Elevate Your Summer with Compression Socks for Hiking

Summer means pool parties, barbeques, lounging on patios and hiking. Getting out of the city for the weekend to check out some gorgeous scenery and indulge in forest bathing (the Japanese term is shinrin-yoku, and it’s awesome for you) is guaranteed to elevate your mood and tone your lower body. 

Part of a satisfying jaunt through the wilderness is being prepared. Water? Check. Map? Check. Compression socks? Yes! 

If you’re scratching your head about why you need compression socks for hiking, stay with us. From helping you to avoid injury to boosting recovery, the right socks can make a world of difference to your hiking and backpacking trips. We’re here to throw down about why you need to toss a pair of high-quality compression socks into your adventure bag. Trust us, hiking will never be the same. 

Common Hiking Foot Injuries 

First up, let’s address the most common injuries serious hikers encounter on the road. They can happen to the best of us, so watch out for:

Plantar Fasciitis

If you’ve ever taken a rest break while hiking and noticed discomfort or even pain in your heels, it may have been an indication of plantar fasciitis. That’s a fancy way of saying that the muscle that supports the arch of your foot is inflamed. It happens when the plantar fascia muscle is overused and can worsen over time. 

Blisters

Ill-fitting socks? Hiking shoes too big? Sweaty feet? These are all indications that you’re at a risk for developing blisters during your hike. When your shoes or socks don’t fit properly, or are made of the wrong materials, the constant friction of your foot rubbing against your sock fabric can cause blisters to form. It’s even worse if your feet are damp, whether from sweat or puddles, since moisture increases friction. During a grueling expedition, nobody has time for that. 

Soreness

Hiking is an intense workout as you’re navigating uneven terrain. If you’re not used to using the major muscle groups in your legs and feet, like quads and calves, you’re going to feel the burn soon after or even during your journey. Don’t even get us started on steep mountain inclines: as you go downhill, the joints in your ankles, feet, and hips take a major beating. Can the best compression socks for hiking help eliminate some of that soreness and post-hike stiffness? You bet.

What Compression Socks for Hiking Can Do for Your Next Trip

Boost Performance

The gentle pressure of compression socks enhances the blood circulation in your feet, ankles, and calves, resulting in a light and energized feeling. Yes, even when you’re stamping straight up a mountain.

Provide Support

As your calf and foot muscles do their thing, socks designed with graduated compression will provide constant support, meaning your muscles do less work. How? With high-quality compression, fresh blood is constantly delivering oxygen and nutrients to your cells, making their job a lot easier. 

Reduce Risk of Injury

Aside from fasciitis and blisters, hiking can bring on swelling in your feet and ankles. Compression socks for hiking ease swelling by improving circulation of fluids in your muscles, veins, and tissues. Cool, huh? 

Enhance Comfort

If you’ve ever returned from a hike with stinky, sweaty feet, then you already know that sock material matters. The best compression socks are made of light, breathable fabrics that are a joy to put on and help keep your feet fresh and dry. 

Speed Recovery

Most avid hikers and backpackers know that Delayed Muscle Fatigue Syndrome (DOMS) is a thing, with hikers referring to it as a “hiking hangover.” The views were breathtaking, but the morning after? Not so much. Compression gear helps reduce leg fatigue during and post-hike by helping your body get rid of excess lactic acid in your muscles. Less time recovering and more time playing outdoors? Yes, ma’am. 

Adventure Farther with the Right Gear

Wherever your next trek takes you, remember to pack a pair of compression socks for hiking, trail running, or backpacking. At Crazy Compression, we engineer high-tech compression socks from sophisticated materials that feel comfortable and light, improve performance, boost recovery, and guess what? They look great, too. With playful patterns and on-trend colors, who said hiking socks have to be boring? Not us. Now get out there—the big wild world is waiting!