My Chotas are my size and are very roomy
try them on before you upsize.
Patagonia
Makes a heavy weight mountaineering sock - it’s $33 whereas icebreaker and smartwool heavy wool mountaineering socks are $17-20. The Patagonia sock is insanely warm but also a bit bulky (much more so than the other two).
Wool socks all year? YES. But not the Patagonia heavy weights.
Note on sock sizing
Some folks inadvertently buy socks that are too small (leading to constriction and cold feet as well as premature wearing out of socks.) Sock sizes are goofy – they are quite different from shoe sizes. Your sock size is 2 sizes up from your shoe size for men and almost 3 sizes for women. So women who wear between size 6 and size 9 shoes wear a size 9 to 11 sock and guys wearing between size 8 to 11 shoes should take an 11 to 13 sock. Big feet (11 1/2 and up) should buy size 13 to 15 socks.
You don’t have to pay $15 to $20 for excellent wool socks – the off-price stores like TJ Maxx and Marshalls often have good brands like Bridgedale and SmartWool for half that price or less. Look in hunting and army surplus shops too, as well as ski shops at the end of the season. Besides high wool percentage, check for flat, smooth toe seams and ankle ribbing that is not so tight it will cut cirulation (this is often a problem in otherwise good socks). The thickest, warmest wool socks I own cost me less than $4 a pair.
plastic . not paper
As others have said. Space - don’t cram your socks tight. There needs to be space for warm air to circulate in your boots. Also, vapor barrier works for me. It’s thin and I don’t work my feet too much to get trench foot. Because I already have size 12 feet, I can’t really get oversized boots and still fit into my kayak comfortably.
Instead I get one pair of thick socks, then plastic bags over those and then my drysuit and then my neoprene booties.
yep , I reckon you’re correct willow …
… it only took me 50+ yrs. to figure that out … sock size vs. shoe size , then I tried my first pair of 13-15 socks , big “good” difference .