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8 best thermal socks for unmatched warmth and comfort all season long

Wrap up for your next adventure and avoid frozen toes with our top picks

Sian Lewis
Thursday 31 October 2024 10:45 GMT
We looked for good comfort, cushioning where it counts and decent breathability
We looked for good comfort, cushioning where it counts and decent breathability (The Independent )
Our Top Picks

Outdoorsy types tend to spend a lot of time and money on the perfect warm boots for winter weather, but there’s another key bit of kit for keeping your feet cosy in the cold – great thermal socks. The right pair of thermal socks can be the difference between an enjoyable alfresco adventure and a cold, miserable experience on a mountain hike or a ski trip. Not sure where to start? Here’s what to look for when shopping for the best thermal socks, whether you’re hitting the slopes or embarking on a frosty hike this winter season. 

Wool, particularly Merino wool, is a top choice of material for warm socks as it’s naturally insulating, moisture-wicking, and odour-resistant, keeping your feet warm and dry even in freezing conditions. Merino wool also regulates temperature well, so your feet won’t overheat if you’re getting active. You’ll also find socks that combine wool with synthetic fibres like nylon or spandex for durability and stretch on the market. Bamboo is another wonder material as it’s super comfortable, breathable, naturally antibacterial and doesn’t itch.

Next, consider fit and padding. Skiing socks should be snug, offering a tight fit to avoid bunching inside your boots, which can cause blisters. Ski socks usually feature padded shins, to protect your legs against hard ski boots. Hiking socks should have extra cushioning in the heel and toe for added comfort over long distances and both types of socks should be high enough to cover your ankle and fit well inside your boots, but not be so thick that they cramp your toes. 

Lastly, breathability is crucial. Your feet will sweat when you’re active, even in the cold, so socks with good ventilation zones or moisture-wicking fabrics can prevent that damp, cold feeling. 

Investing in a few high-quality pairs of socks will make sure your feet stay warm, dry, and comfortable—so you can focus on the next adventure, not your frozen toes.

How we tested

Our tester tried out each and every pair of socks to find the best thermals to keep us warm all winter
Our tester tried out each and every pair of socks to find the best thermals to keep us warm all winter (The Independent)

We tried out each of these pairs of socks over a few miles of hiking in the Lake District and looked for good comfort, cushioning where it counts and decent breathability. We also washed each pair to see how they held up to regular use.

The best thermal socks for 2024 are:

  • Best overall – Sealskinz northwold solo thermal ski sock: £30, Sealskinz.com
  • Best budget buy – Mountain Warehouse polar womens Merino technical knee length ski socks: £14.99, Mountainwarehouse.com
  • Best design – Darn Tough vanna grizzle womens hiking socks: £30, Darntough.uk
  • Best for custom comfort – Smartwool ski zero cushion rainbow trails: £28, Smartwool.co.uk
  • Best casual socks – 66 North primaloft ski socks: £40, 66north.com

Sealskinz northwold solo thermal ski sock

Sealskinz best thermal socks review indybest
  • Best: Overall
  • Main material: Wool and nylon
  • Size range: S-XL
  • Colour range : Black, grey, pink, blue and white
  • Why we love it
    • Great thickness
    • Good looks
  • Take note
    • Not Merino wool

A lovely ski-style sock you can also wear for hiking, working outdoors in wellies or for just keeping toes toasty at home. Sealskinz northwold is thin enough to fit nicely in hiking boots but cushioned enough to wear for snow sports or in rubber boots, and the wool and nylon blend is the perfect balance of warmth, comfort and moisture-wicking – we found these socks were surprisingly breathable on test. Padding in the footbed is brilliant for spending long days outdoors in bulky footwear. The ‘multi’ colourway looks pleasingly retro, too.

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Mountain Warehouse polar womens Merino technical knee length ski socks

Mountain Warehouse best thermal socks review indybest
  • Best: Budget buy
  • Main material: Polyester and Merino wool
  • Size range: 3-9
  • Colour range: Burgundy or grey
  • Why we love it
    • Cosy
    • Good looks
  • Take note
    • Limited cushioning

A great option for under £15, these comfy-as-anything socks from Mountain Warehouse are warm and cosy on the toes thanks to a Merino wool mix and look rather lovely too, with a patterned snowflake design. Although they’re aimed at skiing there isn’t loads of cushioning built into the polar socks, so we’d stick to wearing these knee length socks for winter walking or popping in your snow boots or your wellies, when their warm make-up comes in very handy.

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Sealskinz uphillsport Valta alpine

Sealskinz Valta best thermal socks review indybest
  • Best: Ski socks
  • Main material: Merino wool
  • Size range: 3-8
  • Colour range: Dark grey, light grey, pink and blue
  • Why we love it
    • Great warmth and cushioning
    • Seamless toe
  • Take note
    • Expensive

Is this the perfect ski sock? Sealskinz’s unisex Valta is inspired by the mountain of the same name in Finland and is ready for the cold. This sturdy sock is knee-length and has good padding where it counts. The fabric blends Merino wool for warmth and fast drying with polyamide for stretch, resulting in a comfy fit that can handle subzero conditions. The standout feature is the seamless toe, which avoids any blisters when you’re skiing all day. These socks are on the pricy side, but if you ski regularly a few pairs are well worth the investment.

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BAM technical bamboo ski sock

BAM best thermal socks review indybest
  • Best: Bamboo socks
  • Main material: Bamboo
  • Size range: 4-11
  • Colour range: Black, brown and blue
  • Why we love it
    • Comfortable and breathable
  • Take note
    • Limited cushioning

Bamboo is a bit of a wonder material for socks, as it’s deliciously comfortable against the skin and is naturally antibacterial, and BAM makes the best bamboo socks, base layers and snug knits in the business. These terry-lined ski socks combine bamboo with breathable mesh, offer compression support and are created with an invisible toe seam, so there’s no rubbing or bunching in boots. These socks have some cushioning but are better for casual use rather than hardcore hiking or skiing. These bamboo beauties are a bit of a bargain, too.

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Falke SK1 comfort women skiing knee-high socks

Falke best thermal socks review indybest
  • Best: For comfort
  • Main material: Merino wool mix
  • Size range: 2.5-8
  • Colour range: Yellow, white, black, blue and red
  • Why we love it
    • Very comfy
    • Good cushioning
  • Take note
    • Not a unisex design

The clue is in the name – these knee-high socks are deliciously comfortable. Stretchy enough to hug your leg and stay put all day long, they sit well inside tight ski boots, with lots of cushioning on the shin to protect you even if you’re out in the elements all day. The Merino wool and silk mix of the SK1 is breathable and odour-resistant. We tested out the female-specific SK1 sock, which is ideal if you have small or narrow feet. The men’s SK1 will suit male skiers or women with bigger feet.

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66 North primaloft ski socks

66 North best thermal socks review indybest
  • Best: Casual socks
  • Main material: Primaloft
  • Size range: S-L
  • Colour range: Black or white
  • Why we love it
    • Soft and cosy
  • Take note
    • White could look dirty fast

You’ll usually find primaloft synthetic insulation stuffed into your favourite padded jacket for some welcome warmth, but it’s a great material for thermal socks, too. Icelandic brand 66 North uses it to craft yarn for these sumptuously soft ski socks, which are brilliant all-rounders for casual wear all winter long. If you do end up with holes in your new socks, 66 North also offers lifetime repairs. We like the simple, sporty white look and 66 North branding on this design, but it might not suit everyone, and the white could look dirty easily, so black is probably the more sensible choice.

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Darn Tough vanna grizzle womens hiking socks

Darn Tough best thermal socks review indybest
  • Best: Design
  • Main material: Merino wool and nylon
  • Size range: S-L
  • Colour range: Navy or grey
  • Why we love it
    • Lifetime guarantee
    • Great looks
  • Take note
    • Not warm enough for bitter winter conditions

A sock to last you a lifetime of adventure? Darn Tough’s designs all come with a lifetime guarantee, and if you end up working them so hard they get holes in, the brand will replace them for you for free. There also are myriad styles and colourways to choose from, most of which are far cheerier than your average plain hiking sock. We love these vanna bear and moose socks, inspired by retro sweaters and with Merino wool added in for warmth. This midweight sock works well for hiking in autumn and milder winter weather.

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Smartwool ski zero cushion rainbow trails

Smartwool best thermal socks review indybest
  • Best: For custom comfort
  • Main material: Merino wool
  • Size range: 5-13.5
  • Colour range: 20 available
  • Why we love it
    • Customisable cushioning
    • Smart designs
  • Take note
    • There are more subtle versions available

Swoop down the pistes armed with the perfect combo of tough performance and fun looks in these jazzy rainbow socks from Smartwool. Thin and flexible, so they sit well in tight ski or snowboard boots, but with 55 per cent Merino wool for plenty of warmth, these socks are great for serious snow sports fans who don’t like boring kit. This model is a ‘zero cushion’ sock with no added panelling but ‘targeted cushion’ and ‘full cushion’ versions are also available from Smartwool, so you can pick the level of cushioning that feels the most comfortable for you.

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The verdict: Thermal socks

We reckon Sealskinz make the best all-rounder thermal socks, with the Sealskinz northwold socks, but the uphillsport Valta alpine socks are up there for the best ski socks, too. Darn Tough’s vanna grizzle are perfect for hikers (and look great) while BAM and Falke focus on comfort.

If you’re hitting the slopes this season, these are the ski clothing brands you need to know

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