We get asked this more than almost anything else: what are the best socks for wellington boots?
It's a fair question, because wellies are genuinely hard on socks — and most socks aren't built for them.
The short answer: a long, ribbed, hard-wearing mohair sock. Ribbing down the full leg is what stops it sliding into a bundle under your heel, and mohair is what keeps your feet warm, dry and — importantly — not smelling.
Two of ours are made for the job: Yorkshire for most days, and the longer, warmer Northumberland when the weather turns.
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Why wellies eat socks The two welly socks Match sock to boot Common questions
Why wellies are so hard on socks
A shoe or a walking boot holds your foot in place — laces, a tongue, a snug heel cup. A wellington does none of that. You step in, and from then on your foot slides around inside a smooth rubber tube.
That has three consequences, and every one of them is a sock problem:
- The sock takes all the friction. Every step, your heel lifts and drops against the boot. A thin cotton sock wears through at the heel in weeks.
- The sock slides down. Nothing is holding it up but the sock itself, and once it's bunched under your arch you're stopping to sort it out every ten minutes.
- Rubber doesn't breathe. Sweat has nowhere to go, so whatever's next to your skin has to manage it. This is why wellies get a reputation — it isn't the boot, it's the sock inside it.
So the brief for a proper welly sock is quite specific: long enough to cover the leg, ribbed the whole way for grip and strength, hard-wearing at the heel, and made from a fibre that handles moisture. Which is where mohair earns its place.
The two Capricorn welly socks
Both use the same traditional ribbed knit — a pattern passed down through generations of UK sock makers, and one that has more than proved itself. Both are knitted in Leicester and dyed in Leeds. The difference between them is length, which really comes down to one question: how cold is it, and how long are you out?
Prefer to see them side by side? The full wellington boot sock collection has every colour and size in one place.
Match the sock to the boot
| What you're doing | The sock |
|---|---|
| Everyday wellies, dog walks, school run | Yorkshire |
| Cold days, or you want length above the boot | Northumberland |
| All-day outdoors, deep winter, working outside | Northumberland |
| Premium boots — Hunter, Le Chameau, Aigle | Yorkshire or Northumberland |
| Walking boots rather than wellies | Derbyshire |
Not sure of your size? Our UK sock size guide sorts it in a minute — and with wellies, size matters more than usual. A sock that's slightly too big is the one that bunches.
Men's and women's wellington boot socks
Honestly? There's no such thing as a men's welly sock and a women's welly sock — there are just sizes and colours, and people should wear whichever they like. Our sizing runs from Small (4–7) through Medium (8–10) to Large (11–13), and both styles come in the same range.
What we do notice is a pattern. Men tend towards the plainer colours and the shorter length — Yorkshire in navy, black or green does the bulk of the work.
Women more often go for the brighter colours and the extra length. A red or thistle Northumberland turned over the top of a green wellie is a very good look, and warmer with it. Cold feet in wellies is far and away the most common complaint we hear, and it's usually solved by going longer rather than by buying different boots.
Why mohair, and not wool or cotton
Inside a rubber boot, the sock is doing all the work that the boot can't. Mohair — the fleece of the Angora goat — is unusually good at exactly that job.
- It doesn't hold the smell. Mohair is naturally odour-resistant, so a pair worn on a muddy walk can go back in the boot and be perfectly pleasant next time. Cotton cannot do this.
- It's warm without being clammy. Mohair insulates while still moving moisture away from the skin — warm feet, not damp ones.
- It's tough. Mohair fibre is famously hard-wearing, which is what you want when your heel is lifting and dropping several thousand times a walk.
- It keeps its shape. Combined with the ribbed knit and a wide elasticated top, that's what stops the sock heading south inside the boot.
- It's made here. Knitted in Leicester, dyed in Leeds, sold by people who wear them on Northumberland hills in weather they'd rather not describe.
Curious how mohair compares with the alternatives? We've set it out properly in mohair vs cashmere vs merino.
Wellington boot socks: your questions answered
How do you stop socks falling down in wellies?
Three things do it: ribbing down the full length of the leg, a wide elasticated top, and getting the size right. Both our welly socks have the first two. The third is on you — a sock that's a size too big will always work its way down, whatever it's made of. Our size guide takes a minute.
Why do my feet get cold in wellies?
Rubber is a poor insulator and most wellies have very little lining, so the sock is doing nearly all the insulating. If your feet are cold, the answer is almost always a longer sock — which is what Northumberland is for. There's more in our guide to keeping your feet warm.
How long should welly socks be?
Long enough to sit between your leg and the boot for the whole height of the boot — otherwise the rubber rubs your calf. Three-quarter length (Yorkshire) suits most boots. If yours are tall, or it's cold, go for the full-length Northumberland, which comes above the boot top.
Can you wear two pairs of socks in wellies?
You can, but we'd rather you didn't. Two pairs usually means a tighter fit, less air, and more rubbing between the layers — which is how blisters start. One good long sock does the job better than two thin ones.
Do mohair socks really not smell?
Mohair is naturally odour-resistant, so they stay fresher for far longer than cotton — most people find a pair can be worn several times before washing. Not magic, but a noticeable difference, and inside a wellington it's the difference you'll notice most. More on this in the best socks for sweaty feet.
How do I wash them?
A cool wash and dry naturally — no tumble dryer, and no radiator if you can help it. Treated kindly, a pair of mohair socks will outlast several pairs of the supermarket sort.
Warm, dry feet in your wellies
Ribbed the full length, knitted in Leicester, and built for boots that slide about. Pick your pair before the weather turns.
Shop welly boot socks Browse the full range
UK made · UK delivery · Wear-tested on Northumberland hills
Further reading
Cold feet: 5 top tips › The best walking socks › Sock options for winter › Socks for outdoor workers › UK sock size guide ›
