Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Elk Hunting Elk hunting socks

Seems to be some considered opinions on what are good socks for hunting (esp. elk). I like a thin liner sock that is wool/poly, and then a Smartsock of medium weight in an insulated boot.

What do the rest of you do?

Brent

Thin liner and heavier llama wool socks for cold weather, like 20 and below, with insulated boots (Crispis).

Warmer temps = lighter socks.

donsm70

My elk hunts no longer involve much really frigid weather, but I use poly/wool liners and a good pair of smart wool hiking socks. With a good pair of water-proof boots, my feet stay warm whether I am active or sitting.

Poly inner socks and Cabelas Ultra Max over them

100% polypropylene sock liner and a smartwool heavyweight sock in a Gortex lined hiking boot. Add a gaiter.

Insulated hunting boots- 200 gram- and usually a good Merino wool hiking sock, or Smart wool socks. I like them both about high enough to be above the boots a few inches so I can overlap them with my long johns so there is no thermal break. Worked for me for 40 years now.

Bob

Usually just go with medium weight Smartwool socks. I like the PHD versions. I rarely have trouble with cold feet or sweating feet though.

Wigwam merino/silk hikers in asolos.

Filson Moreno wool socks...medium weight. Don't need a liner with these.

I am wearing Filson Merino wool socks right now in my office. They dont compare to Smartwool in my opinion. Good socks, but not in the same league as Smartwool.

Tried some alpaca socks as well. total junk. wore out within about 8 wearings. were nothing special when there were new either.

Having said all that, it is only my opinion about how my feet react to certain socks. I believe each person has feet that get cold and hot (sweat) on their own schedule. This has a huge bearing on what socks work best for you. And really, it has a huge bearing on the boots you like as well.

Merino Wool or Smartwool sock's in Danner boot's with Kenetrek Gaitor's.

Liner sock (love the Cabela's over-the calf liner) with a wool-synthetic sock.

Uninsulated hiking boot (like my Vasques, love my Asolo's) with gaiters when it gets cold or wet.

Casey

Haven't worn them elk hunting, but for cold weather deer hunting I've fell in love with Smartwool, not just their socks either!

UA polypro over the calf liner sock, Carhartt over the calf merino wool sock (Arctic weight ?), 400 gram Danner Pronghorns...

Wild guess but I bet 'deer hunting' socks would work for elk hunting if given similiar temps and activity.



444 nailed it.

exactly as you do. The liner really helps with hot spots and blister prevention.

I guess I'm not a very trendy dresser. I've worn plain white cotton socks while hunting every critter that I've ever killed which would include several dozen DIY, free range Colorado and Montana elk.

cotton kills. maybe you can get away witg it but i wont try it.

I'm not a slave to a particular brand of sock. I have REI, Wigwam, Browning, and several pairs of skiing socks. However, they are all merino wool (medium weight) and I have never had to wear liners. The two types of boots I wear are Asolo Powermatic GVs (uninsulated) and Cabela's Outfitter II (600 Gram). I have never had freezing feet, cool yes, but not uncomfortabaly cold. I stand for hours on a ski slope at meets and am fine with the Cabelas boots. Last Friday night it was -20F at our meet and my feet were quite comfotable. Hand are a totally different story! Still looking for good gloves.

Really?

Except for a few years in the late '60s when my uncle made me wear OD green, the only socks that I can ever remember owning and wearing are white cotton.

I killed my first elk in 1966 in NW Colorado wearing cotton Levis and white cotton socks. I also spent 10 years as Colorado ski instructor and full time professional ski patrolman at Loveland and Steamboat ski areas, wearing a single pair of white cotton socks every day. I remember patrolling many days at Steamboat when the temperature was -20* to -35*F.

Since my first elk hunt in '66 I've big game hunted 43 years in Colorado, Montana, Wyoming, Alaska, and Canada for deer, elk, antelope, lions, moose, bears, sheep, goats, caribou, and musk ox, most of the time wearing cotton Levis or Wranglers, and all of the time wearing a single pair of white cotton socks. I have frostbit my ears a time or two, but I have never had any problems with cold feet.

Here's just one of my hunts in cotton Levis and white cotton socks (also both of my shirts are cotton )...

Thorlo mountaineering. They are expensive because they are worth it.

Good poly liners under the old heavy Cabelas Norweigan wool socks within 1000 gram thinsulate/Gore Tex boots. Everything else I wear is also wool.

Smart wool or Thorlo, depending upon which boot I have on. I did give up on the liners several years ago. In many, many years of hunting, never had a blister.

I doubt that cotton socks have contributed to the deaths of many people, but jeans, cotton shirts, and coats, have contributed to the deaths of many.

That Dall looks pretty killed. 444Matt was right!


I'm sticking with wool socks though. I wear them in the summer too.

I couldn't recommend cotton attire for anything outdoors, other than wiping your azz, with a straight face...

Yeah, but cotton didn't kill him, a 117 gr Sierra GameKing from my .257 Ackley did.

Does a sheep wear wool or cotton socks?


I used to wear cotton socks hunting until I discovered how well med weight merino wool socks work.

Having nothing to do with temps, I dislike combining cotton socks with hiking boots. If I'm hiking a bunch, I like a sock combination that pulls moisture away from my feet keeping them dry. When I've worn cotton, they hold moisture at my feet and increase risk of blisters. A good fitting liner combined with a medium boot sock works for me. I tend to like Smartwool.

Best

My feet have fallen arches, which probably led to pronation. I am also pledged with large bunions. I can take these shoes out of the box and start hiking with no worries. They really are the only shoes I have in my house. From the slippers through the sandles, to the sneakers and finishing with the leather boot. Also, Orthofeet stands behind their product 100%.

"Anything outdoors? I'd have to disagree. Especially if it's something like pheasant hunting or pronghorn hunting on the plains when it's warm and I 'll be out for a half day, not too far from the truck.

"Anything outdoors" is not a survival situation.

As far as which socks to wear "elk hunting," that covers a lot of different situations from bowhunting in early september in a t-shirt to late-season hunts below zero. What I use (including boots) depends 100% on the weather and how much walking and climbing I'll do.

I used to use liners but found I usually don't need them any more. When I do use liners they're Injinji toe socks, they make wool and synthetic. I usually just use smartwools, thin for early seasons and thick for later seasons. Darn Toughs are good too.

Mostly Costco merino wool socks. Old pair of Vasque hikers. Kept my feet warm on the last winter hunt (deer)I did in AZ, not below zero but close in the AM. My few elk hunts, all in AZ, have been the same. Nothing really frigid. The Costco socks work well enough for me and my feet that run hot most of the time. And I sure like the price.

Geno

I use the Salomon knee high compression 3v lightweight ski socks w/ my Altra Lone pine trail runners until it gets cold, then I add Smart Wool hikers w/ my Salomon GTX boots. I wear OR gaiters if it is wet/snowy. I was turned on to the compression socks by my son, the Ironman, they really work for me.


mike r

Did anyone happen to notice this is a 5.5 yo thread trolled to the top by someone pushing a product?

LOL, not only that, I just noticed the resurrection poster wasn't even talking about socks.....

We’ll get this turned around. Plastic bread bags is where it’s at.

living in Minnesota all my life and working outdoors for 50 some years 35 years as a lineman climbing poles .workin in the snow all winter,always outside,i think I understand what to wear for socks and boots when its cold.lineman in the cold wear 2 pairs of socks 1st pair tight long cotton socks,next long wool socks,good insulated leather boots or a good insulated hunting hiking boot no shorter than 10 inches,12 inches or more is better.boots should be kinda tight in A.M. hopefully you have those boots dryed out over nite somehow.if there is snow on the ground we slip rubbers over the boots too if we can.sometimes we use black tape on pants at top of boots so snow stays out of boots too. you should be good for 10- 12 hours before your feet get wet from sweat and cold. someone mentioned felt liner boots, I have tried them early in life you have no support I guess if you hunt close to the truck you will do ok but if you walk a lot your feet will end up hurting from felt boots.in real deep snow gaitors will help some too.i always carry extra 2 pairs of dry socks in my pack in a plastic bag and two pairs of gloves too in another bag .feet and hands need to stay warm and dry be careful out there. Pete53

Why wear the cotton socks? Bulk?

I wear wool socks year round. The only occasional exception is a thin synthetic liner sock under the wool sock, if a boot is rubbing or with uninsulated/under insulated boots when extended sitting follows exhilaration.

Dahlgren's socks in a lightly-insulated Gore-tex leather boot.

Ha! “Resurrection Poster”... you’ve added a new phrase to the internet

https://darntough.com/

All I use.

This!!

Depends on weather and the boots I'm wearing, could be 1 or 2 pair. Usually merino wool or synthetic. I'm not loyal to any one brand. Socks from Smartwool, REI, Thorlo, Darntough, Redhead, Cabelas etc. They all work for me as long as they fit properly

Kennetrek socks are my favorite currently.

I just want to know if buffybr is still with us. That's one crazy dude, wearing cotton socks to hunt sheep!

why is he still here???

I wear thin wicking polypro socks under med weight Smartwool... 20degrees to 85 degrees... keeps your feet dry and as comfy as can be... believe it or not, I get more out of polypro liners when it is HOT

I just tried Kuiu socks because my son liked them. Spendy but so far they feel better than any smart wool or Darn Tough that I have. I have so older first lite light weight socks that they now longer make, wish they did. Now always a liner sock on the what ever thickness of merino wool sock as the temperature dictates

smart wool liners and Dickies midweight merino wool sock, anywhere from 80-0. and non insulated boots with gaiters

Enough about elk hunting socks, everybody knows that socks won't make a big difference in whether you get your elk or not, there are much more important things to focus on.

Like elk hunting underwear, now that can make or break a hunt.

Yep, I'm still here, and still wearing cotton and cotton socks.

Beside wearing cotton on my Dall sheep hunt, I also wore cotton socks on these three Montana unlimited tag, DIY bighorn sheep hunts






And on this Montana DIY goat hunt when it was -15*F when I started up the mountain

buffybr, you must be dead now. Is it easier for a ghost to draw tags?

got any more picture of that golden retriever?

And as for elk hunts, here's my best bull on a DIY hunt in northern Montana where I was totally dressed in cotton - shirts, jeans, and socks


And one of my more recent bulls, again wearing cotton shirts, jeans, and socks.

Still alive and well, but I'm pushing 40 years without drawing a sheep or goat tag.
And still hunting with my goldens...

Mighty fine looking dogs. Thanks.

If someone is looking to save money, I can recommend Costco's 80% merino wool socks. 3 pair to the package, right at about $15 as I remember. They kept my feet warm on two COLD Wyoming elk hunts when paired with a poly liner sock and Danner 10" leather boots with 600 grams of Thinsulate.

Not too warm to wear while quail hunting in Nevada with low-top Vasque hikers, either!

Not elk hunting and not a ghost, but with my Golden Retriever and wearing cotton shirt, shorts, and socks on top of the Bridger Mountains last week.

That's all fine and dandy, but it's like I said---underwear is the key.

I wasn't going to get that personal, but now that you brought it up, my underwear has also been cotton.

All I can say is, you're lucky you got out of there alive.

Cotton. The fabric of our lives.......

Merino wool socks with 65% or greater merino wool. Wool insulates even when wet cotton does not.

Yes, I've cheated death many times by wearing cotton socks on 40 some Colorado and Montana elk hunting trips, a dozen or so sheep hunting trips, 2 mountain goat hunts, 3 moose hunts, 4 caribou hunts, an Arctic musk ox hunt, 30 years of recreational skiing and ski racing, 10 years of professional skiing, and almost 40 years of working in the mountains of Colorado and Montana all while wearing cotton socks, and NEVER having cold feet. It's simply unbelievable!

With socks that old it's not the cold you need to worry about, it's the smell.

Cotton kills!!

Darn Tough for me.