Should You Wear Two Pairs of Socks When Hiking?

Some people say that wearing two pairs of socks while hiking is the only way to prevent blisters, while others say that it's not necessary. So who is right?

In this article, we'll discuss the pros and cons of hiking with two pairs of hiking socks.

Advantages of Hiking With Two Pairs of Socks

Blister Prevention

Blisters and calluses are caused by rubbing between the skin and the sock. With a two-sock system, usually, the rubbing is happening between the two socks or between the outer sock and the shoe, which allows your feet to stay blister-free.

But for this to happen, your inner socks (other called liner socks) need to have the right fit. The inner socks should be thin and tight-fitting, so that they basically stay firm on your feet. That way, they can rub against the outer sock layer, instead of between the sock fabric and the skin.

It's also worth noting that high-quality socks can achieve the same result with just one layer. Personally, I usually hike with just one layer of socks, and I almost never get blisters.

An Extra Layer of Warmth

I personally wear two pairs of socks when hiking in winter, when it’s below freezing. It’s a well-known strategy by hikers to purchase a warm pair of insulated boots that are 1-2 sizes oversized and compensate for that by wearing two pairs of socks. Even most gear stores and manufacturers will usually recommend this advice. Wearing two pairs of socks just adds an additional layer of insulation, which is very useful in the winter.

An Extra Layer of Padding for Uncomfortable Hiking Shoes

If your hiking shoes or boots are about 1 size too large, you can probably still wear them very comfortably just by wearing two pairs of socks. They might be an even better choice if your footwear feels slightly uncomfortable or if it hasn’t been properly broken in yet. The thicker outer layer of socks will act as an additional layer of cushioning between your shoe and your feet.

Easier to Keep Your Feet Dry

By wearing two layers of socks, you can keep your feet dry fairly easily. If you do a light river crossing or step into a puddle, you can just change the outer layer, which will most likely be wet. And if you’ve been sweating from a rough section on the trail, you can change the inner layer, and you’ll be good.

This also ties into blister prevention, because when your feet or the sock fabric get wet, it significantly increases the friction, which speeds up blister formation. So when hiking, you should always aim to keep your feet dry (when it's possible).

Disadvantages of Hiking With Two Pairs of Socks

Oversweating in Hot Weather

When you’re hiking in the summer, or if the trail is physically demanding, usually two pairs of socks will make your feet sweat more quickly. This means that you’ll have to stop more frequently to switch to dry socks if you want to avoid blisters. Personally, I wouldn’t wear two pairs of socks if the temperature is above 5-10 C (41-50 F) because my feet would sweat too much. Of course, everyone is different, and you might not sweat as much.

Doesn’t Work With Tight-Fitting Shoes

If your shoes are perfectly sized for your feet, there really won’t be room for two pairs of socks. Also, if your feet tend to swell after a long day of hiking, the shoes might become too small for two pairs, and you might have to take one pair out.

Extra Weight

If you'd be hiking with one layer of socks, you'd probably need to bring two pairs of socks with you - one to change into if the other one becomes wet or to sleep in.

But if you're always hiking with two pairs of socks, you now need to bring 4 pairs instead of 2. Of course, the liner socks don't usually weigh that much, but it's still an additional weight, which might be a deal-breaker if you're into ultralight hiking.

They’ll Start to Smell Bad Quicker

Unfortunately, by wearing two pairs of socks, your feet will most definitely start to develop unpleasant odors much more quickly. That's because with two sock layers, there's less breathability, and your feet sweat a bit more, which creates a perfect environment for bacteria to grow.

So Should You Hike With Two Pairs of Socks?

Of course, everyone is different, and some might prefer to hike in two pairs of socks on all occasions. But personally, I wouldn’t wear two pairs of socks above 5-10 C (41-50 F), just because they’ll start sweating and developing unpleasant odors much quicker, in addition to the extra weight.

For hiking in moderate and warm weather, I prefer to hike in a single layer of socks. That's because a good-quality hiking sock, like the ones made by Darn Tough, Silverlight, or Smartwool, is enough to eliminate blisters for most people. This is very subjective, though, because some people get blisters quicker than others. But if you look at thru-hikers, most of them are wearing just one layer of socks, and most of them aren't dealing with blisters.

For winter hiking, wearing two layers of socks might be a good idea. That's because they offer additional insulation, and in winter, you aren't dealing with overheating and sweating as much. The general advice for winter hiking is to get boots 1 size larger than your feet and hike in two layers of socks.

What Kind of Socks Should You Use When Hiking With Two Pairs of Socks?

First Layer

In a two-sock system, the inner sock should be thin and compressed. You’re looking for a sock that fits your feet perfectly, and it doesn’t move around even a little. There’s a specific hiking term for this – liner socks. You’ll find them in most outdoor gear stores, and they’re meant for this exact purpose. A good material for the first layer would be a blend of nylon, polyester, spandex, and wool. A purely synthetic sock without wool would also be a good choice – just don’t go with cotton.

Second Layer

The outer layer should be much thicker and more comfortable. Usually, a good choice for this would be merino wool or regular wool. Some good manufacturers of merino wool socks are Darn Tough and Smartwool. The sock doesn’t have to be purely merino wool; it can also be a blend of merino wool and synthetics (Nylon, polyester, Spandex, e.t.c). Just make sure that it isn’t made from cotton and that it has plenty of padding and cushioning.

Outer-layer socks usually don't have any specific names or labels. Instead, they're called "hiking socks" and sorted by weight, or the thickness of the fabric - ultralight, lightweight, midweight, or heavyweight socks. For the outer layer, it's usually a good idea to go with midweight or heavyweight, and full-cushion socks.

Final Words

Personally, I only wear two layers of hiking socks when hiking in winter in big, insulated boots. The extra cushioning and warmth work wonderfully. I wouldn’t wear two layers of socks above 5-10 C (41-50 F), just because they sweat and develop bad odors more quickly, and they add needless weight.

But each one of us sweats at a different rate, and some of us are more resilient to blisters than others. So if it's not working with one layer of socks, the general advice is to try hiking in two pairs of socks and see if it fixes your issues with blisters.