by Severin Sadjina

Those who spend their time walking and hiking in the great outdoors know that choosing the right pair of socks is just as important as choosing the right pair of walking boots. If you head off for a hike in your old nylon socks then you’ll soon be in for a nasty surprise. Not only will you have to deal with blisters, but your soggy sweaty smelly feet will be in a real state after just a short while. In this article we will be looking at some of the best walking socks around. Read on to find out more about the top walking sock brands and how to choose the perfect pair for you…

Why you need walking socks…

Most folks who are new to walking or hiking don’t realise how big a role the right socks play. If you head out wearing the wrong kind of socks, or socks that haven’t been specifically designed for walking or hiking you’ll soon find that your feet are in a lot of trouble.

Hiking and walking socks are specifically designed for comfort. You’re going to be doing a lot of walking, so you need to be comfortable. Specialist walking socks will not only help to reduce the risk of blistering, but they also often come with reinforced areas that add extra comfort.

As well as keeping your feet comfy, your walking socks will also need to keep your fee warm and dry. If you’re heading out in extreme temperatures, then it’s only a matter of time before your feet start to get cold. Wearing thick walking socks will help to keep your feet better insulated for longer, allowing them to stay toasty and warm all day long.

The problem with regular socks is that they often make your feet sweat. The more sweaty your feet, the more uncomfortable they’ll be. And, the more likely that they’ll smell. But, you won’t have to worry about this with your walking socks. Most pairs are made from wool or specialist materials that will help to regulate the temperature of your feet. The materials will help to wick the sweat away from your feet, reduce the risk of bacterial build up and odour.

Choosing your walking socks…

At Simply Hike we have a wide range of walking and hiking socks from the best named brands. In our collection you’ll find specialist socks from Bridgedale, SmartWool and Thorlo. When you’re choosing the perfect pair of walking socks, make sure you look out for the following key features -

- Lightweight

- Designed for walking and hiking

- Breathable

- Suitable for extended expeditions

- Wool mix and natural fibres

- Padding

- Ventilation panels

The Bridgedale, SmartWool and Thorlo walking and hiking socks come in a wide range of varieties of styles, designs and sizes for both men and women. At Simply Hike we carry many pairs from all three brands, which will make choosing perfect pair of socks for your next walking holiday a real piece of cake.

by Powerhouse Museum Collection

Every hike is an adventure, but some shatter all expectations. Determination and stamina go head to head with gruelling and deadly hikes to excite and inspire the world of hiking. To whet your appetite, here are some our favourite hiking world records.

The World’s Longest Hike

There is some contention over this record. Whilst technically the Trans Canada Trail –once completed – will hold this record at 13,670 miles, much of it is roadside walking rather than true hiking. At present the trail offers over 9,320 miles of marked hiking. The longest trail in the USA is the North Country Trail, which runs for 4,600 miles from New York all the way to North Dakota.

The World’s Most Dangerous Hiking Trail

The Huashan Trail, Shaanxi Province, China is not for the faint-hearted. The Chinese Government has recently begun installing safer handholds and walkways, but there are still vertical steps, bald mountain faces and narrow wood pathways to cross.

The World’s Highest Hike

Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania is the world’s tallest “walkable” mountain, at 20,000 feet above sea level. Although no specialised equipment is needed, this mountain takes around six days to hike and many die from altitude sickness. It is essential to travel in a group to look out for one-another’s safety.

The John Muir Trail Speed Record

The John Muir Trail is 223 miles of beautiful Californian hiking, starting in Yosemite and usually taking hikers around twenty days to complete. The record, however, is four days, five hours and 25 minutes and the holder is Michael Popov. He carried all his own hiking equipment and had no assistance at all.

The Appalachian Trail Thru-Hike Speed Record

This is 2,178 of scenic wilderness through the eastern United States, beginning at Springer Mountain in Georgia and heading south all the way to Mount Katahdin in Maine. Beginning to end may take three to five months and the route caters well to hikers. The male record-holder is Andrew Thompson, who travelled south in 47 days, 13 hours and 31 minutes. The female record-holder is Jennifer Pharr Davis at 57 days, 8 hours and 35 minutes. Completing the whole trail within a single season is called thru-hiking.

The Best Hiking Trail in the World

Of course this is subjective, but many hikers agree that for sheer breathtaking beauty as well as ease of travel, the Haute Route from France to Switzerland is the best trail in the world. The route begins in Chamonix, is 110 miles long and takes around twelve days to complete, finally ending in Zermatt, Switzerland. There are many rest stops for hikers along the route and little technical expertise is required, allowing hikers to travel through the most scenic vistas the Alps can offer and take the time to appreciate the views without fretting about where to make camp or how much food to pack. Passing from meadows to mirror-still lakes, through sleepy villages and surrounded by majestic peaks, the hike is no easy saunter. But the rewards are utterly incomparable.

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