazon
Hand Knit Qiviut Socks
At probably the most expensive pair of socks on the planet, you’ve got to be pretty serious about foot warmth to invest in a pair of qiviut socks. However their hefty price tag is a fair price to pay for the rare hand combed wool of the Alaskan Musk Ox. The wool of qiviut socks is 8 times warmer than lambs wool, 6 times warmer than yak’s fleece and softer than cashmere, making their non-itchiness, durability and warmth a highly unusual combination for a garment made from only natural fibers. Musk ox socks won’t be creeping onto my Christmas list just yet, but if things get desperate then I’ll know where to go for the warmest socks in the world!
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Qiveut
Patagonia Heavyweight Merino Daily Crew Socks
Slipping on a pair of Patagonia Heavyweight Merino Daily Crew Socks won’t just make your feet feel warm. The label that comes with these soft, cosy and superbly warm socks is guaranteed to warm your heart, too. Patagonia are doing great things to push sustainability and ethical practise in the outdoor industry. Take these socks: they are made from responsibly sourced New Zealand merino wool and then manufactured at a family-owned factory in North Carolina that is a Sustainable Apparel Coalition member. Does it get any better than that? We don’t think so!
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Patagonia
Blue Flame Socks
We’ve seen some pretty hot competition amongst the natural fibers of bison, yak, alpaca and even musk ox socks, but Blue Flame Footwear claim to have created the ‘world’s warmest socks’ out of manmade fabric. These guys are serious about combatting cold feet, and have undergone rigorous research and testing to find this winning formula; thick looped acrylic combined with a brushing process of the inner fibers that helps trap heat. But at around ½ an inch thick, it really is no wonder these are the warmest socks known to man. Ideal for wearing with big boots, or around the house as slipper socks.
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Amazon
Pure Cashmere Cable Knit Socks
These 100% pure Scottish cashmere socks are a highly luxurious choice for sufferers of constantly cold feet. But for an item with such a high price tag, you’d want them to last a lifetime. However the fine nature of cashmere fibers from our goaty friends, means that they might not go the distance compared with socks blended with manmade fibers. That said, you will struggle to find a sock that is as soft as silk and warmer than wool without forking out for Musk Ox socks! So for the warmest socks for cold feet at night, wear these with care as a comforting bed sock.
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Amazon
Heated socks
QILOVE Heated Socks
These cotton rechargeable heated socks offer exceptional value to any cold-footed winter wanderer looking for extra warmth when out in the wild. They feature a discreet pocket at the top of the socks to store 3.7V rechargeable Li-ion batteries. They also have three different heat settings that are easily adjustable to suit your activity levels. With the heating zone located in the instep, these are ideal heated socks for skiing, winter adventures, hunting or winter hiking. And we love that they recharge overnight ready to keep frost bitten toes at bay for up to 6 hours on your next mission into the snow.
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Amazon
Lenz Heated Socks for Skiing
With a cosy blend of merino wool and synthetic yarns these highly technical socks do a great job at keeping your feet warm and comfortable — and that’s without even turning up the heat! Breathable, ergonomically knitted, moisture wicking and with additional padding over the shins, these extra long heated socks really do have it all. Yes, they may be on the rather pricey side, but for climbers, skiers, snowboarders, ice fishermen and winter photographers, perfomance (and intact toes!) are essential. The heated elements are located in the toe and ball area of the foot and are barely noticeable when wearing them. Plus, the rechargeable lithium battery packs are easy to attach by means of press studs on the legband. As if that’s not enough, you can also adjust the settings right from your device via bluetooth! Are these the best heated socks in existence?
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Amazon
Hotronic S4 Custom FootWarmer Kit
These may not be heated socks, as such. And yes, they may cost a small fortune. But if you’ve tried everything else and you still have ice cubes for toes, grab some of these puppies and add them to your shoes — you’ll not regret it! Attach them to the existing insoles of your ski, snowboard or hiking boots, or just your regular shoes and enjoy warm feet like never before. The rechargeable batteries are designed to function in very low temperatures, and offer up to 21 hours of warmth. Plus, there are four settings that provide heat from 84° to 158°F (29°-70°C). Hot, hot, HOT!
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Amazon | REI
AlphaHeat Rechargeable Battery Heated Socks
Pulling on socks with a battery pack on the sides puts you one step closer to gaining that coveted superpower. Or at least that’s how it must feel wearing these AlphaHeat heated socks. Although only made from a cotton lycra blend, the 46ºC of targeted heat panels make sure those tootsies remain toastie for between 5 and 10 hours. And if things are hotting up too much, simply turn down the temperature to something more suitable. A game changer for those that suffer from cold feet in restrictive ski boots, and their length enables the battery to sit above the boot making them one of the warmest ski sock options out there. There is a non-rechargeable battery option, but for frequent use this would get a little wasteful – worth the extra to help save the planet!
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Amazon
If the winter chill is getting the better of you and you are constantly on a mission to find the best socks to keep feet warm, then get your frozen feet into a pair of one of the warmest socks on the planet. Toastie toes ’til summer!
