The 4 Best Wading Socks in 2024 – Buyers Guide

best wading socks

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Whether you’re wet wading in the summertime or walking through the river with your waders on in winter, having the best wading socks on your feet is really important.

A good pair of wading socks can be the difference between warm and cold feet, blisters or no blisters, and generally, the best wading socks will ensure that you enjoy your day out on the water and don’t come home shivering or limping in pain.

Image Product Details  
flyfisherpro-table__imageBest Value Wet Wading SocksOrvis Neoprene Wet Wading Socks
  • Durable And Long Lasting
  • Comfortable
  • Gravel Guards
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flyfisherpro-table__imageBest For Wet WadingKorkers I-Drain Neoprene Wading Socks
  • Great Fit And Comfortable
  • Drains Quickly
  • Gravel Guards
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flyfisherpro-table__imageBest ComfortOrvis Wading Socks
  • Padded Heel And Sole
  • Armored Heel And Toes
  • Anti-Odor
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flyfisherpro-table__imageBest Of the BestSimms Neoprene Wading Socks
  • Anatomic Fit
  • Breathable
  • Very Durable
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Detailed Wading Socks Reviews

Simms Neoprene Wading Socks

Simms Neoprene Wading Socks

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AMAZON US/UK

Key Features:

  • Anatomic fit for the best comfort around
  • Breathable so your feet don’t get sweaty
  • Keep you warm when wet wading
  • Anit-odor properties to stop them from smelling
  • Durable and will last a lifetime
  • Backed by Simms’ warranty

Tech Specs

  • Material: Neoprene
  • Sizes: S-XL
  • Gravel guards: No

The Simms Neoprene Wading Socks are some of the best wading socks around if you’re looking for something lightweight and feature-packed.

Unlike the other neoprene wading socks featured, these Simms fishing socks are breathable to keep you cool and have anti-odor properties, despite being made of neoprene. This means you could use them for both wet wadings and as fishing socks with waders when it’s too cold out.

These Simms fishing socks are made from 2.5 mm neoprene which will keep you warm and comfortable when wet wading in cold streams. They are super lightweight on your feet and feature flat seams to avoid any chafing plus their anatomic fit hugs your feet so you’re always comfortable when holding a rod.

Finally, these are designed to last, and if you wear anything made by the Simms brand, you’ll already know that their fly fishing gear is top quality and designed to survive. Plus each bit of gear is covered by a great warranty.

 

Orvis Neoprene Wet Wading Socks

Orvis Neoprene Wet Wading Socks

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Key Features:

  • Durable and long-lasting
  • Keep you warm when wet wading
  • Limited seams to reduce chafing
  • Comfortable to wade in
  • Gravel guards to stop sand and stones from getting in your wading boots

Tech Specs

  • Material: Neoprene
  • Sizes: S-XXL
  • Gravel guards: Yes
  • Star Rating – 4

The Orvis Neoprene Wet Wading Socks are the perfect pair of fishing socks to turn to when spring turns to summer and you can ditch your waders for the freedom of wading around and fly fishing in shorts.

These Orvis wader socks are made from 2.5 mm neoprene that provides great warmth while you’re wet wading around your favorite stream. The wading socks are made to anatomical fit that hugs your foot and ensures that they slip into your wading boots with ease.

Orvis has made these wet wading socks with minimal seams and padded soles to ensure maximum comfort while you’re wading and to avoid any chafe or blistering on those long fly fishing days where hiking from pool to pool is a slog.

Orvis also designed these neoprene wet wading socks with gravel guards and a lace clip. This allows you to roll the top section over your wading boots to stop any debris from getting in there, which would make hiking uncomfortable otherwise.

Korkers I-Drain Neoprene Wading Socks

Korkers I-Drain Neoprene Wading Socks

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Key Features:

  • Great fit and comfy to wade it
  • 3.5mm neoprene keeps your feet warm
  • Easy to put on and take off
  • Drain quickly once you’re out of the water
  • Gravel guards work well at blocking debris

Tech Specs

  • Material: Neoprene
  • Sizes: S-XL
  • Gravel guards: Yes

The Korkers I-Drain Wading Socks are another pair of fishing socks made for wet wading. These fishing socks are made from 3.5 mm neoprene and are a tad thicker than the Orvis ones above. This means they will retain more heat for warmth when wearing them in cold streams in the summer.

These fishing socks are designed for maximum comfort and remain comfortable no matter how much hiking your fishing day has in store for you.

Each of the fishing socks comes with excellent drainage that lets water out quickly so you can walk in semi-dry boots once out of the river.

The wading socks also padded at the toe and heel for extra protection and durability while wet wading, plus they have a semi-tight fit around the ankle and legs to reduce any chafing or blistering while you fish.

They slip on and into your boots with ease and come off just as easily plus they have a padded sole with is key to fishing comfortably for long hours.

These neoprene wading socks are best paired with korkers fishing boots. They are also built with fold-over gravel guards that keep debris out of your wading boots. Each sock will fold over the laces of your boot and come with a clip to secure them to each boot too.

Orvis Wading Socks

Orvis Wading Socks

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Key Features:

  • Padded heel and sole for comfort
  • Armored heel and toes for durability
  • Ribbing to ensure they stay up
  • Keep your feet warm and dry from sweat
  • Anti-odor to keep them fresh
  • Not for wet-wading

Tech Specs

  • Material: Merino wool, nylon, and Spandex
  • Sizes: M-XL
  • Gravel guards: No
  • Star Rating – 5

The Orvis Wading Socks are made for you to wear when winter fly fishing and with waders, they are not for wet wading. These Orvis thermal fishing socks are predominantly wool socks and are made with a mixture of merino wool, nylon, and spandex.

Merino wool is a thermal, lightweight, moisture-wicking, breathable, and odor-resistant material, all of which are great and really important features in winter wading socks.

Instead of getting hot, smelly, and sweaty feet while you fish with waders on, these wading socks are full of stuff that will pull all the moisture away, keep you feel cool but with enough warmth, and stop the Orvis fishing socks from smelling too.

Being moisture-wicking, they are also quick-drying, so even if they do get wet, it won’t take long for them to dry out.

The added nylon and spandex in these winter wading socks are there for durability, protection, and comfort. The toe and heel of each sock are reinforced with nylon so as not to wear out against your wader booties or your fishing wading boots.

The wading socks are built with spandex is to ensure a good fit and so they don’t slowly slip down while you fish and hug your legs instead, ensuring you’re comfortable while you’re fly fishing all day.

These wading socks aren’t just for waders, waterproof fishing shoes or wading boots either, you could even wear them in everyday life with a normal pair of shoes when you can some extra warmth.

What are wading socks?

what are wading socks

Wading socks are socks made for fly fishing that are comfortable for anglers to go wading in the water with. They are not your average cotton socks, as cotton doesn’t dry and stays cold, but are socks that keep anglers’ feet protected and warm while surrounded in the cool water of a river or lake.

Why do you need wading socks?

When you go fly fishing, your best chance of putting your line and fly where you’d like it to be is by being able to get into the water, aka wading. Wading allows you to fish every part of the water flow from bank to bank, but in order for it to be comfortable, you’ll need some good socks.

Imagine walking through a river with just boots on, your feet will freeze. The same goes if you’re wearing waders and no socks in the colder months, and one can not go fly fishing without one’s feet so protecting them is really important. And the same will happen with normal cotton socks too.

Wading socks not only protect your feet but also keep them warm and ensure you stay comfortable so you can enjoy your fly fishing as much as possible.

Types of wading socks

Types of wading socks

There are two types of wading socks to be aware of, wet wading socks, and wading socks you’ll wear with waders. If you go fly fishing all year round, it is important to own both types.

Wet wading socks

A wet wading sock is made to be worn when fly fishing in summer when it’s too hot for a wader. They are usually made from neoprene which keeps you warm in the water and can feature in-built gravel guards that stop sand and stones from entering your boots.

Wader Socks

The other type of wading socks are ones worn with a wader. These are designed for warmth more than anything and are to be used when the water is too cold to wet-wade in, basically most of the fly fishing season.

These socks will sit inside your waders booties and within your boots, so they need to be able to handle sweat and odor well, as you could build up quite a stench after fly fishing for a day.

The best material for the job is merino wool as it naturally wicks moisture, drys fast, blocks odors, and is soft on your skin.

Things to consider when buying wading socks

Breathability

No matter what type of fishing sock you’re after, wool or neoprene, try to make sure it’s breathable. This will ensure you don’t overheat when hiking between pools and that each sock stays relatively free from sweat and stench.

Gravel Guards

Gravel guards are a must when wading and are built-in to waders. But when wet wading, it’s important to have some to stop any rocks from getting in your boots. Some wet wading socks come with gravel guards while others don’t. I like pairs with them built-in for convenience but buying separate ones is always an option.

Warmth

The best wading socks will ensure you stay warm no matter what water or country you’re fly fishing in. When it comes to wet wading socks, the thicker the neoprene the warmer the sock. If you’re looking for a sock to wear with waders in freezing water make sure it’s a thermal merino wool sock.

Comfort

One of the most important things to address when it comes to sock choice is comfort. Having time on the water is precious these days and it can’t be wasted, and an uncomfortable sock will distract you. Look for a sock with an anatomical fit, flat seams, and padded soles.

Which wading socks are the best?

Which wading socks are the best

In my eyes, the best wading socks are the Simms wading socks. They are made for wearing when wet wading, will keep you warm, are super comfortable, durable, lightweight, and are breathable to allow moisture to escape and keep your feet cool.

If you’re looking for a pair with gravel guards built-in, then you can beat the Korkers wading socks. They thicker than the others for more warmth in the water, have great drainage and are super comfy to wear.

The best fishing socks to wear with waders are the Orvis thermal moisture-wicking fishing socks. Being thermal they keep you warm while breathing to ensure you stay cool, and thanks to their natural moisture-wicking features, ensure no sweat builds up. The fishing socks are so great you could even wear them with shoes and no waders.

Thanks for reading my article, I hope you found it useful and found the right wading socks for you. They make the world of difference to your day on the water, so always make sure to find a stick with a pair you like. Happy wading and tight lines!

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