Wool Socks V.S. Cotton Socks: Which Fit Your Work Boots Better?

You can have the most splendidly constructed, hyper-insulated, fully waterproof, skid-resistant, steel-toed work boots on the planet, but if you're wearing the wrong socks, you're not going to enjoy all their benefits. For decades it was assumed that standard cotton crew socks were all a person needed to wear inside their work boots, but is that really all right? Or is there an argument to be made that wool crew socks are actually the smarter choice? Below we're going to add our two cents to the great sock debate and take a look at the choice between cotton and wool socks.

 

The two Players

1. Cotton

Cotton can make for great shirts and for dress socks that feel great when you first put them on because cotton is a soft and natural material. However, it is not suitable to wear cotton socks in the office because cotton absorbs moisture, you have to walk around with those wet socks all day. 

 

2. Wool

Wool has been well-known for centuries as the go-to material for cold weather. The reason is that it doesn't retain moisture. That means that even if you're sweating under your wool clothes they won't get all wet and turn into wearable ice cubes like cotton will. They avoid this by pulling the moisture off your skin and exposing it to the air where it can evaporate. When it comes to work boots then, whether you're sweating up a storm or you step in a deep puddle on a hot day your wool socks will dry out quickly because of this evaporative ability. The same goes for hiking socks, no matter what the weather is like, they have to dry quickly because you will be walking all day in them.

 

The Winner- Wool

Wool has it all going on as a sock material. It's warm when it's cold out and it wicks sweat away from your feet when it's hot out. And although wool by itself can sometimes irritate the skin, you can buy wool thick athletic socks with synthetic materials that won't affect their wicking ability and make them feel nice and soft to the touch. 

 

Now that we have a winning material let's take a look at some other things you'll want consider when buying a pair of work socks.

 

Things to Look For in Your Socks

You've taken a good first step by deciding to buy wool or wool-blend socks to wear with your work boots. Now you need to think about the socks' other characteristics including height, thickness and overall fit.

 

1. Height

You can buy wool socks in all different heights from best no show socks that don't rise above your ankles to tall enough that they encompass your entire calf. There are 2 primary considerations you'll want to kick around when determining the height of your new socks: the height of your work boots and the temperature you'll be working in.

 

Height of Your Work Boots: The taller the work boots the taller that socks. This is because if you let the collar of your boots have free and easy access to your skin you're asking for abrasions, blisters and a very long, uncomfortable day.

 

2. Thickness

Hot Weather: When the weather gets hot you'll want to make sure you're wearing the thinnest wool or wool-blend thin crew socks available with the least cushioning. This will ensure they generate the least sweat and are able to whisk that sweat away quickly and effectively.

 

Warm Weather: In the spring and fall you're going to want best quarter socks of medium thickness with light cushioning. These socks still ensure optimum levels of moisture wicking while providing just enough warmth to carry you through those colder than expected days.

 

Cold Weather: When the mercury dips into sub-freezing territory it's time to whip out the thick athletic socks in order to maximize both warmth and wicking ability. But be careful: the biggest danger with wearing thick quarter socks is the temptation to lace your work boots up tightly to guard against the cold. Doing so however, will suppress the wicking ability of the socks and make for cold, wet feet

 

3. Overall fit

Just as important as thickness, height and material is how the socks actually fit on your feet if they're too big they'll bunch up or slide back and forth and create painful blisters. Too small and they can squeeze your feet, generate pressure points and have their moisture wicking abilities compromised. Of course if you're after a pair of mens compression crew socks or hand warmers, they'll fit fairly tightly in order for them to work. The most important indicator of a proper fit is the alignment of the heel cup. If it fits perfectly over your own heel then the socks are the right size. If the heel cup is down in the arch of your foot the socks are too small and if it's up around your ankle the socks are too big.

 

Conclusion

Wearing wool blend crew socks with your work boots is the smart thing to do. If you work outdoors where the weather conditions are constantly changing you'd be wise to stock up on different pairs of wool socks that demonstrate different characteristics of height and thickness. This will ensure your feet are always warm, dry and comfortable.