What is the ideal blend for socks? Polyester smells disgusting with the amount I sweat, but I also understand socks need elasticity. I have some wool socks, but they're too delicate, expensive, and hot for more extensive wear. Any suggestions?
>>18295088All socks smell. Find the smell you like the most.
>>18295088100% white cotton and just bleach them when you wash them bro
>>18295129Really? Would that have any stretch at all? Any brands/recs?
>>18295088Wool socks are way more durable than cotton or polyester unless you're buying the shittiest brand possible. Buy the right size and trim your toenails and they'll last forever.
>>18295088> I have some wool socks, but they're>too delicatedon't but shit ones>expensivethey last long and you wear them every day you shouldn't have a problem getting good quality ones >and hotno
>>18295128Yeah dude, whatever your age, whatever your sex, your feet are going to smell after a day, no matter what your socks are made of, it's the ransom of civilization and walking in shoes, that comfort comes at a price.
>What is the ideal blend for socks?Merino wool + synthetic fibres>Polyester smells disgustingHence the wool.>but I also understand socks need elasticity.Then also make sure it has some elastane/lycra.>I have some wool socks, but they're too delicateHence the synthetic fibres.>and hot for more extensive wear.Thin merino socks exist, e.g. Pantherella>expensiveIt's either that, or stinky, swampy feet. Look out for (black friday) deals.>>18295129>>18295278Retards.
>>18295088I don't wear socks anymore
this >>18295570 poster is correct.everyone else is wrong.darn tough makes the most durable socks in the world by far, hands down, nothing else comes close. they're nylon cotton blend and knitted more densely and lower tension than other brands. you can expect a pair to last 10-20 years of casual use and they have a lifetime warranty. virtually 100% of long distance backpackers other than the toe sock people wear darn tough:https://www.halfwayanywhere.com/trails/pacific-crest-trail/pct-gear-guide-2023/>>18295256cotton can have stretch if its knit into ribs.>>18295278>>18295458all 100% wool socks are delicate. with denser knit pairs you can extend their life by shaving the pilling off periodically.
Polyester or any synthetic socks feel awful, look like shit, smell like shit, and will make your footwear smell like shit.On a budget, around 60-80% cotton blend is a bare minimum option. I think as long as shoes your shoes don't get gross and smelly, the socks are doing their job.
>>18295709.extend their life by shaving the pilling off periodicallyExplain this, you are introducing a blade to fabric in order to lengthen the lifespan of the fabric?
>>18295713>around 60-80% cotton blend is a bare minimum optionTerrible advice. This is what I believed a while ago, and I couldn't understand why my socks would be soaking wet and smelled like death (oh lord, the cotton content must not be high enough???). Wool blends WITHOUT cotton do not have this problem.
>>18295713i've hiked for 3 months straight in a pair of darn tough socks (wool/nylon blend) without washing them and they didn't smell.you will find this echoed by countless other trip reports from long distance backpackers online there's a reason over 99% of non toe sock people wear the same brand of sock in the long distance backpacking world.
I'm glad mild vinegar is as bad as mine get
>>18295718you know the 'pills' that form when socks get fucked up? you can shave them off. for small tasks your old face shaving blade works fine, for bigger tasks they sell electric shavers designed to only shave the pills off and not fuck the fabric up for like 10-20bux.it might not be the most necessary thing with socks but its a great thing to know you can do when buying vintage clothes. works on sweaters, vintage oxfords, etc.
>>18295496... am i weird then for never noticing any smell on my feet then? they definitely sweat, but my socks/shoes never smell bad while i can definitely pick up armpit/groin BO on clothes
>>18295088Um...That's a little girl...
>>18295755if you have dry skin your feet tend to not smell as much. i have to hike in humid hot weather all day to get sweaty feet.
>>18295744How about pilling on the crotch of pants from the friction of walking?
>>18295709>all 100% wool socks are delicatecompared to cotton? no
>>18295570>Merino wool + synthetic fibresAlright, so what is the cutoff? How much wool to nylon?>Then also make sure it has some elastane/lycra.Is nylon fine? I looked up Pantherella like you said and their Laburnum socks have 70/30 wool/nylon.Also, are these durable socks? I'm thinking I should get the wool socks for everyday wear and the Darn Tough ones that were also recommended here for the gym/strenuous activity.
>>18295088merino wool (at least 70%) for cool or moderate temps or heavy walkingpure cotton and cotton-linen are good for warm temps, sure its delicate but a good quality pair will still last you much longer than the cheap 4-pack socks they sell at department storesalpaca cashmere or regular wool are good for lounging or cold temp socks
>>18295755>>18295755Maybe your nose is insensitive to certain smells, I don't know, but everyone has bacteria on their feet that produce acid molecules that give rise to bad smells, it's universal, although there is of course a difference in intensity between people.
>>18295950>Alright, so what is the cutoff? How much wool to nylon?Depends on how much you care about durability. ~50%-70% is usually fine for me.>Is nylon fine? I looked up Pantherella like you said and their Laburnum socks have 70/30 wool/nylon.Contrary to popular belief, nylon is not inherently stretchy. Though with socks this thin, I'd say it doesn't particularly matter.>are these durable socks?As long as you give them the VIP treatment of not washing them too often. And when you do, only wash them with special wool detergent, no fabric softener, go easy on the spin and never tumble dry them. Then yeah, sure, they'll last as long as any regular pair of socks would.
>>18295838Just magically my woolen socks are full of holes in under a year vs cottons that are strong after many years.
>>18295496Luckily certain socks and shoes, while definitely getting smelly, smell so good that taking them off won't even be embarrassing for the people around you. High-quality and expensive shoes, for example, smell just as much as sport mall shitters made in China, but the scent will be so infinitely better that it's almost impossible to genuinely claim it's "bad". It's just a natural body odor mixed with the scent of damp leather and damp cotton. So fucking good.
>>18296111Yeah, ignore the retard. Wool is amazing, but durable is the one thing it's not.
>>18295950you pretty much have the right approach. darn tough for indestructible beaters and exercise but get something more luxurious for day to day. how long socks last depends how dense/tight the knit is in my experience. looser softer socks don't last as long as tight woven ones. i try to buy socks in person but you can get an idea if you can find macro photos.>>18296111>everything made of the same fiber>is the samedepends all on how they're knit. darn tough are stronger than any cotton sock i've seen but at the end of the day its more about smell/bacteria. wool generally is less durable this is true. >>18295496nah your shoes never smell if you only wear wool socks and you can go around a month hiking 12 hour days before your feet stank in wool socks and well ventilated shoes even in p shitty conditions. i just sniffed some several year old sneakers in my closet and they're still fresh only the ones i go sockless in smell sour.
socks being cheap and disposable is unironically good.sure we could go back to frontier times and darn the same pair of wool socks our whole lives but guess what that sucks ass and now we have a better system
Cotton and polyster suck for socks. Merino for winter, viscose for summer, with some nylon for durability.
>>18296276>viscoselmao
>>18296344Viscose is a top-quality natural fiber, you fucking retarded burger.
>>18296355>naturalBeing stupid is one thing, but I feel like you're just trolling at this point
>>18296357Kill yourself.
>>18296360>artifical = naturalhilarious stuff, keep going
>>18296367Do you actually believe wool clothes and cotton clothes are not artificial? The absolute state of amerifat education.
>>18296370>Do you actually believe wool clothes and cotton clothes are not artificial?Yes, Anon. In fact, I picked a fresh pair of jeans from the denim tree this very morning.
>>18296355>natural fiber>>18296370>wool clothes and cotton clothesyou may actually be genuinely retarded Anon, so I'll explain it for you: all clothes are artificial, but cotton and wool fibers are natural fibers while viscose is an artificial fiber made out of a natural product (wood) just like polyester is an artificial fiber made out of a natural product (petroleum)
>>18296547
>>18296383Denim is made of cotton, lad.
>>18296547Artificial is not the opposite of natural, you fucking retard. That was my point.The opposite of natural is chemical. Viscose is man-built, but it's made of natural materials.Shit-tier fibers are the ones that are created in a lab from start.That's why viscose is widely regarded as a premium fiber.Go check a sweater that is made of cotton 100%. Then take a sweater that is made of cotton 80% and viscose 20%.Yup. The latter costs more.You'll never learn.
>>18296383Should we tell him?
>>18296640>The opposite of natural is chemicalclinical retard>but it's made of natural materials>made ofthat means it's not natural>Shit-tier fibers are the ones that are created in a lab from startyep, polyester or nylon are made out of thin air, no natural products are involvedand there are no chemicals involved in viscose manufacturing whatsoever, totally not the same>premium>costs moreyou're beyond salvation
>>18296383Cotton doesn't grow on trees
>>18296674>>The opposite of natural is chemical>clinical retardYep. In the context of my post, it was.>>made of>that means it's not naturalIllogical argument.>yep, polyester or nylon are made out of thin air, no natural products are involvedThat's not what I said.>it doesn't cost moreI don't care about what third world shithole you live in, pajeet.
>>18295763Exactly
Just ordered a pair of these https://darntough.com/collections/men/products/mens-merino-wool-element-micro-crew-lightweight-running-socks?variant=42474173956282 to test them out; if I like them, I'll be getting about 8 more pairs. Then, I'll be doing the same with these: https://www.pantherella.com/laburnumThe former will be for the gym and general wear, the latter will be for dress shoes and nicer events. Any modifications/advice?
>>18298146the hiker line of socks is darn tough's best one for light weight because they have double the under-foot padding but stay thin on top. 1466 and the light weight version of it forgot the model number are the ones people rave about. their other socks are good too though.
>>18298275Would the hiker socks you're suggesting be better than these?>https://darntough.com/collections/men/products/mens-merino-wool-element-micro-crew-lightweight-running-socks?variant=42474173956282I usually prefer white socks, but if these are really a huge step up I'd be willing to try them out. As an aside, does it affect the life of the socks at all if you mix and match? Just realized I will 100% end up mixing pairs with all whites, but if I get a bunch of different colored pairs of the 1466s, it'll be easy to keep each pair together.ALSO, can anyone tell me what the difference between all these is apart from design?https://www.pantherella.com/laburnumhttps://www.pantherella.com/camdenhttps://www.pantherella.com/packingtonhttps://www.pantherella.com/naishThe last one is 90% wool/10% ???, as opposed to all the others at 70% wool/30% nylon; would that make them way hotter and thick, or would they be similar enough to the others?
