Hiking Sock
What Hiking Socks to Get
Would any pair of old socks fit the lengthy work of hiking? Unluckily, ordinary sports socks would not be able to last the tedious works of hiking. This is why it is very crucial for one to buy hiking socks that would guarantee comfort and ease of leg work.
Although your initial intention is to hike for recreation only, it is safe if you would buy new hiking socks that do not wear easily while providing the comfort your feet will be needing against tedious works.
Several miles per weekend would not be a great distance at first look but summing that up for a long term use of hiking shocks, you would land to several hundreds of miles, that is if you are not a serious hiker. All amateur hikers know the importance of well-conditioned feet when hiking. And apart from relying on either hiking boots or hiking shoes, you must also be well-comforted by your hiking socks. Plus, you must also choose hiking socks that you can rely to cover more distance unless you want to go running back to your car, finishing your hiking earlier than you might expect because of the unnecessary chaffing and blisters you had with poor performing sports socks.
Your safest choice is a pair of hiking socks that guarantee lesser wear during the course of continuous use while having the properties of moisture and thermal wick. Wicking is the property observed with that of ordinary lamps and candles. Wicking, in hiking terms, is the property of the hiking socks to absorb sweat from your feet in order to keep them dry. Without this property, it is likely that your feet would develop health problems and frankly, athlete’s foot is among the least of your problems when compared against the more serious possibilities.
Thermal properties, on the other hand, would address the need for temperature regulation. Say in winter your feet might suffer in coldness if your hiking socks have no thermal property. And the summer may not be as pleasant when your feet suffer from extreme heat. The thermal properties would be very useful when the socks help in drawing away the heat from keeping your feet evenly temperature in summer while keeping your feet warm in winter.
You might think it’s peculiar for a pair of ordinary looking socks to accommodate these two crucial temperature changes. Of course, technology has already resolved that problem for hikers. With the use of synthetic materials that are tested to work for these conditions, you are assured that what you buy for will be properly given to you.
The safest starting point for searching a good pair of hiking socks is to look for cotton-made ones. With a little modern help, cotton materials mixed with synthetic materials can offer the best of temperature control, comfort and wick properties. Also be careful to buy those that have thickened heel, ankle and toes as these are the areas that would receive most of the “beatings”.
Lastly, you could expect to pay more than $10 per pair of hiking socks and that would be enough for a decent pair. Nonetheless, the investment on hiking socks would prove to be well worth them. Pair these with equally decent hiking boots and you are sure to have great comfort while hitting a rugged terrain.
Source: http://www.positivearticles.com/blog