There are few things more exciting for a hunter than when hunting season finally rolls around. Unfortunately though, much of the best hunting time also happens to be during the late autumn and winter, when Mother Nature can be anything but accommodating—often throwing snow and freezing temperatures in your way. Of course, any true hunter wouldn't let a little thing like a bit of cold between them and the chance at a trophy.
*Updated: This guide has been updated 2018
Heck, many hunters often spend from sun up to sundown camped in their blind for weeks on end just waiting for the chance at that one shot, so there's no doubting that we're a dedicated bunch. However, this doesn't mean that you simply have to suffer through the cold in pursuit of your passion, as thanks to new and improved fabrics and technology like heated socks, you can make sure you stay warm in even the worst weather conditions.
The only problem is that the majority of heated socks on the market simply don't work as well as they should, which is why we've put together this guide to finding the best heated socks for hunting. In truth, only a small handful of the many battery heated socks you'll find for sale are actually capable of doing what they claim to, as the majority of them simply don't produce enough heat to count as anything more than a halfway decent pair of thermal socks. On the other hand, many others don't spread the heat out evenly, meaning you'll often end up with super hot toes and nothing else.
So, while you can definitely find a huge number of heated socks online that only cost around $20, it's important that you first read our heated hunting socks reviews so that you'll buy something that actually gets the job done. Still, before we get into the actual reviews, we'll first look at some of the key things you need to know to keep your feet warm by hunting.
The 3 Best Heated Socks For Hunting
The Keys to Warm Feet During Hunting Season
It probably goes without saying, but one of the keys to a successful cold weather hunt is staying warm. There's nothing more miserable than spending all day shivering inside a blind or tree stand, and even if you're out hiking around, cold feet can be one of the quickest ways to ruin your day.
Obviously the first key to keeping your feet warm is your boots, as without high quality insulated boots, your feet will be left with very little protection against the elements. Of course, the amount of insulation you want in your boots depends on how cold of weather you'll be hunting in and how cold your feet normally get. While you definitely want to make sure you have enough insulation, you also don't want to go overboard and choose something designed for much colder temperatures as they will both weigh more and cause your feet to become uncomfortably hot and sweaty in a hurry.
As well as boots, socks are obviously the other important factor in keeping your feet warm. Still, when choosing socks, keeping your feet dry is just as important as keeping your feet warm, as nothing will make your feet turn into big blocks of ice quicker than sweat. For this reason, most people choose some form of wool sock, with most higher quality hunting socks now made of wool blended with spandex or lycra for a tighter fit.
Cotton socks are never recommended, as they simply absorb too much moisture. That being said, many people do still use them for hunting, but if you do so, make sure you have a few spare pairs with you so you can change if they become wet. On the other hand, you could also use them with a liner sock underneath that's made of polypropylene or some other material that will wick sweat away from your skin.
Are Heated Hunting Socks Really Necessary?
If you've already invested in a decent pair of insulated boots, you might be asking whether or not you actually need heated socks—and our answer, well it never hurts to be prepared. The truth is it probably depends on what kind of weather you're hunting in and how cold your feet usually get as to whether or not you'll ever need them.
However, considering how quickly cold feet can make your day absolutely miserable, it definitely wouldn't hurt to throw a pair in your pack before heading out for a long day sitting in the tree stand. In addition, all of the battery heated socks on our list also happen to be made of high quality wool, meaning you can always just turn them off when not needed, while still enjoying the other benefits of a nice pair of wool hunting socks.
When our hands get warm, we have many ways to warm them back up fairly easily, but unfortunately, the same can't be said for our feet. As the feet are the furthest body part from the heart, your blood is a tiny bit cooler when it reaches the feet than any other body part, meaning it takes just that bit longer to warm them back up once they’ve gotten ice cold. As well, when the blood finally does reach your cold feet, it loses even more heat due to their temperature, quickly causing your legs to start feeling colder due to the cold blood passing through them.
Basically, once your feet get too cold, there's virtually no easy way to warm them up without resorting to a fire or some electric heat source, and this is exactly where electric heated socks for hunting come in handy. Instead of simply suffering with your cold feet, you can turn them on and quickly warm up whenever you need, and for those really cold trips, you may even want to keep them turned on all day long.
Heated Hunting Socks Reviews
Lenz Heat Sock 1.0
When it comes to the absolute best heated hunting socks, there's really no reason to look further than Lenz heated socks. The socks feature three different heat settings, allowing you to adjust the warmth to just the right level or to turn them off should your feet ever start to get too hot. Compared to most others, the Lenz socks provide a much warmer, more even level of heat, ensuring that no one part heats up any more or less than the others. The heating units are powered by rechargeable lithium-ion batteries, which should provide you with at least 14 hours of heating time on a full charge—close to twice that of the others.
Even if it weren't for the heating unit, these would be considered excellent hunting socks, as they're made of a blend of Merino wool, elastane, polyester and polypropylene. This makes them incredibly warm and comfortable, while also ensuring that the socks wick sweat and moisture away from your skin to prevent you from having wet feet.
Finally, these socks also come with a Bluetooth enabled remote, allowing you to control the temperature straight from your smartphone should you ever desire. While this is probably not the most necessary feature, it just adds a bit more to an already outstanding product.
Gerbing Heated Sock Liners
Using a similar heating mechanism to the Lenz heated socks, these heated sock liners from Gerbing provide the same type of results in a slightly different package. Whereas the Lenz socks also double as a standard wool hunting sock, these ones serve the same role as a liner sock, meaning that they are designed to be worn underneath a thicker sock.
The socks are powered by two 7-volt rechargeable lithium ion batteries, which tuck away into a calf strap to keep them secured to your leg. However, due to the socks being much thinner, that batteries and the entire heating unit feels a bit bulkier and less comfortable than on the Lenz socks. In truth, due to this I'd probably recommend them more for stand or blind hunting, as if you're doing a lot of hiking, you'll prefer having the added padding and comfort of the Lenz.
That being said, these will definitely keep your feet warm. In fact, it's likely they'll start to quickly sweat on anything other than the lowest setting. All in all, they are definitely a great product, but the fact that they cost double the price of the Lenz socks may make you want to think twice.
Lectra Socks by Turtle Fur
If you're looking for a decent pair of socks to add a bit of extra warmth to your feet, but don't want to spend the $100 it costs for the Lenz heated socks, then Lectra Socks isn't the worst option. However, as the packaging plainly says, these socks are designed to keep your feet warm, not hot. What that really means is that they produce nowhere near as much heat as Lenz or Gerbing heated socks, leading some people to complain.
Made from a merino wool blend, these socks will definitely add some additional heat to your feet, but you shouldn't expect them to work miracles, as the amount of heat is minimal when compared to the others. Another reason they received a lower score has to do with the battery, as these are powered by a D battery, which feels quite heavy and clunky compared to the rechargeable batteries the others use.
Nonetheless, at around $25 a pair, these are a decent budget option for those not wanting to spend a ton of money.
Other Options for Keeping Your Feet Warm
In addition to the battery heated socks, there are a few other alternatives for those looking to add some extra warmth, but don't want the added weight and bulk of the battery. While they may not be quite as effective, they are generally much less expensive and are definitely worth consideration.
ThermaCell Rechargeable Heated Insoles
Similar to the heated socks, the ThermaCell rechargeable heated insoles use a battery powered heater to help keep your feet nice and toasty. However, instead of heating the entire foot, these insoles slip into the bottom of your best hunting boots to help warm up the soles of your shoes. For some people, this is preferable to the socks, as many find that the socks quickly make their feet too warm, whereas these are a bit easier to control since the heating coils don't surround the entire foot. As they heat the bottom of the sole, they are also a great choice for ice fishing as well as hunting.
Heat Factory Merino Wool Pocket Socks
If you'd like to get some of the same benefits of heated socks without the battery, Heat Factory's merino wool pocket socks are another great choice. The socks themselves are a high quality merino wool blend such as that found in other hunting socks, but that's not what makes them special.
Instead, what makes these socks unique is the pocket located over the toes, which are designed to fit a Heat Factory foot warmer. After crushing the foot warmer package, simply slip the warmers into the pocket to help heat your toes and feet up for 6 hours.
Each pair of socks includes two Heat Factory foot warmers for the first use, and for subsequent uses, the pocket should fit most any hand or foot warmers you can find. The socks may not spread the heat equally, and the foot warmers may be slightly uncomfortable if you're hiking, but they'll definitely help keep your feet toasty on those cold days.
Heat Holders Thermal Socks
Finally we come to the old standard, using your own body heat to warm up instead of electricity or chemicals. In terms of hunting socks, many people still prefer wool socks for a number of reasons. However, they are not only expensive, but they are actually not always the warmest. For this reason, more and more people are turning towards thermal socks, which work by helping to trap warm air around the foot.
Of all the thermal socks on the market, few, if any, can compare to Heat Holders socks—the warmest thermal socks available. These socks have the lowest thermal overall grade (TOG) rating of any thermal sock on the market, using a specially knitting technique to trap in more warm air. Plus, they're not just extremely warm, but also extremely soft. As well, they wick moisture from the skin like any good hunting sock should. So, while they may not technically be the best heated socks for hunting, they are a great alternative.
