Favorite summer boot socks

[nybhh]

Weird question - I know.

I realized on our first warm Saturday last weekend that my unholey supply of summer boot socks is dwindling and its time to resupply.

I also like to have designated "forestry" socks that make it into my monthly anti-tick permethrin regimen.  Looking for something with some cushioning (not too thin) for steel-toed work boots that wick moisture well but don't get too terribly hot during the summer.

Any favorites?  I typically gravitate to Carhartt for these sorts of things but the  summer-weight version I came across on Amazon didn't have very good reviews.  

[Old Greenhorn]

I'm following this, interested to hear the replies. MY 'problems' are usually during the winter, but if somebody has something new to me, I would like to hear it.

[Magicman]

Here is what I have been wearing for several years:  Caterpillar Socks/Hat

I buy the bundle from Sears for about $13.00.  (Google can beat the price in the above link).

[lxskllr]

I wear wool year round. No particular brand, but just about any sock with >50% wool content will be high quality.

[AZ_builder]

I have feet problems. Broke 6 bones in my left foot about 10 years ago and broke three toes on my right foot 5 years ago while trying to get a 1800lb bull off me. That said, my feet are sensitive now and I work on a concrete floor 12 hours a day in steel toes. About 3 years ago I won a pair of snap-on socks from my local tool truck. They were breast cancer awareness pink! Once I finally wore them, most of my foot pain has stopped!!! Since then I've ordered a dozen pair a year at $4-5 a pair and won't ever wear another sock. No sweating, no foot stink, and comfortable. Fits a bit tight at first but breaks into my foot.

[luap]

Summer, what's that? My favorite socks are Smart Wool brand. good for any outdoor cold weather activity

[woodmills1]

My boots and my socks are all redwing.  Yes, the big bucks both for boots and for socks.  Tax time all a write off,  happy feet.

[nybhh]

@AZ_builder With an endorsement like that, I suppose I'd be willing to wear pink socks too, at least with long pants 😉
 Where do you buy them?

[hopm]

farm to feet

[Brad_bb]

I wear these Underarmour cushioned moisture wicking socks.  My feet sweat relatively little.  Between that and the moisture wicking, I think that helps keep my feet from getting hot in summer generally.  I'm seeing them on Amazon right now for $15 for 2pr.


 

[doc henderson]

I wear the dickies work socks from WM.  now our cat stormy has started biting and chewing holes in them if you do not put them away.  Brad, you have handsome calves!   :D  @Brad_bb 

[thecfarm]

We sell farm to feet socks at the hardware store I work at. That is what I wear.
I do wear 2 pair of socks all the time,summer too. I use to have a hard time with my feet,sweat. I worked at Acadia National Park here in Maine for a couple summers. Use to see and talk to a lot of hikers. They all wore heavy socks and some 2 pair. They all said the same thing,keeps thier feet dry and keeps the sweat away. Finally I tried it,how could they all be wrong? Been doing it now for 40 years.

[SwampDonkey]

I wear Wig Wam wool socks year around or home knit ones. I find Carhart are too tight. I wear logger boots a lot in the woods, like rubbers with chaulk soles and chain saw protection, so I get the long socks. I find regular work boots are hard to walk in in our woods. You need soles that won't slide around and can walk on spruce roots.

These are my everyday sock, year around. I get their heavy socks for my boots. ;D

Wigwam 40 below wool socks - YouTube

I used to be a Red Wing boot fan until the last pair of boots. I barely wore them and kept them clean in the closet, thinking they would be used years down the road. I dug them out this winter for walking and noticed the rubber in the soles was so poor they fell apart. It's some kind of translucent rubber, not dark black of regular work boots.  I took them into a boot shop to have new soles put on and they said they was so pourly constructed that there was nothing to attach new soles to. The leather and construction above the soles was excellent, but there wasn't much for a foundation and the soles were junk. Keep in mind these books were hardly warn. I came home from the boot shop and tossed them into the trash.  So much for a good brand. And these were USA made boots, not China. I now have Irish Setter, well constructed and good soles this time, but made in China. :D I talked to the boot shop about Red Wings (they sell them) and they said they are still making them like that and the ones I tossed was 10 years old. The leather was like new not even marked up.

[square1]

Carrhart wool year round comfort

[doc henderson]

I have had good luck with redwing, but only at a dealer.  got the first pair at a Browns shoe store, and when they had problems they offered to sell me another pair and get a refund after sending in the boots to see if the co. would stand behind them.  At a Redwing store they have replaced gromits and made repairs to the lining that was normal wear and tear.  You can take them in for free water proofing, and new laces.  I get the composite toe, and if you have the toe guard, they will touch that up to. they are expensive but they have stood behind mine.  they keep everything on the computer so if I need  a new pair,  I call them and my wife can pick them up.  I like the insole you can heat up and mold to your foot.

[sprucebunny]

I wear thru socks pretty fast and the good ones are expensive. I've been buying Darn Tough for several years. They last better than Smart Wool. 
https://darntough.com

[crowhill]

I wear thru socks pretty fast and the good ones are expensive. I've been buying Darn Tough for several years. They last better than Smart Wool.
https://darntough.com

They're guaranteed too aren't they for wear through? 
I wear anything with Marino wool to wick the sweat away. I vary the thickness, light ones for my casual wear and heavy for work boots. No cotton socks! 

[nybhh]

Wow guys, I appreciate all the responses!  I started going through and looking at some of these last night and dang some of you guys wear some expensive socks!  

Lots of good options to choose from here and I may have to try a couple and compare instead of my usual 5-packs.

I understand when you have feet problems, anything that allows you to be on your feet all-day without pain is worth it but do you guys find these $15-20 socks worth it and more durable?  I typically spend maybe $15-$20 on a 3-5 pack but tend to wear through them pretty quick.  

Like some tools I guess, the more expensive socks may actually cost less in the long run and provide a lot more comfort and enjoyment along the way.

[rubberfish]

Quality wool socks all year round in the work boots. 
Cut down in length of course because I'm in shorts all year.
And some brand or other of costco like cotton sock for in runners.

Take decent care of your feet. Clean and dry.

[luap]

I am glad to see the responses here. Never heard of Darn tough brand before. I will check that out as I have been a smart wool user. Cost? Yes, they do but they outwear  and outperform many others. Its not like they are the only ones I use as I have a drawer full of no name socks but they get worn when I am sitting in front of this screen.

[AZ_builder]

@AZ_builder With an endorsement like that, I suppose I'd be willing to wear pink socks too, at least with long pants 😉
Where do you buy them?

I buy mine from our snap-on tool distributor. I'm sure they could be ordered online. I'm also sure they're made by another company but I haven't really cared to research it.

[trapper]

Redwing they have a higher percent of merino wool.  alpaca for dress sock.  Doc where do you get those insoles? Also redwing just had a spring sale buy two pair get one free.  

[bwstout]

I have been wearing these year around my feet sweat a lot and they keep them dry and cool and warm when it is cold. PEOPLE SOCKS Merino wool crew socks you can get them on amazon for abut 30.00 for 4 pair.

[Mountain_d]

I wear a polypropylene inner sock with a thick wool (50% wool and 50% synthetic) sock over top. 
Mountain 

[John Mc]

I wear thru socks pretty fast and the good ones are expensive. I've been buying Darn Tough for several years. They last better than Smart Wool.
https://darntough.com

I wear Darn Tough as well. I still have some of my old Smart Wool socks and will continue to use them until they wear out, but anything I'm buying new for a work sock is now Darn Tough. They are made here in Vermont, and they are a quality product - they cost a bt more, but they last. They are mostly Merino Wool, though the % varies among various designs of socks. Available in a variety of cushioning.

I was wearing GameHide Elimitick treated socks. They are treated to kill ticks, and the treatment supposedly lasts the life of the sock. Since the socks don't hold up very well, I can say with some confidence that the anti-tick treatment does last "the life of the sock". They do make my feet sweat a lot. My feet always feel wetter than when I'm wearing Darn Tough or Smart Wool.

With the disappointing life of the GameHide socks, I tried these Insect Shield socks. They seem to be holding up a bit better. Not much cushioning, but they do work to keep away ticks. I've been using a pair for two summers now, and it's still effective. Not a wool sock, so my feet do feel wetter than with the DarnTough or SmartWool socks.

I just ordered a pair of the Farm 2 Feet "No Fly Zone" socks. They are wool, but the description is a bit misleading: "we use 100% US made merino wool" does not mean the socks are 100% wool, just that the wool they use is US Merino. All of their "No fly Zone" socks are treated for ticks. I'm waiting to hear back on the claimed life of the treatment.

NOTE: the Gamehide, Insect Shield, and Farm 2 Feet socks are all sold by SOCK size. THis is not the same as shoe size. You will likely need to bump up a size from your sho size to get a good fit (for example, I wear a size 9 shoe, but order the large size Insect Shield socks - size 10-13 - to get a good fit).

[nybhh]

@John Mc , The pre-permethrin treated clothing was really interesting to me at first but as you mentioned, I felt like you had to compromise on the actual items of clothing too much so I started to roll my own...

I buy permethrin in a 36.8% concentrate for $33 for 32 ounces.
https://www.domyown.com/permethrin-sfr-368-p-445.html

That is 73.6 times stronger than the 0.5% used for clothing treatment (Sawyer Spray) so 1.75 ounces ($1.80) makes 1-gallon.  I mix up 3-gallons worth in a 5-gallon bucket with a good water-proof lid.  I then take another 5-gallon bucket with a lot of holes drilled in the bottom I will fill it up with clothing and dip that it into the permethrin bucket until everything is fully soaked and then suspend it above the bucket to drip dry for a few hours or overnight.  I then throw everything in a spin and drain cycle of the washing machine and then the dryer, where applicable.  You can treat washable chainsaw pants the same way but they absorb a lot more.  Use GLOVES!

A typical batch will use about 1/4 gallon if you leave it to drip long enough and I repeat this process once per month over the summer.  The same 3-gallons usually will last all summer and I fill up a spray bottle for boots or whatever and give away some to neighbors, etc.  They say it will last for 6-8 weeks or 6-8 washings but I repeat it the first of every month to be safe.  Not a single tick (knock, knock) since I started doing this and several a year used to make it past my daily tick check.  I treat socks, pants, shirts and hats via dip and spray boots and shoes.  We also spray our window screens to help with no-see-ums as well. 

[John Mc]

Other than the socks, I've not felt I had to compromise on quality to use pre-treated clothing (and I'm hoping the Farm 2 Feet socks will change that - we'll see).

I have some t-shirts and some long-sleeved Ts that are still going strong after 4 years of wear without any re-treatement. I liked them enough that I bought some lightweight treated pants to wear under my chaps. They are also holding up well. I've used one for 2 years, and the other I just got last year. Still no ticks when I wear them.

Like you, I also treat some of my own clothing: jeans and some other old shirts. I buy concentrated permethrin, dilute it, and spray it on my clothes, then hang them to dry. I've gone for about 4 washes without retreating with good results. I'm afraid to go longer, since I've heard from several folks that they've seen it fade after 4 or 5 washes.

I've not tried dunking them as you are doing, @nybhh .  I wonder if that lasts any longer?

I'm not inclined to be the Guinea Pig to do any testing myself. My brother has had Lyme disease twice, and was hospitalized for a week with Anaplasmosis. A cousin was wheel chair bound from Lyme, recovered for a bit, then ended up in the wheel chair again with a relapse. She's continued to fight it for years. Finally, I've watched a woman here in my home town who just can't shake Lyme. She's been so weak at some points that she can't even sit and watch her son play soccer most days. With those kinds of experiences, I'm not taking chances.

[nybhh]

100th post  8)

Yea, I'm not sure if dipping last longer either which is why I still treat monthly but I know it covers a lot better than the spray does and is easier to treat a lot at once.  

Other than a stronger concentration, I'm not really sure what the "secret" is they use for longer protection periods.  Curious what clothing you use, I was given a few items as a gift but they were all recreational/hiking quality and not really built for work.  I think the pants got torn the second use.  

Lime Disease is serious business, sorry to hear about your family members.  

[lxskllr]

Military clothes are permethrin treated. Only lasts 12 washes I think the tag says, so it's probably all gone by the time I get my mitts on them. The clothes are great for being outside though. They're built to win.


Those of you that like wool socks... Marshalls typically gets a bunch in around jul, and the prices are attractive. Many times they're seconds, but I've yet to find a flaw in any of them. The Darn Tough comments made me think of it. I got a couple pair a couple years ago, and I like them a good bit. If you wait til after jul, the prices drop, but as expected, stock may be small to non existent.

[John Mc]

Other than a stronger concentration, I'm not really sure what the "secret" is they use for longer protection periods. Curious what clothing you use, I was given a few items as a gift but they were all recreational/hiking quality and not really built for work. I think the pants got torn the second use.

They use some sort of bonding process to get the permethrin to stick to the material better. I'm not sure what the process is (and the companies are telling), but I can verify that it does work. I have not counted wash cycles, but those T shirts I started with have been through dozens.

Here's one of my more recent Insect Shield T Shirt purchases. I have some without the pocket as well, but can't find the link to them now.

Here is the GameHide Elimitick Ultra-light Field Pant I wear under my chaps. They are not the toughest pants around - they are certainly no Levis or Carharts, but I'm not so worried about that under my chaps - wanted something cooler to where when cutting wood in the summer. I also wear them for hiking around my property when the weather is warm. They are marketed as hunting apparel and get decent reviews, so they are not completely wimpy. I've had them for almost 2 years, and they are still in good shape. They help keep me cool, and they dry very quickly if I soak them with sweat or get caught in the rain. They've been through at least 20-25 washes and still no ticks.

I bought the Gamehide Elimitick Five Pocket Pant about a year ago. The fabric is heavier. I was looking for something that was a bit tougher, and that I would wear in cooler weather, and that would stand up when not protected by my chaps. I haven't worn them enough to judge how tough they are.

Both of those pants are available in a couple of camouflage styles, but I ordered them in plain tan. I'm not worried about hiding when I'm cutting firewood, and the plain color has made it easier to verify that there are no ticks crawling around on them.

To the OP - sorry for the topic drift.

[nybhh]

Other than a stronger concentration, I'm not really sure what the "secret" is they use for longer protection periods. Curious what clothing you use, I was given a few items as a gift but they were all recreational/hiking quality and not really built for work. I think the pants got torn the second use.

To the OP - sorry for the topic drift.

I'm the OP.  Topic drift is as much me as anyone.  ;D
Thanks for the links!

[John Mc]

To the OP - sorry for the topic drift.

I'm the OP.  Topic drift is as much me as anyone.  ;D
Thanks for the links!

Yeah, lost track of the fact that you were the OP.

[doc henderson]

.  Doc where do you get those insoles? Also redwing just had a spring sale buy two pair get one free.  

I get them at redwing.  Even not on sale stuff, the manager at our dealer, will throw in a pair of sock, and or discount the insoles, toe cover, and throw in 3 extra sets of paracord style shoestrings.  I found a set my wife got me for Christmas and looks like the price has gone up to 60$.  They are nice as the boot breaks in and loosens up, to fill in a little and keep them fitting well.


 


 

[SwampDonkey]

I use Dr Scholls inserts in my Viking caulk boots. $16

I'm in those boots 8 hrs a day tromping woods ground marking strip lines and thinning with clearing saw.

[doc henderson]

They keep a record of you purchase in the system, so my wife could go get my usual as a gift.  My bother has used them for years doing road construction and now as foreman at a rock quarry.  The style I get is a composite toe, soft leather so the break in period is short.  You could in theory go to a RW dealer and they could look up what Doc H in Hutch gets for boots.  If you ask they will wheel and deal, and if you buy your boots there, they stand behind them. IMHO

[Brad_bb]

I am ordering a pair of the Wigwams SwampDonkey suggested to try them out.

Isn't that the first rule of the military - keep your feet dry/take care of your feet?

[doc henderson]

Lots of training films about caring for your feet and avoiding STDs.

[sprucebunny]

The Darn Tough socks last really well. The extra cost ( if there is any ) is worth it to me. I just won't put up with socks that sneak down into my boots and wad up around my toes. ( Attack socks ! ) I even went so far as to buy socks labeled left and right but they were hard to get on and off ! There needs to be a balance between proper shape and the cuff not being too tight or loose.

I finally wore out a pair of medium weight Darn Tough after 2-3 summers of them being my favorite pair. The soles wore out. I mostly wear Crocs in the summer.

A local store has a buy 3 get one free every fall so I stock up every other year.

[nybhh]

All right, I can't believe I just bought a $24 pair of socks but I have to see what all the hub bub is about with perhaps a little FOMO thrown in for good measure.   I got the "Steely" ones...

https://darntough.com/collections/men-s-work/products/steely-boot-sock-cushion-w-extra-cushion-toe?variant=30180992519

I'll report back if all my foot, knee and elbow pain completely disappears when I wear these as well as an overall improved vigor, stamina and outlook towards life.  Perhaps my wife will even require that I wear them to bed at night, we'll see.  ;)

[Old Greenhorn]

I've been reading along with this, both in awe of the number of responses, but also for the quality opinions and information. I checked these out and find that they are available locally to us @nybhh  If I get a chance, I may just stop in and check them out. My boots fit tight, so I don't have a lot of room for thick socks. Did your pants arrive yet?

[nybhh]

Did your pants arrive yet?

@Old Greenhorn - They did. I've only worn them around the house so far but I actually watched tv in them for a few hours the other night and they were as comfortable, if not more-so than the jeans I changed out of.  Pretty amazing actually but I want to use them in the woods before I give them a proper review.  They do seem super well built though and look to be plenty durable.  Certainly a huge improvement over what I was wearing before from a comfort perspective, not really convinced they provide as good of protection as the my 6-ply Labonville though.  Ah yes, I see Kenco carries the Darn Tough, that's cool.

[John Mc]

@nybhh - what pants did you order? I took a quick scroll back through the thread, but must have missed the mention of them.

[nybhh]

@John Mc He's referring to another thread, not unlike this one, discussing chainsaw pants/chaps.  After that thread, I decided to cash in a birthday gift from the wife, our tax return, and the college savings account of our unborn children to order a pair of the Clogger Gen2 chainsaw pants from WesSpur.  

[John Mc]

OK. I probably commented on that thread as well.

[Old Greenhorn]

Did your pants arrive yet?

@Old Greenhorn - They did. I've only worn them around the house so far but I actually watched tv in them for a few hours the other night and they were as comfortable, if not more-so than the jeans I changed out of.  Pretty amazing actually but I want to use them in the woods before I give them a proper review.  They do seem super well built though and look to be plenty durable.  Certainly a huge improvement over what I was wearing before from a comfort perspective, not really convinced they provide as good of protection as the my 6-ply Labonville though.  Ah yes, I see Kenco carries the Darn Tough, that's cool.

Well it looks like on Saturday you will be able to give those pants a good test, the socks too if you get them in time. You will be all 'duded up'.  
 I have been thinking about those pants a lot and would really like to make the jump, but the old Mule needs some tires and there is this saw I have my eye on. Sweating in chaps is more tolerable if you take them off from time to time to do other chores. It's kind of like banging your head against the wall: It feels SO good when you stop.  ;D I will wait and see how much you rave about them first, I also want to find out what Bill buys and wears first. Good Luck with them!

[nybhh]

I'll do you one better and let you try them on for yourself next time I see you.  

:D I banged my head against those Labonville chaps for 6-years so I feel like I got my money's worth out of them and they're going to live in the "box" so I have them if I'm not wearing the pants.  My problem is that I would always start out with great intentions but as you said, it feels so good to take them off, I would and then ... one more cut, just one more cut, etc.  They often wouldn't get put back on for the clean-up towards the end of the day and that is when you are the tiredest and probably need them the most.  

[Brad_bb]

Sorry I'm still on the socks topic....    
One of the problem with socks is those that only come once size fits all I think.  That's all I've had up until now.  I just ordered the wigwams and they have medium, large, and extra large.  I ordered the extra large because i have big calves and don't want that cuff cutting me off....  I'll report back when I get them and wear them for a day.

[SwampDonkey]

I think most boot shops sell Wigwams Brad. I see them in Maine at shops that sell Red Wing and Irish Setter., such as Trader Joe's and Sleeper's. I get mine here in New Brunswick at Mark's Work Warehouse shops. I get the Long Outdoor Ice socks for my chaulk boots. And I wear a finer pair of 40's under them.

[kczbest]

I highly recommend Dan Post Cowboy Certified over the calf boot socks. A big annoyance to me is socks that creep down below the top of my boots. Am I the only one who has ever had to remove snake chaps just to pull up my socks 😡? I haven't had to pull my socks up out of my boots since I started wearing the Dan Post socks.

[lxskllr]

Slippage is a big reason I like wool. I never have problems with those as I do stretched out cotton. I also wear tightly laced combat boots, and that helps a good bit.

[Wudman]

I wear Bass Pro Shop's Redhead brand lifetime socks year round.  They are $12.00 / pair but I have had some that I've replaced 5 times.......pretty good warranty and cheap if you keep returning them for replacements.  They have plenty of padding and don't slide down your leg.

Wudman

[chainsawnewbie]

I have tried a lot of things as far as boot socks. I have taken the advice of many here and wear a thin synthetic liner sock, and a heavy pair of knee length woolen socks over my pants . I did get boot gators for the tops of my boots to prevent debris from going down inside . No wet hot feet, surprisingly!, and clean boots inside. I'd add some photos, but I cant seem to figure out how to do that on here! 

[Sedgehammer]

I wear Bass Pro Shop's Redhead brand lifetime socks year round.  They are $12.00 / pair but I have had some that I've replaced 5 times.......pretty good warranty and cheap if you keep returning them for replacements.  They have plenty of padding and don't slide down your leg.

Wudman

Pretty sure bass pro stopped that unfortunately

@kczbest yup. Been there. Hate that. I wear only over the calf socks.  Same heavy thick pair in summer and winter

[chainsawnewbie]

I follow the advice of so many here. I wear a synthetic liner sock and a pair of wool socks over them . Feet stay cool and dry! DURAY in Canada make a really good quality wool sock. 

[Old Greenhorn]

Holy Cow! this thread still has legs! great to see. Brandon you really know how to pick a topic. This one never gets old.

[John Mc]

An update on my sock comment back in post #24 (a little over 2 years ago):

I mentioned that I had tried the Gamehide permethrin treated socks and was unhappy with the durability. I was in the midst of trying out some Insect Shield socks, which I was hopeful about. As it turns out, they did not last worth a darn either. (Insect Shield are the guys with the process to treat clothing with permethrin in a manner which makes it last through 70 washes.)

I had just ordered some Farm-to-Feet socks. Their models with the "No Fly Zone" in the name have been treated with permethrin with the Insect Shield process. I've been using that first pair for a couple of years now, and it is holding up well. They are mostly merino wool and are also very comfortable. At present, the only ones they have with the Insect Shield treatment are lighter weight socks. I like them enough that I now of 5 pairs of them and wear them throughout the tick season (which now seems to be more than half the year). They do make a number of heavier weight socks, but without the permethrin treatment. The socks have a lifetime guarantee. Find them at: https://www.farmtofeet.com/  Search the site for "No Fly Zone" if you want the treated socks. (The treated ones are all I buy from them, so when I grab a sock with their name on it, I know I have the tick protection as well.)

I still like my Darn Tough socks - they last forever and are made here in VT. I also still have some Smart Wool socks that I like, but they have been relegated to "non-tick season" use.

[John Mc]

A little off-topic, but I also mentioned in post 24 that I was using some GameHide Elimitick pants for their anti-tick treatment. I still have them and use them. But I've found some treated pants that I like better: Insect Shield Men's Performance Ripstop Pants. They are slightly heavier weight than the GameHide ultralight pants I mentioned in the earlier post, but for some reason, they feel cooler. Since they are still on the lighter weight side, they also make a good choice for wearing under my chaps in warmer weather.

Insect Shield also sells short and long sleeved T shirts, button down shirts, womens & kids clothing. They frequently have sales of 20 or 25% off. On one occasion, I saw a 30% off sale. Just stay away from their socks. they do not last.

[Brad_bb]

Just tried to put together a summary of the recommendations on this thread into one post.
Red Wing
Redwings socks

Darn Tough
Darntough socks

Wigwam 40 below
Wigwam socks

Under Armour
Underarmour socks

Caterpillar (no boot socks listed on their website, only quarter socks)
Snap-on (none listed on online store)

Dickies work socks, many choices including moisture wicking.

Dickies work socks

Smartwool
Smartwool socks

People Socks
People socks

Dan Post Cowboy Certified
Dan Post socks

Farm to feet no fly zone
No Fly Zone

[Brad_bb]

Well I'd bought a pair of Wigwams and I think I had tried them on, but now I can't find them. I think they were too snug around my calf.  I have thick calves.  Probably be fine for most guys.  I wanted to confirm it though.  I need a sock where the band at top is very low tenison.

[SwampDonkey]

Another sock I have been buying for 3 years is J.B. Fields Icelandic, 50 below, I get the knee highs so they will come up over my tall logger boots and roll down. Also, the shorter 40 belows for my hike boots, and the thinner casuals and hiker. I've never wore the heals out on the Icelandics, I have with the Wigwams.

Sold by The Great Canadian Sox Co.   www.greatsox.com  They sell on Amazon to. The brand has been around for 146 years. I'm like Bernstein, I hoard up on stuff I like. :D :D

Sock Restock - YouTube

[Brad_bb]

Of all the socks we mentioned, which have a very loose top band?  That is what I need for larger calves.

[SwampDonkey]

I think the Icelandics will, if they can roll down over the diameter of a logger boot. If your calves are larger than those boots than you're probably out of luck. Anything too loose will ride down to the heal of your foot.

[ron barnes]

Try a pair of diabetic socks.  They usually have looser tops.  Walmart carries them.