I use these:
http://www.homedepot.com/p/Trimaco-1-Gal-Elastic-Top-Strainers-2-Pack-11572-36WF/202061359
I'm going on my third month with the same strainer. A lot more durable than the different socks I've tried.
After having to clean pine needles out of my completely clogged pump impeller, I picked up one of these and threw it in my skimmer. It's been about a month now, and I'm a fan! It catches tons of pine needles, which used to go right through the skimmer most of the time. Time will tell if it actually prevents my pump from clogging up again, but I'm sure it's at least helping. And they're cheap / sturdy too.
Thanks for the tip!