What type of socks do you use when out in the wilds and where did you get them? I am just starting out with bushcraft and don't have a large budget so the socks I have been buying have generally been for around £8-15 but they are not the greatest and one pair even acts like a cheese grater on my soles after walking a couple of miles..
Favourite socks?
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I'm in the same boat price wise re socks.
Someone posted a link to military mart .co etc and I had a look there.
They have lots of cheap sock I think one was Czech Army and £10 for 5 pairs.
Hopefully someone will be able to comment.
Someone posted a link to military mart .co etc and I had a look there.
They have lots of cheap sock I think one was Czech Army and £10 for 5 pairs.
Hopefully someone will be able to comment.
A great place to keep an eye on is TK Maxx. Regularly find branded walking socks in there at knock down prices.
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Save yer dosh up and get some Bridgedales, treat yer feet! I reckon these are the best socks by far for the money and they have a good range of weights, materials etc., you can sometimes get good deals on them but they run about £15 a pair. I imagine there are better socks to be had but I think you'd have to spend big to better them; mine have always served me well and I'm very fussy about what I wear on my feet.
I have found Brashers 3 or 4 season walking socks are my best by far. I love them and have a few pairs now. They keep my feet toasty and dry.
Got to agree with that. Brasher Explorers for me £15 for 2 pairs or thereabouts, I use Bridgedale Coolmax liners with them. Worth spending a little extra on keeping your feet comfortable, learnt that one the hard way
.
For around 12 years or so basically all I've worn is the H Hall commando socks
eg
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/6-Pairs-H...Rich-size-6-13-Army-Hiking-Work-/160864692409
Still available for £6 a pair, hard wearing, comfortable, wash well. Having said tht I found over the years they have changed, at one time a new pair was like walking on a soft thick towel, they seem a bit thinner now. And they tend to get balls of wool inside which need pulling out. But they have served me well. I've tried a few others, but always went back to the commandos....
eg
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/6-Pairs-H...Rich-size-6-13-Army-Hiking-Work-/160864692409
Still available for £6 a pair, hard wearing, comfortable, wash well. Having said tht I found over the years they have changed, at one time a new pair was like walking on a soft thick towel, they seem a bit thinner now. And they tend to get balls of wool inside which need pulling out. But they have served me well. I've tried a few others, but always went back to the commandos....
I have many pairs of these, from Costco
http://www.costco.co.uk/view/product/uk_catalog/cos_3,cos_3.12,cos_3.10.2/144856
Works out at less than £3 a pair for Merino wool , I used to buy Thorlo's at about £9 a pair!
http://www.costco.co.uk/view/product/uk_catalog/cos_3,cos_3.12,cos_3.10.2/144856
Works out at less than £3 a pair for Merino wool , I used to buy Thorlo's at about £9 a pair!
Elen Sentier
Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
I use my own homespun and hand-knitted socks. They're magically warm and comfortable, and have even been given a wonderful accolade by Paul Kirtley who has a North Ronaldsay pair I made for him and uses them on his artcic stuff
I use North Ronaldsay wool (from the Orkney island) for heavy duty winter socks. For middle-weight socks i use wool from our local Hereford sheep, the Ryeland. History says Queen Elizabeth I so loved this wool she had all her stockings made from Ryeland wool. I also like Shetland wool, especially if combined with mohair. It can be spun and knitted very fine and is good for vests as well as socks, and it's wonderfully warm. I'm just about to see how I find spinning and knitting with the Merino wool but I do like best to use the wool from our own sheep.
The cost is difficult to assess. I'm often given fleeces but I have to process them right from the beginning, washing, carding, spinning, plying, and finally knitting. A pair of socks from fleece to socks takes me at least 6 hours spread over several days. At the minimum wage that means a pair of socks would be at least £40 to compensate for my labour. Obviously I don't pay myself
I use North Ronaldsay wool (from the Orkney island) for heavy duty winter socks. For middle-weight socks i use wool from our local Hereford sheep, the Ryeland. History says Queen Elizabeth I so loved this wool she had all her stockings made from Ryeland wool. I also like Shetland wool, especially if combined with mohair. It can be spun and knitted very fine and is good for vests as well as socks, and it's wonderfully warm. I'm just about to see how I find spinning and knitting with the Merino wool but I do like best to use the wool from our own sheep.
The cost is difficult to assess. I'm often given fleeces but I have to process them right from the beginning, washing, carding, spinning, plying, and finally knitting. A pair of socks from fleece to socks takes me at least 6 hours spread over several days. At the minimum wage that means a pair of socks would be at least £40 to compensate for my labour. Obviously I don't pay myself
I suspect this is one of those areas where conflicting opinions will proliferate
Having tried quite a few of their different two-layer socks I've finally given up on 1000 Mile. They simply don't fit me well enough and seem to flatten and stiffen after only a few washes. That said, they make some cushioned, single-layer socks which have worked very well for me. Bridgedales likewise get plenty of recommendations, but not from me: the first pair I had tore my skin to ribbons and the pair I have now are starting to come apart after less than a year.
Recently I've been using HJ Hall Rambler socks (available in red if you want to sport the, um, "classic" rambler look) which I think might be a little more cushioned than the Commandos mentioned by Mr Dazzler. They can be found at a pretty decent price if you shop around on eBay etc. After a day's wear they do tend to bag out a little (they're a fairly traditional loopstitch inner design, unlike the pricier socks which have various knits and tensions in different areas) but quickly resume their shape when washed. I've also had great success with Smartwool Hikers, although they're far from cheap.
Unfortunately the very best socks I've had are a pair of loopstitch "Explorer" socks sent to me one year by my sister in Australia. She can't remember where she bought them and they didn't have a manufacturer's label attached, so I'm still searching for another pair of them.
Having tried quite a few of their different two-layer socks I've finally given up on 1000 Mile. They simply don't fit me well enough and seem to flatten and stiffen after only a few washes. That said, they make some cushioned, single-layer socks which have worked very well for me. Bridgedales likewise get plenty of recommendations, but not from me: the first pair I had tore my skin to ribbons and the pair I have now are starting to come apart after less than a year.
Recently I've been using HJ Hall Rambler socks (available in red if you want to sport the, um, "classic" rambler look
) which I think might be a little more cushioned than the Commandos mentioned by Mr Dazzler. They can be found at a pretty decent price if you shop around on eBay etc. After a day's wear they do tend to bag out a little (they're a fairly traditional loopstitch inner design, unlike the pricier socks which have various knits and tensions in different areas) but quickly resume their shape when washed. I've also had great success with Smartwool Hikers, although they're far from cheap.Unfortunately the very best socks I've had are a pair of loopstitch "Explorer" socks sent to me one year by my sister in Australia. She can't remember where she bought them and they didn't have a manufacturer's label attached, so I'm still searching for another pair of them.
Handmade or vintage , especially Swedish.
Smartwool Extra heavy crew and the over the knee Hunter are very good, 83% Merino.
Best.
Chris.
Smartwool Extra heavy crew and the over the knee Hunter are very good, 83% Merino.
Best.
Chris.
Where and when?
In the colder months sitting on a deer stand? That would be heavy wool military surplus or a blend by the hunting clothing companies
Along the coast in summer? Plain cotton athletic socks; Unless I'm wearing river/beach sandals. In that case, no socks at all.
In the colder months sitting on a deer stand? That would be heavy wool military surplus or a blend by the hunting clothing companies
Along the coast in summer? Plain cotton athletic socks; Unless I'm wearing river/beach sandals. In that case, no socks at all.
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I like Bridgedale socks, especially their Trecker sock. I do a lot of hiking and if I had the money, I'd wear these all the time!
Unfortunately I don't have much money, so most of the time I'm wearing my old army socks
Do you hike much? If you're new to that too, I'm a firm believer that feet need breaking in more than boots do
Unfortunately I don't have much money, so most of the time I'm wearing my old army socks
Do you hike much? If you're new to that too, I'm a firm believer that feet need breaking in more than boots do
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