Part of my standard 3 season gear list is a pair of lightweight gloves and also an extra pair of socks, mostly used for sleeping at night. I have heard of using socks as a pair of gloves, but never the other way around. I actually think it would make more sense to use a pair of mittens as an extra pair of socks since it's more functional to have a thumbhole when used as a mitten and wouldn't be an issue when sleeping.

Anyone ever try this? All you really need is a long set of mittens that can double as a sock. Perhaps a good MYOG project.

You could wind up with athlete's hands.

Gross!

Good idea, but i suppose it wouldnt be to good tho if you needed to use the socks inside your boot! They wouldnt be a spare pair, but for comfort at night be fine!

Like Bill Fornshell's toe cozies but with thumbs.

Good idea and dual use to boot (so to speak).

But I agree with the comment about not wearing them in shoes

Just fiddling around I was trying to see how to incorporate a thumb loop in the sock when I realized that if you put the tip of my thumb at the heel of the sock, it actually works like a mitten. I guess I never had to use a sock as gloves before, but it actually does work quite well. If I had to make an alteration, I would extend the heel about a 1/2 inch making it bubble a little more as to provide additional room for my thumb to extend. I think Ill give that a try after I finish making my stuff sacks. [1 down, 3-4 more to go]

I realized that if you put the tip of my thumb at the heel of the sock, it actually works like a mitten.

Makes a good hand puppet too (triple use!)

I've used my sleeping (not hiking) socks for mitts many times. I slip them between my liner glove and overmitt which usually do the trick in the appropriate season an temps. The sock is just backup if it gets a bit too chilly. I used this system on an 18 day trip last year where I was only concerned with temps for a few days/high passes/peaks.
Not talked about too much, but I know people are doing it because I got the idea from this site before my trip. I remember someone had slit a small hole in the side of their sock for their thumb when they needed some finger work. Other then that, I would think if you have your hands in your socks, you would be looking for maximum warmth and would just make fists to keep them warm.

I just received my sale Backpacking Light vapor mitts a few days ago. After trying them on my hands I wondered if they would work as socks to keep my toes from freezing in my hammock at night.
My size large gloves fit my size 11(women's) feet just fine. I tuck the thumb in, the palm goes on the bottom, the wrist strap slips around to the palm side and grips the heel, and the gauntlet elastic cinches around the ankle.
Under the mitts I wear a Smart Wool liner sock, vapor barrier, and thick wool clean sleep sock. My toes have been toasty the last two nights in a hammock on my porch (low 18F). I'll very likely use them on my feet more than my hands.
Honest, I didn't read this thread until looking for a spot to post my idea.
Maybe the good folks at BPL could test them for durability as footwear and post a foot size chart for them;)

Patti

Recently I found myself hiking in Joshua Tree and used a pair of silk liner socks for sun mitts--worked great.