Your feet need two things for winter walking - insulation from the cold and wicking to draw moisture away from the foot. Even in winter you can get blisters from sweaty feet. They must fit properly without bunching, and not be too thick to fit into your shoes.
1. SmartWool Walking Socks
SmartWool makes machine-washable, non-itchy wool socks that provide natural moisture management. These walking designs are woven for comfort where walkers need it most. You don't need a liner sock with SmartWool socks, just wear them like any other sock and feel the natural comfort of itchless wool. I found they insulated great, without added thickness, for temps down to freezing.
2. WrightSock Merino Trail Double Layer Socks
Wendy Bumgardner ©
The old-school technique was to wear a liner sock of wicking polyester acrylic and an outer sock of wool. Wrightsock puts that together in one double layer sock that is no more thick than a regular pair of socks. These are well-designed to stay in place and provide a nice amount of insulation for temperatures close to freezing.
3. Thorlos Walking Socks
Wendy Bumgardner
Designed for walkers, these socks use Thor-Lon to wick sweat from your foot and prevent blisters. The padding is placed just where needed - instep, heel, ball of foot. Thorlos wear like iron, you'll have these for years to come. They may be thicker than your regular walking socks, to try them out with your walking shoes.
4. Teko Organic tekoMerino Socks
Wendy Bumgardner ©
Teko makes environmentally friendly socks. Their organic tekoMerino wool comes from organic sustainable farms in Argentina. They use an ozone process rather than chlorine to make their wool non-shrinking. The polyester used in their blends is recycled. The socks are well-engineered for walking and hiking, but I find the fit a bit narrow and the wool a bit itchy.
