Thread: Hunting socks

Originally Posted by Jaybe

I've found the SmartWool socks to be awesome. Warm, supportive and very good wearing, better than Thorlos!

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Yep, 3 pairs of smartwool socks for a 7 day trip in Haast last year. Wet feet all week and not one blister, comfy as.

Get your feet used to wearing boots for a start, then brand/style of sock you wear doesn’t matter so much. Can only remember getting blisters once in about last 28 years. Mind you I wear boots pretty much daily for up to 16 hours. Currently using Creepers toe socks for summer wear when hunting, been quite a revelation how good they are for controlling sweating between toes.

I swear by Swazi rangers because they have extra padding in all the areas that you usually get blisters in. The weave is also tight enough that they don't really loose their shape after being heavily worn for long periods of time. If you are an NZDA member you also get a discount on the price.

https://swazi.co.nz/products/the-ran...43456093454521

Originally Posted by woods223

Get your feet used to wearing boots for a start, then brand/style of sock you wear doesn’t matter so much. Can only remember getting blisters once in about last 28 years. Mind you I wear boots pretty much daily for up to 16 hours. Currently using Creepers toe socks for summer wear when hunting, been quite a revelation how good they are for controlling sweating between toes.

boots are a half size bigger so need to be thick socks to take up the space, didn't need to brake in either pair of my crispi boots never had a blister or any discomfort wet or dry when wearing them
also wore boots for work on the roads for 15 years so feet are use to boots no issue there

wore my crispi nevada gtx for 6 weeks straight in 2021 roar hunting and in 2023 aswell not one issue. Have weak ankles so need boots with good support to minimize rolling them, just got a pair of crispi valdres evo gtx for more flexibility in NI bush, and also lighter weight and saving my nevadas for home SI high country work because they are insulated and less flexible

Originally Posted by MB

I'm going to give toe socks a go. Look absolutely ridiculous, but very good for blister prevention apparently.

I wear toe socks. Creepers have been very good and I'm keen to try Injinji. I've always worn a liner sock and then a woolen sock over. For boots I wear the toe socks as the liner. For trail shoes I just wear the toe socks on their own

No blisters anymore at all. I've even stopped using hikers wool around problem toes as they're not a problem anymore.

Originally Posted by RV1

I wear toe socks. Creepers have been very good and I'm keen to try Injinji. I've always worn a liner sock and then a woolen sock over. For boots I wear the toe socks as the liner. For trail shoes I just wear the toe socks on their own

No blisters anymore at all. I've even stopped using hikers wool around problem toes as they're not a problem anymore.

Just ordered a pair of Injinji merino socks. 1 in 100 000 YouTube ads have finally worked on me! Not worn them in the bush yet. Feel a bit weird, but I hear you get used to that. Think I'll wear them as a "base layer" and then another mid-weight sock over the top.

Kuiu socks are very comfortable, don’t stink either after a couple days hunting either. Injinji toe socks are creepy as hell! Lol but a mate wears them and reckons they are good. “Thousand mile” socks are supposed to be really good. A good summer sock I’ve found has been the bushbuck merino socks, have done hundreds of km in mine and they still go good

Originally Posted by Floundering Around

I swear by Swazi rangers because they have extra padding in all the areas that you usually get blisters in. The weave is also tight enough that they don't really loose their shape after being heavily worn for long periods of time. If you are an NZDA member you also get a discount on the price.

https://swazi.co.nz/products/the-ran...43456093454521

Its the adventure socks I use, same socks in my steel caps as around town and tramping so in winter 7 days a week, and they last usually get 3-4 years from them.

Originally Posted by Happy Jack

Its the adventure socks I use, same socks in my steel caps as around town and tramping so in winter 7 days a week, and they last usually get 3-4 years from them.

get off the ferry at 11.30am in 3 weeks so will be plenty of time to stop in and pick up some socks i think

I live in these for work and hunting. They last for bloody years!!
For hunting I wear them with a Bridgedale liner sock. Works perfect for filling out a bit of space.

https://www.outfittersstore.nz/produ...iABEgL_XPD_BwE

I find those course heavy wool fleck socks too course.

I mainly use these socks:
https://www.walktall.co.nz/product-p...n-sock-4-pairs

I got my first set from the Christchurch Farmers Market. I find them pretty hard wearing and the back of my work boots wear out before my socks do. My feet also don't slip in them when they get sweaty, so no blisters.

I wear Smartwool PHD Hunt socks (think the are medium crew sized, rather than full crew as the full crew start cutting into the calf after a while). Bloody awesome socks and can go days a days in them and no issues. I used to wear them everyday, but now keep my dedicated hunting socks separate from everyday or weekend wear so they keep up their comfort level.

Bridgedale liner socks with Swazi ranger for summer and swazi Ibex for winter is my new setup which is working really well so far.

I'm wearing warfighter socks. Made in NZ, company owned by veterans.
very comfortable, don't overheat.

Another thought that has worked for me with boots a little large.
A thick pair of those Blue & Yellow Gell innersoles. Made a huge differance for me.
I was prone to getting a heel rub and had too much movement across the ball of my foot. The new Innersoles fixed that.
Z