Icebreaker Hike Light Mini Socks

During warm weather months and on shorter hikes, wearing bulky, calf-length hiking socks can feel too cumbersome.

Enter the Hike Light Mini socks from Icebreaker, which are the perfect middle ground between crew socks and tiny ankle socks. These rise to the Achilles area, so they’re tall enough your high-top hiking boots won’t rub your skin, yet they’re lighter and smaller than your regular hiking socks.

As always with the Icebreaker brand, the socks are constructed of a breathable knit wool, the perfect fabric for hiking: It regulates temperature beautifully and is naturally odor and moisture resistant. You can wash these socks in the washing machine and tumble dry on low, so they’re convenient in that way, too.

The fabric is light, with minimal extra padding, so it won’t work for a long, tough hike or overnight backpacking trip when you’ll want socks with extra padding. Still, these are perfect for those shorter, warm-weather hikes, even the ones when you’re still wearing your big, tough hiking boots. And they’re versatile, too — you can wear them on a jog, on the airplane or on a stroll around town.