The best waterproof MTB socks are designed to be the last line of defense when it comes to keeping your feet dry. There is nothing worse than being caught out on the trails with soaking socks and wet feet, so having some added waterproofing on your feet is essential if you ride all year round or get caught in a downpour.
So even if your choice of the best MTB shoes has succumbed to the conditions, the best-performing waterproof mountain bike socks can be that extra layer of protection to keep your feet warm and dry.
Not everyone will be a fan of waterproof socks as they can be fiddly to care for, they don’t breathe like the best mountain bike socks for general riding and they can occasionally feel like you're wearing a bag due to the waterproof membrane inside.
However, the options we've tested below prove that this is not always the case and our best overall are the Shower Pass Crosspoint socks, and our best budget choice is the Dexshell Ultrathin socks.
All the test socks provided superb levels of waterproofing but most unless covered at the cuff eventually let water in. To fully waterproof yourself from head to toe our best waterproof MTB pants and best waterproof MTB jackets buyer guides will have you covered and all combine to battle the elements.
Check out the bottom of this article for our guide on which features we look for when selecting a pair of waterproof mountain bike socks.
Best waterproof MTB socks
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The quick list
Best waterproof MTB socks overall
The Shower Pass Crosspoint Mountain socks ticked all the boxes to take the best overall waterproof MTB sock title.
Best waterproof MTB socks for comfort
The Endura Hummvee are comfortable and have great waterproofing performance.
Best waterproof MTB socks for warmth
The GripGrab Merino lined socks have the highest levels of Merino in their inner layer and keep feet nice and cozy.
Best waterproof MTB socks for breathability
A perfect option for a waterproof summer sock that keeps feet cool and dry.
Best budget waterproof MTB socks
The Dexshell Ultrathin socks come in at a great price and with most of the features of their more costly rivals.
1. Best waterproof MTB socks overall
Showers Pass is a brand with strong sustainability goals, a decent guarantee, and a humorous FAQ page. The Crosspoint Mountain socks are its thickest, with a 39% merino inner face, and a 24cm high cuff, they were the tallest, most protective feeling in this group, weighing in at 50% more than the Endura Hummvee socks.
The Merino mix inner was nice to have, though you'd still describe them more as functional than super-warm and with the noticeable membrane layer, you’re not going to mistake them – or any of their rivals – for a pure wool sock. The foot section has a slightly tubular construction which helped to give a secure but non-constraining fit, and the M/L size was just right for a 42-43.
Performance-wise, no water got through the fabric of the sock, and I appreciated the extra length of the mid-calf cut. When not covered, dampness easily made its way down the cuff as with the other socks, and while the extra thickness was good for winter, you’d probably want one of their thinner models for better breathability as the temperatures get milder.
They’re machine washable too and they can go in the tumble dryer on a low heat. The nice light green of our test pair stained after a while but they had superb durability.
2. Best waterproof MTB socks for comfort
Scottish brand Endura is renowned for making some of the best mountain bike apparel and its Hummvee Waterproof socks are excellent. I had no problem with the Hummvee socks in terms of water coming through the body, but like the others I tested, it made its way down the cuff without too much trouble if uncovered. It’s a fully synthetic midweight sock, with no extra padding or special insulation, which makes it good for close-fitting shoes, and one that you might want to combine with a thin wool inner when the temperature drops.
With a cuff height of 20.5cm from the heel seam for an S-M size, it was fractionally shorter than the GripGrab and 3.5cm shorter than the Showers Pass sock. It was fairly soft and easy to wear, you weren’t too aware of the membrane layer, the ribbed sections kept a snug fit around the midfoot and lower leg. We experienced a slightly baggy ridge above the toes, but nothing that interfered with the fit of the shoe or the excellent comfort levels.
The Hummvee Waterproof Socks come in Black, Forest Green and Ink Blue, and are machine washable.
3. Best waterproof MTB socks for warmth
The GripGrab Merino waterproof socks delivered a brilliant cold-resisting performance. They have a 45% Merino inner which made for cozy feet on most of my test rides, although if you tend to get cold toes you might want to size up and use an additional inner sock in the coldest weather because the inner face is still pretty thin.
No decent waterproof sock these days should feel stiff or baggy and these are noticeably nice to pull on and offer the softest feel against the skin. They also have a nice natural fit around the toes, with no bagginess or a pointy bit at the end, and a medium-height 21.5cm cuff.
As with the other test socks, I had no problem with water coming in through the body of the sock, breathability was fine though obviously not as good as a normal sock, and without cover, water seeped down from the cuff fairly easily.
The sock’s instructions say hand wash and the soft feel comes at a higher price than much of the competition.
4. Best waterproof MTB socks for breathability
I found the Sealskinz Runton socks easy to like. They’re superbly breathable, soft and quiet and unlike the other socks in this test, they have a tacky 2cm band around the inside of the cuff to provide an extra bit of water resistance.
For me, part of the Runton sock's appeal may be down to erring on the larger of two sizes. I’m a small UK9 in cycling shoes and Sealskinz’ large sock size is 9-11, so I had plenty of toe wiggling room, space to wear a thin liner if I wanted to, and most usefully of all, a high cuff length, well over halfway up my calf. The downside was a bit of bagginess around the heel – not a problem for me as I tend to wear roomy mountain bike boots, but worth bearing in mind if your shoes are snug.
Out on the trail, the cuff height and the inner band did keep water out for longer than the other socks, and in the bathroom they held out longer against repeated splashes of the shower hose, only giving in to a constant river of water – after all, once they’re saturated, the water has to go somewhere, and gravity’s going to send it footwards.
Like the best in test the Showers Pass Crosspoint socks, the Runtons are machine washable and tumble dryable on cool, which over time became an increasingly compelling reason to keep reaching for these socks.
5. Best budget waterproof MTB socks
The Dexshell Ultrathin waterproof socks are claimed to be the thinnest waterproof MTB socks on the market and set what Dexshell claims is a benchmark in waterproof socks.
On review, Guy Kesteven found that the real standout for these MTB socks was their weight (just 65g in L) and feel. The Ultrathin socks are of course almost wafer thin but still manage to slip a bamboo liner inside the Porelle waterproof membrane that Guy found made for a comfortable, natural feel and made the sock more antibacterial and less smelly too.
The material is also stretchy enough to fit like a normal sock, so they don’t interfere with shoe fit and they deliver excellent all-day riding waterproofing performance and come with a budget-friendly costing.
Read Guy's Dexshell Ultrathin waterproof socks review for all the details.
How to choose the best waterproof MTB socks
Do waterproof cycling socks work?
Yes and no. They’re great at stopping water coming through the fabric of the sock, but most models will let water in through the cuff unless you do something to cover it. They can also get a little damp from the inside since the waterproof membrane doesn’t breathe quite as well as a normal sock.
Are waterproof cycling socks warm?
In wet weather, waterproof cycling socks are often warmer than normal cycling socks. A dry waterproof sock will certainly be warmer than a wet normal sock because your body heat won’t be trying to dry the sock. Even if you’re riding through deep puddles and water keeps coming down the top, it’s often warmer than normal socks because the dampness in the stock stays warm and you don’t get completely freezing sluice with every puddle.
In themselves, waterproof socks tend to have less thermal insulation than a wool-based winter sock of an equivalent thickness, so you may choose to size up and use a thin liner sock, but we found the GripGrab Merino Lined sock gave the best warming performance for colder rides.
How do I wash waterproof socks?
The waterproof membranes of waterproof socks do an impressive job of coping with stretching, but you need to wash them cool, and with a few exceptions you can’t tumble dry them so they can take a good while to dry.
How do I stop water getting in waterproof socks?
Wearing waterproof trousers is the easiest way to reduce the chance of water getting over the top of your socks, though it’ll still get in if your feet get submerged. Other than that, a neoprene cuff or a rubber-glove equivalent works well for some people. And extra-long socks can make a big difference.
Meet the testers
Sean loves a bikepacking adventure and has a coast-to-coast USA ride and several month-long European tours to his name. He knows what's required when recommending waterproof kit including the best-performing waterproof MTB socks.
Guy’s written millions of word about several thousand test bikes and a ridiculous amount of riding gear including the best MTB apparel for the worst of weather.
