The Best Socks for Sweaty Feet

I am a big guy. I have entered running races in the Clydesdale category (and placed in the top 3), and no matter what the temperature is, if I’m outside, there is a good chance I am sweating.

At first it was a little embarrassing; I would think that I wasn’t in good enough shape and that was why I was sweating. Now — thirty something years into it — I just accept that it comes with the territory. In addition, I learned sweaty feet are more common than you’d expect: your feet contain 250,000 sweat glands and on average sweat about half a pint per day. AKA whether they admit it or not, everyone deals with foot sweat!

While most people don’t really want to talk about their sweat, or hear about other people’s sweat, there is a lot of value in speaking from experience and learning lessons from others. Coming from a team sports background and learning about endurance sports and outdoor recreation by doing gave me a few lessons that I hope might shed some helpful light and prevent others from learning the hard way.

With a little planning and the right equipment, sweating — and specifically sweaty feet — doesn't have to stop you in your tracks.

Cotton Socks Can Ruin Your Day

My first attempt at ski touring was in Hyalite Canyon. I had a new touring setup and a determination to go ski Mount Blackmore. Not knowing any better, I wore cotton over-the-calf socks and worked hard trying to make forward progress with a pair of borrowed skins.

I did not make it to the summit that day, and my feet got wrecked. A combo of poor technique, skins that were too skinny for my skis, and cotton socks left me about 800ft short of the summit, sitting on my skis with my boots off, as the rest of my friends pushed on to the top.

After forcing my mangled feet back into my boots, making it back to the car, and gingerly removing feet from said boots, my friends were amazed that I didn’t know about Merino Wool socks.

Turns out, cotton socks hang onto the moisture from your sweat, keeping your feet moist and prone to blisters and cold. Meanwhile, Merino Wool wicks moisture to keep things dry and warm. That night I ordered a couple pairs of wool ski socks and never went back. While I still get blisters from time to time, Merino Wool socks help manage moisture, and that is a key piece of blister prevention.

No Socks = More Stink

When I was learning to fly fish, I got a cheap pair of waders and naively thought that it was better to go sockless than deal with the extra volume of a sock inside the waders. The unfortunate thing is, neoprene does not breath and is quite warm when you are walking to different spots along a river.

After about 2 months of fishing, I started to notice that my waders had a terrible smell. Sweat and moisture had left an irreversible foot odor in the neoprene that no amount of washing was able to remove.

Socks offer an absorbent additional layer that helps draw moisture out and keeps bacteria from taking over – plus, it’s way easier to wash socks. 

While I have upgraded to a nicer pair of waders, I still wash them at least once a season and have a lot less issues by wearing Merino Wool socks underneath the waders. For anyone in the market for waders, size up your wading boots and wear socks with your neoprene. 

In everyday life, moisture wicking socks help keep footwear dry and clean, which helps with odor prevention. 

Sock Height Does Matter

While Merino Wool insulates when wet and has natural bacteria resistance to reduce foot stank, a less talked about element you should factor in if you have sweaty feet is sock height.

By having a sock that is higher than your footwear, you will see more efficient movement of moisture from your feet out into the air. While it won’t stop foot sweat, it will help keep your feet drier longer. And in a case where you step in a mud puddle that is a little deeper than you expect, it will help you get drier quicker.

I like the Micro Crew height for trail runners and hiking shoes (depending on the season), Boot height for most types of boots, and Over-the-Calf socks for ski boots.

Sock Fit Matters, Too

Sock fit is critical to a good footwear system: too tight, and you will impact circulation (causing colder feet in the winter, and warmer feet in the summer); too loose, and you will risk excess fabric bunching up and causing friction. Both of these issues can cause moisture problems and blisters for your feet.

Darn Tough’s performance fit helps socks stay in place, greatly reducing bunching, slipping, and sliding issues common in too-loose socks. Whether you are measuring your activity in hours, days, or weeks these socks are ready to support your next adventure.

The performance fit is supported by other technology like the True Seamless™ Toe, elastic arch support, high density knit, and flex windows. These all work to keep the sock tight against your foot, like a second-skin that moves with you.

Footwear Factors for Dry Feet

Outdoor pursuits often have specialized footwear and can be vastly different than what you might wear on a normal day. Fit, materials, and flexibility are all important elements that can drastically change how footwear feels and what sort of socks will work for your needs.

Shoe Fit

Beyond sock fit, the fit of your boots or shoes has a direct impact on circulation, warmth, hot spots and moisture control. Depending on your specific use case and preferences you may need completely different socks for each scenario.

For example, an ultra-lightweight ski sock coupled with a performance ski boot is going to be more comfortable and warmer than a heavier hiking sock in the same ski boot. Likewise, a midweight cushion hiking sock coupled with a wider toe box shoe might be a better combination for a week of backpacking than a no cushion running sock that is lower profile and leaves more room in your shoe.

Shoe Material

Materials in footwear continue to change; while you can still find great leather hiking boots, changes to regulations around PFAS, increased interest in recycled materials, and general sustainability considerations have led to a greater array of hiking boots, trail running shoes, and technical footwear.

Consider breathability, waterproofness, and the support of your footwear, then how you can pair socks that will work with these features to keep you comfortable. For example, full cushion hiking or hunting socks work well with ankle supporting boots that you might wear off trail in the alpine. On the other hand, ultra-lightweight running socks and a pair of quick drying trail runners might be significantly better for activities where your feet are more likely to get wet.

Shoe Flexibility

If you are used to more of a sneaker feel, the stiffness of a boot may take some getting used to. Consider how much flexibility there is in the footwear you will be using and consider how your socks might help.

The more flexible shoe options will feel more comfortable but offer less stability. As a general guideline, with stiffer footwear I like to have a bit more cushion in my socks. There are always exceptions, and individual preference will be something you likely need to go out and experiment with. If you are running in a carbon fiber road running shoe, I would expect you would want more of an ultralight sock with no cushion.

Effort and Output

While I can’t stop myself from sweating completely, I do consider dropping the level of effort depending on the activity to limit sweating out my layers. Specifically with ice climbing and mountaineering, I have a lot of stops/starts.

Learning to slow down and keep a more controlled pace is a good practice for more than just preventing sweat. In many of these activities, it's a case of slow is safe, safe is fast.

Extra Layers

Especially with cold weather sports, it is always worth bringing some extra layers. An extra base layer, a puffy in your backpack, and a spare pair of socks are a minimum cost of admission for cold weather activities.

I definitely recommend a spare base layer shirt to switch into when you make transitions, like from the approach to pitched out climbing. Belays can be brutally cold, and starting things out with a fresh layer and less sweat from the approach can make a huge difference.

If your activity starts hot like a ski tour heading up hill, consider “starting cold” and having your layers in your backpack.

Once you get moving, you’ll heat up quickly. Even in warm weather, those extra layers make a difference, like after an unexpected slip in a creek or getting “nighted” on a hike that took longer than expected.

Even with warm seasons, it isn't a bad idea to bring some extra socks. Changing out a wet pair of socks when you have 5-6 miles left to get back to the car can be that extra boost you need to finish out a long hike.

TL;DR: The Best Socks for Sweaty Feet

To wrap things up, Merino Wool socks are the best type of socks for sweaty feet. When you’re engaged in performance activities like hiking and running, you should expect to have some foot sweat. A pair of Merino Wool socks will keep your feet comfortable and dry, help fight blisters, keep your feet from smelling as badly, and ultimately allow you to spend more time outdoors! Or if you're all business, check out our guide to the best men's dress socks for sweaty feet.

Here are my top socks for sweaty feet:

• Fastpack Micro Crew: a lightweight Micro Crew with cushion gives you a great option without being too warm. I wear it for faster activities like Nordic skating, shoulder season running, and hiking/backpacking.
• VanGrizzle Boot: my favorite for winter boots and ice climbing. The midweight with cushion wicks sweat while keeping my feet the right temperature.
• Hiker Quarter: This sock is great for summer hiking and trail running in warmer seasons.
• Outer Limits: My go-to backcountry ski sock. The Outer Limits has just enough cushion underfoot and is lightweight to balance the warmth to weight ratio.

Sweat Wicking Socks: What Our Customers Are Saying

"Great pair of socks finally can control my sweaty feet and super comfortable plus unlimited warranty." — Rev O.

"You’re likely down here wondering if you should buy these socks–that, or you’re wondering how they feel. Well, let me start by saying the lifetime warranty already makes these socks well worth the price-tag. The icing on the cake? They are remarkably comfortable and hold up to the putrid smell that is sweaty feet. I’ve had these babies suffocated in my shoes for 13+ hours at a time on a few occasions now and not once have these puppies smelled like their typical cotton counterparts. Pull the trigger, you’ll quickly learn why Darn Tough has a cult-like following." — Justin W.

"I like toasty toes, but I have sweaty feet (it's true) and I've never had a sock be able to keep my feet warm but not eventually have them be super sweaty. I'm very impressed with these socks! Plus the cushion is super comfy and the graphics are very fun. Hope they do even more silly designs!" — Jeremy K.

"I'm wearing them right now and Darn Tough is the only socks I'll wear, they are that good! Paired with a good pair of shoes and you'll be in foot heaven. No hot sweaty feet, no clammy feeling feet either." — Martin M.

About the Author

Kevin is a climbing enthusiast and Darn Tough employee that can often be found roaming around Smugglers Notch between December and March. His favorite ice climbing areas are the South Fork (Cody, WY) and Hyalite Canyon (Bozeman, MT).