Have you ever worn your cowboy boots without socks? If your answer is yes, then it is pretty awkward and uncomfortable; but you know what? I did some research about wearing socks for cowboy boots. I asked people who wear cowboy boots… Can you wear cowboy boots without socks?
It is best to wear socks with cowboy boots. Leather boots don't breathe and can cause chafing and blisters if the fit isn't just right. Socks can wick away moisture, prevent odor, chafing and extend the life of your boots. Socks protect your bare feet from the cowboy boot itself.
If you don’t wear socks with your cowboy boots then your feet will smell awful, and could also cause foot infections and blisters. Socks provide an overall health benefit for your feet. Socks keep your feet dry and prevent infection like Athlete's foot.
Socks absorb moisture and keep your boots from rubbing and chaffing your bare feet.
If you do not wear socks, you can get sores on your feet, especially when wearing boots that are tight or new. Without socks, the insole of your boots will quickly degrade.
Aside from the details mentioned above about wearing socks with cowboy boots, I have more to share. Keep on reading, and this article will guide you through wearing the best and suitable socks for your cowboy boots.
The ideal socks to wear with cowboy boots are knee-high with a wide elastic band at the top when wearing your jeans (or pants) over your cowboy boots. With shorter boots or for ladies wearing a short skirt or shorts with cowboy boots, choose a ribbed or elastic sock that isn’t visible above the top of your boot.
Men typically wear cowboy boots with jeans or pants over the boot. Therefore, you can’t see any part of the leg. In this case, choose a sock that comes over the calf. Any sock that doesn’t come up over the calf will eventually slide down and become uncomfortable and annoying!
RealTree (Heavyweight) Merino Wool Knee-High Sock
Check price & availability...
Amazon vs. Darn Tough vs. Smart Wool vs. Zappos
Ladies have more options with cowboy boots and can wear cowboy boots with many different outfits. If wearing jeans that are either tucked in or over the boot, then I’d suggest the same thing as I do for the guys. Wear a knee-high sock that has a wide elastic band at the top. These will stay up and provide comfort all day long!
If you are wearing socks with shorts or a skirt, then you likely don’t want to see your socks rising above your boots. (unless you’re going for that look, and that's totally OK too!).
Copper Fit Knee-High Compression Sock
Check price & availability
Amazon vs. Zappos
In this case, when showing off your legs, then choose an ankle sock or crew sock (this type of sock comes up halfway up your calf). A ribbed sock or strong elastic sock would be best.
You also need to consider the materials used in your sock. Ideally, you want something that wicks the moisture from your feet, therefore wool and cotton blends are good choices. Let’s take a look at some options below.
Bamboo, Water-Wicking Knee-High Sock
Check price & availability...
Amazon vs. Zappos
Personally, I like merino wool socks because they keep my feet warm in the winter and cool in the summer. Merino wool has a natural ability to wick away moisture and remain relatively scent-free. (that is, they don't typically get smelly after being on your feet all day!)
I typically check the following online retailers when I'm looking for a quality pair of socks. I know that by checking each of these, I'm going to get the best price and selection available at the time I'm looking!
Here's an image that shows different sock types...
Knee-high socks are my first choice for a comfortable sock that will stay up in cowboy boots.
These socks sit right before the knee, giving them comfort and protection for your skin from the shaft of your boots. It is good if you can check the materials used.
Socks must be made with cotton, spandex, and polyester; these materials make them thick and breathable. Knee-high socks are versatile, which makes them suitable to use for all seasons.
Crew socks is an option if you don’t have knee-high socks or if you don’t want your socks to show above your boots. Choose socks that are ribbed or have good elasticity.
You can use these socks if you are wearing 16 inches cowboy boots or buckaroo boots. The materials of these socks can be cotton, polyester, spandex, and nylon.
These materials make the socks rigid and thick to prevent chafing and which also makes them breathable and moisture-wicking.
Really my last choice, but they will do it in a pinch. Especially if you are wearing shortie boots.
Ankle socks should comfortably fit your foot then come up over your ankle and end at the narrowest part of your leg. If they fit your foot properly, you shouldn’t have too many issues with them falling down.
These socks should provide the moisture-wicking that you need around your foot while staying well hidden from view above the boot.
Choose a sock that’s made with light wool, cotton, or a blend. I like the Merino Wool Socks, they work for me in cowboy boots as well as my hiking boots too.; it is also beneficial during cold seasons since they keep your feet warm. Wool is non-itchy and is very soft, giving your feet the desirable comfort. The moisture wicks away from my feet, keeping them dry all day, preventing bacteria and unwanted odor.
The best socks for men to wear with cowboy boots include
They are made from high-quality fabric to give your feet comfort and protection all day long. I have listed them below.
The best socks to wear with cowboy boots are the Wrangler Men's Western Boot Socks.
Wrangler Men's Boot Socks
Check price & selection...
Amazon vs. Wrangler vs. Zappos
Wearing your cowboy boots all day long makes you feel hot. However, these pairs of socks are made with a mix of 80% Polyester, 17% nylon, and 3% Spandex, which provide enough thickness and are breathable to keep your feet in comfort.
These socks are made with good fabric, which keeps them tight in the calves without falling. These socks are durable and are highly recommended to wear.
Another good pair of socks that I would like to share is the Fox River Men's Wick Dry Military Mid-calf Socks.
Fox River Wick Dry Military Mid-Calf Sock
Check price & selection...
Amazon vs. Zappos
The Military often uses these socks in extreme outdoor activities; for that reason, you can use these for your cowboy boots. These socks are made with good fabrics, which makes them suitable for everyday work in the saddles.
These socks are made with advanced technologies that dry quickly and draw away moisture to keep the feet dry and free from bacterial build-up, which causes infections and odor.
If you are looking for budget-friendly socks, Hanes Men's Over the Calf Tube Socks is suitable for you.
Hanes White Athletic Sock
Check price and selection...
Amazon vs. Hanes vs. Zappos
These socks will surely give you comfort while working in the saddle without hurting your pocket. These socks are made with 55% Polyester, 44% Cotton, and 1% Spandex, making them rigid and breathable. With its reasonable price, durability, and comfort, the penny you spend is worth it.
The best socks for women to wear with cowboy boots are the following:
They are highly designed to provide comfort, protection, and durability. I have listed them for you.
If you are looking for the best socks for cowboy boots, I would recommend Wrangler Women's Horseshoe Boot Socks.
Women's Wrangler Horseshoe Boot Socks
Compare price & selection...
Amazon vs. Wrangler vs. Zappos
These socks are made with 75% Polyester, 23% Nylon, and 2% Spandex, making them durable and comfortable. These socks are knitted in high-quality materials, which gives the socks great designs, colors, and patterns. Here is the men's equivalent sock...
Men's Wrangler Ultra Dri Boot Socks
Compare price & selection...
Amazon vs. Wrangler vs. Zappos
These socks are great socks ideal for cowboy boots. It has a moisture-wicking technology that makes your feet dry and keeps them from moisture build-up. The fabric used makes your feet relaxed and comfortable.
Another one on the list is the Wrangler Women's Western Boot Socks.
Women's Wrangler Western Boot Socks
Compare price & selection...
Amazon vs. Wrangler vs. Zappos
These socks are made with 80% Polyester, 17% Nylon, 3% Spandex. The quality material makes the socks comfortable and suitable for everyday use when wearing your cowboy boots.
Men's Wrangler Seamless Toe Western Boot Socks
Compare price & selection...
Amazon vs. Wrangler vs. Zappos
These socks have a seamless toe feature that reduces irritations in the feet and is knitted with high-quality yarn, making them durable.
I have another one on the list, the Under Armour Unisex-Adult Tactical Heatgear.
Unisex Under Armour Tactical Over-The-Calf Socks
Compare price & selection...
Amazon vs. Zappos
When you have hot days in the saddle, this one works well to moderate the heat. Not only is this suitable for your cowboy boots, but it is also budget-friendly. These versatile socks are suitable for ankle boots to 16 inches cowboy boots.
These socks protect your bare skin from the shafts of the boots. The materials used are of high quality, which will keep your movement in high-performance flexibility.
I will add Under Armour Allseason Wool Boot Sock to the list since it is highly recommended during cold seasons. These crew-cut style socks are made from wool and sit perfectly in the calves.
Unisex Under Armour Wool Boot Socks
Compare price & selection...
Amazon vs. Zappos
Add this Carhartt All-Terrain Boot Socks to your must-have list. These socks sit perfectly on your calves while being breathable and comfortable while working.
Carhartt All-Terrain Boot Sock
Compare price & selection...
Amazon vs. Carhartt vs. Zappos
The fast dry technology of these socks keeps your feet from getting wet, and it absorbs moisture.
You can never go wrong in choosing this pair of socks. Darn Tough UltraLight Merino Wool Boot Socks was a high-quality knitted sock that offers durability and breathability when worn.
Darn Tough Merino Wool Boot Sock
Compare price & selection...
Amazon vs. Darn Tough vs. Zappos
The materials used make the socks soft and keep your feet away from blisters even on a long day of work. These socks are versatile since their breathable and comfortable feature is ideal with any weather condition.
If you wish to have an all-day comfort, choose Dan Post Over-Calf Cowboy Certified Socks.
These socks are ideal with any western and work boots. It is made with fine material, which makes it comfortable and breathable amidst tremendous work. It also keeps your feet from irritations.
Dan Post Cowboy Certified Over-Calf Sock
Check price & selection...
Amazon vs. Stateline Tack vs. Zappos
If you’ve worn boots and had your socks slide down your led, you know how annoying this can be, and uncomfortable this can get. So, how do you keep your socks from falling down when wearing cowboy boots?
To keep your socks up, choose a knee-high sock that has a strong and wide band of elastic at the top and that fits your feet well. A ribbed sock works well that contains a spandex component. The sock can be made from cotton, wool or acrylic.
For the ladies, if you are wearing your cowboy boots with a short skirt or shorts, then knee-high socks may not be the look that you are going for. In this case, choose a well-fitting pair of socks that have a ribbed or elastic upper to provide even pressure along your leg.
Because the top of these socks are going to end at a spot at or below the widest part of your calf, it’s going to be tougher to get these socks to stay up all day inside your cowboy boots.
Alright, so... Can you wear cowboy boots without socks?
It’s not recommended to wear cowboy boots without socks. Socks help to protect your feet and protect your cowboy boots. Socks will wick away moisture, prevent “smelly” bacteria growth inside your boot as well as prevent chafing that causes blisters. A knee-high sock is best to be worn with cowboy boots.
I suggest knee-high socks because there is nothing more irritating than having socks that keep falling down in your boots as you walk around all day. Choosing the right length sock with a good elastic band at the top is ideal for cowboy boots.
These are the things to consider when choosing what type of sock to wear with your cowboy boots…
