I’m not well versed in men’s socks but Sierra Trading Post carries LOTS of Smartwool socks and this time of year they are often discounted (even more) - you might get them for about half the price of $20. If you have a store nearby. They carry a lot of name brand socks so it may be worth the trip.
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My husband usually wears smartwool and my SIL swears by Darntough, but they are both pricey.
For casual wear H has Puma no-show socks from Costco.
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My husband will consider nothing except his white cotton socks. He has smartwool, won’t even put them on when we go skiing.
I give up, pack his older socks and throw them away. They aren’t expensive and he’s not changing
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Just got back from REI where I bought a pair of hiking shoes for my two escorted trips in the next year. They recommended a size up from my current shoes so they are size 11 - eek. I remember when I was 8 1/2. But they feel great.
I wanted zip off pants, but the one style was too tight in the waist in size 16, and the other too large in XL and they didn’t have an L to try on. Are there any such convertible pants that are suggested?
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Sierra trading company is now owned by the parent company of tjmaxx, so it might be worth checking g a local tjmaxx
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I have both the REI brand and Kuhl. Did you check to see if they have the size you need online?
I don’t have a Sierra trading post or a TJ Maxx in my city.
My big mistake was not just buying the socks and giving them to him. Now that he knows how expensive they are he’s doing to dig in his heels. Tossing them as we go isn’t a bad idea as he has lot of them on their last leg. I hate going into the bathroom while traveling and having all his socks hanging on the heated towel rack.
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If you’re not opposed to ordering from Zappos they have some on their website. They deliver quickly and easy returns.
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Smartwool are worth it, even for $20 a pair. I actually prefer Darn Tough merino socks and find them to be more durable. I wear merino socks all year round (various weights) and Darn Tough definitely lasts the longest. Can be washed in sink, hung to dry and will be dry by morning. Also can be worn a few times before needing to be washed. Wool is anti-microbial and will not retain odor, even in socks.
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Just went on Zappos and found one remaining pair of an LLBean lightweight zip off pants in hopefully my size for about $50. And I could check out using my Amazon Prime account.
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Yes I know that but tjs doesn’t have nearly the amount of sock product and usually not the name brands that STP has. I buy SmartWool, Balega, etc there - I’ve even seen Bomba. Because STP specializes in gear for the outdoors and fitness the selection is much better than any TJs !
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I have REI convertible sahara pants like these (2 colors). Nice that they have petite and tall and W sizes.
https://www.rei.com/product/235801/rei-co-op-sahara-convertible-pants-womens?sku=2358010110&store=44&CAWELAID=120217890018413442&CAGPSPN=pla&CAAGID=113169194098&CATCI=pla-297207402159&cm_mmc=PLA_Google|21700000001700551_2358010110|297207402159|BA|71700000074727333&gclsrc=aw.ds&gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAjwktO_BhBrEiwAV70jXk3SGYxOgJqVVwYEnVKikFIOqEMaWF1T8T9XZK-GlnRLRHV3gsrcyRoCF_oQAvD_BwE
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This is the pair I found at Zappos for $50 in frost grey. If they don’t fit, I’ll look at REI again.
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Great deal! I think you’ll like the grey. One of my REI sahara is tan/kakhi, and I worry they will look dirty fast.
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I have a mix of performance ankle-length socks from under armour, nike, and random brands from Amazon. They’re all perfectly fine; the name-brands are obviously better fabric and construction, but honestly I don’t get worked up about socks. Just get a synthetic performance fabric - they’re way better than cotton. They don’t soak up sweat, they dry faster, they pack smaller, and they’re light. The last couple years we’ve done 3-week trips to Italy and Spain with just international-size rollaboards with no problems.
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I can see the wisdom of having a good pair of socks you can wear multiple times on a trip.
Last Sept I wore wool(?) knee high compression socks on the plane to London. They were not overly compressive on me, ok since I have no flying risk factors. It turned out the warmth and bit of cushioning was great for sightseeing in the cool/damp weather. I wore them many days, and they did not get stinky.
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What about those of us who can’t wear wool. 
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Thorlo makes good synthetic socks. They have cushioning so be sure to try them on with the shoes you plan to wear them in as you may need to go up 1/2 a size. They last pretty well and are made in a range of colors. I have black, white, navy and brown as well as some low cut ones I wear with sneakers.
Believe they designed some of their socks for postal carriers, military and 1st responders.
Sometimes they have sales—buy 2 or 3 and get one free. I bought a pair of them marked down at Nordstrom’s Rack.
