I have decided to bite the bullet and try trail runners for and extended trip (something other then day hiking), I am planning a 3 night 4 day trip on the AT in October. My feet sweat alot, and I am hoping that the trail runners will breath more. Now the question is what kind of socks should I pair with them? I was at EMS today and they tried to sell me on CoolMax, instead of SmartWool. I am thinking about going with the SmartWool socks since I could see some 30 degree temps in them, but I am worried about durability? What do you currently wear with your Trail runners?

I'm a big fan of Injinji socks. They've worked very well for any hiking that I've done.

I love my smartwool socks. Rabid dogs couldn't convince me to part with them.

Tom

I second that notion.

Go with the thinnest Smartwool that you can for whatever season... Adrenaline's if possible.

I loved my smartwool socks so much I wore them for all my in town workouts and day hikes. After about 3 years they had worn through. Now three years is a good long time and if I had only used them for backpacking trips it would have been much longer, but I had hoped for more.

I wore a single pair of darn tough socks on a recent JMT trip (20 days) and absolutely loved them. Hopefully they'll last. If not then the lifetime warranty means I get a new pair.

I am a devoted fan of merino wool socks. That is all that I wear. I have a selection of these from Smartwool Adrenaline Light Mini Crew to Wigwam Wool/Silk Hiker crew.

The Adrenaline Lights are for splashing though streams with light, mesh trail runners, not worrying about getting wet as the thin, low cut socks and Montrail Hardrock shoes dry eventually and there is no concern in the warmth of summer.

The Wigwam Wool/Silk Hikers are my winter sock that make my feet feel like they never got out of the sleeping bag. They are full crew height and sooooo.. warm, soft and cushy! They require sizing up your footwear. I keep them dry in winter with Montrail Mid-Comp gore-tex shoes and wp/b gaiters.

I realize, in your post, you specifically mentioned "socks to go with trail runners." I am considering a new winter system with the same Wigwam socks but with Rocky Gore-tex socks over them and a pair of the Hardrock trail shoes, sized up for the extra bulk. I'm just having trouble getting my mind around wearing trail runners with snowshoes and crampons but, maybe I just need to give it a try.

Between these "extremes", I have Smartwool Adrenaline Crew socks. They are slightly thicker than the Adrenaline Lights and are full crew height for a little exta wamth in shoulder seasons. They are my go-to choice, particularly if most of my hiking will be along ridge tops where stream crossings are not an issue. This sounds like the conditions that you will experience on the AT in October.

Of course I always carry a pair of spare socks, safely tucked away in a dry spot in my pack for a little lightweight insurance!

I've used both Smartwool Adrenaline Mini Crews (love 'em) and running socks from The Sock Guy which work pretty well, but I prefer the comfort of the Smartwools

I use Darn Tough merino wool socks. Mostly I hike with the Micro Crew Cushion socks but use their Full Cushion socks as well.

> I use Darn Tough merino wool socks.
Indestructable!
2 pairs for the three months in France, and they came back almost as good as they went.

Any of the major manufacturers of Merino wool socks will have a lightweight version that will work well with TrailRunners. All of the ones mentioned are great.

I have just bought a variation on this theme by purchasing Wright Socks blister free socks. They make several versions. I purchased the merino wool/coolmax combo. This sock has both an exterior wool sock and an attached liner of coolmax all woven into one sock. I have been wearing them in my trailrunners for several day hikes and find that they wick all of the moisture away from my skin and provide all the benefits of the lightweight all merino socks have worn in the past. And they do prevent the rubbing and hot spots that accompany most single layer socks.

Darn Tough Merino Wool's are my all-time favorite. I wear them in short and tall heights for pretty much all four seasons.

Edited by PA_Jay on 09/24/2007 17:53:15 MDT.

Roger:
Any problem with the inside of the toe seam. It seems awfully bulky and crudely seamed. I have problems with socks that have bulky toe seams, usually turning them inside out. I can never understand the rationale behind a pretty seam on the outside and and rough interior seam. Its in my shoe -- who cares whether it has a pretty outside seam!

I holed a toe in my darn toughs. Limited wear and on the top side but not by a nail. We'll see if the replacement pair holds up. Still like them, just never found a pair of socks that can hold up to my off road ultra enduro riding. I heart merino though and they're worth the price to replace them when needed. DT, smartwool, whatever.

Hi Mitchell

Sorry about the delay in answering. I was walking down a river in my Darn Tough Vermonts for a few days ... that is, IN the water. Well, the bed of the creek was a lot more open than the jungle on the banks ... It was a good trip.

> Any problem with the inside of the toe seam. It seems awfully bulky and crudely seamed.
Odd, definitely odd. Mine are very smooth and flat and have never given any trouble at all. They are pretty well indestructible in my experience.

> Its in my shoe -- who cares whether it has a pretty outside seam!
Absolutely!

If the seam on one sock is really bad compared to others (IF), you might have a defective sock? I have no idea.

Cheers

Actually, I found a rather close up picture of both the inside and outside of the sock. (Most Unusual to find this type of picture for a sock online.)That prompted my question about the seam.But thanks for your personal experience with them and the comment about the seams in your socks. I suppose I should at least try a pair. Right now I am testing the Wright dual sock made with a Synthetic wicking inner sock (appears to be coolmax)and a thin merino exterior sock knit together. So far they seem to be winner.

Yeah, hard to get very excited about socks ... :-)
But both Sue and I have been really impressed by the DTVs. They really do seem to be a step up from anything else we have tried.
Cheers

I use both Smartwools and Darn Tough Vermont's. Lately I have been starting the DTV's because they simply wear like iron. Regardless of which one's I start with, I always have a pair of the others in my pack as my reliever.

I went with the Smartwools. They worked excellent, soft, warm, dried quickly and unlike my long johns they didn't stretch over time. The weather wasn't cold enough to tell if they would be warm in cooler weather, the temp never dropped below 50 degrees.