You are standing over an open suitcase, counting out socks. One pair for every day, plus a couple spare, plus something for the evening. Ten pairs, easily. All of them taking up room you would rather give to something else.
You do not need ten pairs. If you pack the right socks, two will do the whole holiday.
That is not a trick and it is not about washing socks in the sink every night. It comes down to what the sock is made from.
Why two pairs is genuinely enough
Mohair is hair, not wool. That sounds like a small distinction and it is the whole reason this works.
Wool and cotton both absorb moisture and hold onto it. That damp sits against your skin, which is what makes feet feel clammy, and it is what bacteria need to produce the smell. Man-made fibres do not absorb much, but they do not move moisture anywhere useful either, so it pools.
Mohair holds almost no moisture at all. Perspiration passes straight through the fibre rather than soaking into it. No damp in the sock means no smell, even at the end of a long, hot day of walking round a city or sitting on a beach.
That is why a pair of mohair socks can be worn several days running and still be perfectly pleasant, where a cotton pair is done by teatime. We have written more on the science of it in why mohair socks do not smell.
The hotel sink test
If you do want to rinse a pair through, mohair dries remarkably quickly. Same reason again: there is very little moisture held in the fibre to begin with, so there is not much to evaporate.
Wash a pair in the sink after dinner and they will be ready by morning. Try that with a thick cotton sock and you will be packing something damp.
Two pairs, alternated, with the option of a quick rinse if you want one. That is a holiday's worth of socks in the space a single rolled-up jumper would take.
Which two pairs to pack
The honest answer is that it depends on what is on your feet and what you are doing in the evening. For most holidays, these two cover it between them.
Skye - for shorts, trainers and warm days
The Skye is our short sock. It sits low enough that it barely shows above a trainer or a shoe, which is what you want when you are in shorts and would rather not have a band of sock on display.
It is the one to pack for daytime: sightseeing, wandering, anything warm. We make it in two colours, cream and black, which is deliberately simple. Both go with everything you are likely to have packed.
Sussex - for long trousers and evenings
The Sussex is a traditional ankle-length sock and it is one of our most popular styles for a reason.
It is ribbed, so it stays up without needing a tight elastic band to do it. The top is non-elasticated, which means it is not gripping your leg. On a warm evening that matters more than people expect. A sock that grips traps warmth and leaves a mark round your ankle. One that does not simply sits there and lets your feet stay cool.
It also comes in ten or twelve colours depending on what we have in at the time, so there is something to go with whatever you are wearing out to dinner.
Packing them: a rough guide
| What you are doing | Pack | How many |
|---|---|---|
| City break, mostly walking about in trainers | Skye | 2 pairs |
| Beach or resort, shorts by day, trousers at night | 1 pair Skye, 1 pair Sussex | 2 pairs |
| Touring, mixed weather, smarter evenings | Sussex | 2 pairs |
| Two weeks rather than one | As above | 3 pairs |
Even for a fortnight you are unlikely to need more than three. The limit is usually how often you want to rinse a pair, not how long the socks stay fresh.
What if it is a walking holiday?
Different question, and it deserves a proper answer rather than a line here. Walking boots and long days on your feet change what you want from a sock - mainly cushioning and fit.
Have a look at what are the best walking socks for which style suits boots and which suits walking trainers, and how many pairs of socks you really need for a walking holiday for the packing side of it.
Your questions answered
Can you really wear the same socks several days in a row?
With mohair, yes. Because the fibre does not hold moisture, there is nothing for odour-causing bacteria to work with. It is the damp that causes the problem, not the wearing. Most people find they alternate two pairs out of habit rather than necessity.
Will mohair socks be too warm for a hot holiday?
No. Mohair regulates rather than insulates - it moves moisture and air rather than trapping heat. The same property that keeps feet warm in winter keeps them cool in summer. More on that in should you wear socks in summer.
How quickly do they dry if I wash them?
Overnight, comfortably, hung over a radiator or a towel rail. Often quicker.
What size should I order?
Our sizes run to UK shoe sizes and are listed on every product page. If you are between sizes or buying as a gift, our sock size guide has the full chart.
Are they machine washable?
Yes, normal machine wash. No special treatment needed.
Pack lighter this year
Two pairs, a bit more room in the case, and feet that are still comfortable on day nine. That is the whole argument.
Shop the Skye sock | Shop the Sussex sock | Browse everyday socks
Knitted in Leicester. Dyed in Leeds. UK made, and built to still be going long after the holiday photos are filed away.
