Graham Thompson

GT – Trail’s technical editor for over 25 years – is our walking gear guru. Walking socks are made with a range of materials and design features that cost more to produce than everyday socks.

Everyday socks are often made from cotton, which soaks up sweat and does not dry fast – resulting in cold, wet feet and a higher likelihood of blisters. By contrast, hillwalking socks will be made of a mixture of materials that may include merino wool and synthetic fibres that help keep your feet dry due to their ability to move sweat away from the skin (‘wick’).

Hillwalking socks are also thicker than everyday socks to add insulation, so your feet are warmer when standing around in snow or when simply up high, where it's cooler.

The thicker hillwalking sock also provides padding that improves the comfort of stiffer boots and gives cushioning on uneven ground.

When hillwalking or backpacking, socks may be used for many days in succession without facility to wash, dry or change them – and the results can be smelly. To overcome this, many higher-priced hillwalking socks use materials and treatments to combat the build up of pong-creating bacteria.

To prevent sore areas it is important the sock fits closely and remains well-fitting after lots of hard use. To achieve this, higher-priced hillwalking socks are more carefully designed in terms of shape, placement of seams and the use of padded and elasticated areas to ensure the sock stays in place. Some socks are even designed to fit your left or right foot for a yet more precise level of performance.

So while you can use regular socks for hillwalking, the comfort and performance of dedicated hillwalking socks is far superior. They're well worth the investment.

Walking socks seem expensive. Why aren’t regular socks okay for hillwalking? Mandy Flett, Colchester