What is a good, winter sock?

Try checking out SmartWool’s offerings.

Silk liners inside wool thermals will be the best combo unless you cheat with electric socks! (remember batteries do run out though!) DO NOT USE COTTON!!

@Cruiser Not cotton? Will you explain? It’s the first time I’ve heard that, and with plans to move to a colder climate, I’d love to get the right thing.

Cotton kills as we/they say in scouting as it absorbs moisture both your sweat and puddles. This moisture will be retained by cotton socks and then the cold sets in and really ruins your joyful outdoor experience. Silk is the best wicking material and wool is next best natural material. There are outstanding Poly blends nowadays but the silk/wool combo is the proven best from what I have seen for snowy cold outdoor adventures.

Wool. It keeps you warm even if it gets wet, and wool socks aren’t itchy at all, like I always thought they would be. SmartWool makes awesome socks, but expensive. Go military surplus instead.

Second vote for Smartwool.

To add to what @Cruiser said, cotton loses its insulating qualitiy when it gets wet, while wool retains it.

Yeah, cotton is death. Wool is fantastic and will stay warm when wet. Smartwool are well made socks, but they’re still just wool, and not often worth the price. Wool also has the advantage of being naturally bacteria resistant, meaning they’ll smell less.

The real key to keeping your feet happy in winter is to get a great pair of boots. I recommend something rugged and 100% waterproof, like these babies. Water is the enemy in winter and if you’re spending a lot of time outdoors, you’ll realize that there’s a major difference between waterproof and water resistant.

Rocky’s Gore-Tex Socks really work. They keep water out so long as the water level remains below the top of the sock and because they aren’t as breathable as fabrics like cotton or wool, they provide some insulation which is good in cold climes. You wear them over your regular socks (wool works well). A little pricey, not sure how long they last yet as Ive only had them for a month or two, but so far well worth the price.