Socks

[rapz]

I just did a review on my blog on socks. Check it out at http://swriding.blogspot.com.

[arthurdent]

My wife and I switched to wool 10+ years ago at the recommendation of an REI associate. We have good luck with a Wigwam wool blend sock. They last 5 yrs or more with constant use. I often find them for $13 for two pairs at a store in Minneapolis called Kaplan Bros. I often look at Smartwool, but can't get past the sticker shock and keep going back to Wigwam.

Everyone thinks wool is hot in summer - what rot. Cotton is junk, synthetics don't last. 10k yrs of natural fibers can't be wrong.

[05Train]

Wool is fine until it gets really hot. I've found nothing better than Sokz. I've been riding with them for 3 years (30,000 miles a year) and haven't worn out a set yet.

[clowry]

I had to give up on the Sokz. There's a seam across the top of the toe box, and the nubby end of it sits right on my baby toe and gives me a horrible blister. I've tried everything I can think of to adjust the positioning but it still ends up there. After suffering with blisters through a few rallies, I gave my Sokz away and am going back to Smartwool. They have some new, thinner ones than the hiking type I've been wearing.

[stanley83]

I often look at Smartwool, but can't get past the sticker shock and keep going back to Wigwam.

I love Smartwool socks. The best price I've found is on irregulars at the L.L. Bean outlet store in Concord, NH and probably other L.L. Bean outlet locations in the northeast U.S.

[pffog]

The polypro/wool seem to work the best for me, and ski shop, or ski interweb site has lots of choices, I like the smartwool too.

[marchyman]

I love Smartwool socks. The best price I've found is on irregulars at the L.L. Bean outlet store in Concord, NH and probably other L.L. Bean outlet locations in the northeast U.S.

Costco, if you are a member, has a made-in-the-USA Smartwool clone that is sometimes available. My feet can not tell the difference. My wallet can... about $12 for 3 or 4 pair. Looking at the socks side by side there are very slight differences. So slight that were it not that the Smartwool socks say Smartwool it would be easy to assume they were the same. So far the costco socks are holding up as well as my Smartwool originals.

[rapz]

Good to know that.

[nytrashman]

I have tried techsox, smart wool socks, sokz, and a few other brands but lately I've been wearing coconut socks from roadgear.

[warredon]

I love Smartwool socks. The best price I've found is on irregulars at the L.L. Bean outlet store in Concord, NH and probably other L.L. Bean outlet locations in the northeast U.S.

There is a large sock manufacturing plant about 1.5 miles from our house that manufactures socks for many brands including SmartWool. They have a small store that sells irregulars, most of them for $.50 a pair. I buy Carhartt socks there that I wear daily for $1 a pair that are $4-$5 elsewhere, they are excellent.

A few years ago they were selling SmartWool socks for $2 a pair, until some local idiot started buying them in big lots and put them on eBay for a huge profit. Well the sock plant put a stop to that by increasing the price of the SmartWool socks to about $5-$6 a pair and you had to sign for them. Since then they have lowered the price to $3 a pair but put a purchase limit on them of two or three pair.

[JeffD]

Don,
I think the house brand is OmniWool. I purchased 6 pairs from them about 5 years ago and they are still in great shape. I think Sam's club also has them from time to time.
Jeff

[ROCKBOTTOM]

Sierra Trading Post is a great place to get socks, base layer, etc.