To track down the warmest socks out there, we asked people with good taste who tend to run cold and experts who spend a great deal of time outside in extreme climates — including an Alaskan fisherman and a blacksmith who works out of an uninsulated barn in Maine — for their favorites. The following socks, while all incredibly warm, are ordered from least to most robust.
Cashmere
“Falke’s knee-highs are worth the price: They’re warm, of course, but also unusually durable. I’ve purchased socks for one-third of the price only to have them fall apart (in the gentle cycle) after two weeks.” —Mary Ping, designer
“They’re 100 percent cashmere but not flimsy or translucent like formal silk hose. For the value — however much exists in luxury socks — these are the ones.” —Adam Onassis, model
“These cable-knit ones from Corgi — which supplies members of the royal family with their socks — come in a plethora of colors and are meant to be worn around the (country) house.” —Chris Black, Strategist contributor
“I wear them all the time around the house, especially now that I’m working from home. I bought them for myself, but now everyone in my family wants them.” —Victoria Cardenas Hitchcock, personal brand and image stylist
Synthetic Blend
“They have cozy in the name, and my feet confirm that that was no lie. ” —Bevy Smith, author of the upcoming memoir Bevelations: Lessons from a Mutha, Auntie, Bestie
“So warm. I can’t go to bed without them; it’s like a security thing.” —Nicky Hilton
Cotton
“They feel like leg warmers that happen to hold your feet. They’re extra roomy and soft and ’80s.” —Batsheva Hay, designer
“There are few things I love more than the Uniqlo sock wall. I buy new pairs monthly.” —Alexander-Julian Gibbson, content specialist
“I discovered these at a small shop in Milwaukee called URSA. They’re so cozy that I wish I’d picked up many more.” —Lalese Stamps, founder of Lolly Lolly Ceramics
“Great colorways and stripes. Very durable, comfortable, and have cushioned footbeds.” —Leah Adicoff, stylist
“They feel fancy — the perfect blend of cooling and cozy, while still being super warm. They came to Tokyo with me last winter and were the perfect 30- to 40-degree-weather socks, warm but lightweight enough to wear all day with sneakers.” —Carrie Carrollo, writer and content strategist
Wool
“I wear Lé Bent socks when skiing. They fit perfectly in a ski boot and let me keep going all day long.” —David Roth, co-founder of outdoor-gear brand Aztech Mountain
“They cover each individual toe.” —Melvin Onyia, cyclist
“I trust that this pair of socks will carry me through subzero temperatures. I’ve trekked with them on the cold winter trails of Peru’s Andes, Iceland, Patagonia, and Mongolia.” —Marinel M. de Jesus, founder of Brown Gal Trekker and Peak Explorations
“We have been doing a lot of morning hikes recently, and I always wear these: They’re soft and cozy but also dry really quickly, so I can keep wearing them the rest of the day.” —Shinya Hasegawa, designer
“I’m a big fan of wool socks, but they can get expensive. I buy multi-packs from Costco so I always have a dry pair ready for training runs.” —Blair Braverman, dogsled racer
“It is rarely above freezing during the winter months in my barn. So I tend to wear these Smartwool guys, which keep the frostbite at bay.” —Nicholas Wicks Moreau, blacksmith, Wicks Forge
“There’s no better option for keeping my feet warm and dry. The liner is a layer of separation between my skin and Merrell hiking sock, which wicks sweat away. This is much more effective than one layer of a thicker sock.” — Pat LaFrieda, CEO, Pat LaFrieda Meat Purveyors
“I bought a pair of alpaca socks at a market in Peru and I sleep in them when the nights are chilly.” —Janelle Kaz, a biologist and wildlife activist riding her motorcycle through South America
“The merino wool comes from sheep in New Zealand. They’re warm, comfortable, and have lasted me over ten seasons so far.” —Kurt Flickinger, Snowbird snow sports instructor
Boot liner
“Most Alaskan fisherfolk religiously wear Xtratuf boots, but they’re not especially breathable, so Bama Sokkets are the solution when it comes to wicking. They breathe and are super comfortable — a bit like wearing soft moccasins inside your boots.” —Christopher Nicolson, partner and fisherman at Iliamna Fish Co. in Bristol Bay, Alaska
*A version of this article appears in the November 9, 2020, issue of New York Magazine. Subscribe Now!
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