Hi, Varda,
I have used the Smartwool brand for years, and particularly liked the Ph.D. model. But I have to say that over the years, I think the quality has decreased substantially, and I've found that their socks wear out awfully fast. On this year's camino I bought two pairs of Icebreaker socks, and after a month of walking, they look almost unworn. And though I usually get a little blister or two (or more if I'm unlucky), this year I really had none, but of course I'm not saying that it's because of those socks.
I think the key is to figure out what weight works for you in your shoe. The more heavily padded socks might feel good at the outset, but they are much hotter, and that makes your feet swell even more than they would in a lighter sock, so unless your shoe/boot has a fair amount of room, you may find you get lots of blisters, blisters you wouldn't get if your feet were cooler, even though it would mean there was less of a cushiony feel. I think there is a bit of science and a lot of luck involved here, and I think that after 15 years of walking caminos I've finally found the right shoe and sock combination. Buen camino, Laurie