When you want to stay warm from head to toe during the cold weather, there are few better choices than thermal socks.
Everyone thinks of covering up extremities like your hands with gloves or your head with a hat, but what about your toes? They could always use some extreme warmth, particularly if you’re going to be exposed to the cold for a long period.
Here’s what you need to know before you start shopping for thermal socks.
What are thermal socks?
Much like the thermal underwear that you may already be familiar with, thermal socks are heavy socks made from a variety of warm materials. They’re designed to keep your toes warm, snug and dry on cold winter days by trapping in body heat.
Common materials used to make thermal socks include:
- Acrylic
- Cotton
- Polyester or nylon
- Spandex
- Wool
If you like the feel of natural materials, you’ll want to pick cotton or wool. They’ll generally be a bit more expensive, but there’s no substitute for what nature intended — unless, of course, you’re allergic to one of these materials.
In that case, the other choices listed above are all man-made materials. They’re generally hypoallergenic and usually tend to be cheaper in price, too.
It’s also fairly common to find thermal socks that may be a hybrid blend of materials like cotton, polyester and spandex. These hybrid blends offer the comfort of a natural material like cotton coupled with the moisture-wicking capability of man-made materials.
Where can I buy thermal socks?
Many mainstream retailers including big-box stores like Walmart and Target and sporting goods stores like Dick’s and Academy Sports carry thermal socks. In addition, you can always buy online from e-commerce retailers like Amazon and eBay.
You may also find occasional deals on the daily deal sites like Woot and Meh.
The daily deal sites have also been known to have occasional deals on heated socks, which are a different category of product that features a rechargeable electric heating element embedded in the fabric of the sock.
What are the best deals on thermal socks?
According to Camel Camel Camel, Heat Holders brand thermal socks have an average list price of $19.99 on Amazon.
However, during Black Friday weekend 2020, the price went as low as $10.99. Conversely, buying Heat Holders thermal socks on Amazon during the lull between Christmas and New Year’s Day yielded the highest price — $40.97 on December 31, 2020.
So if you generalize the trend here, thermal socks are a purchase that’s best made during promotional sales times, particularly on and around Black Friday.