Best Ski Socks?

[Betaracer]

Lenz Heat 5.0

 

[Blue Streak]

Smart Wool PhD™ Ski socks ultralight

Absolutely!
Love mine.

 

[Ron]

Darn Tough "outer limits, lightweight" Fan here although I should be a Smartwool or Point6 fan.... I love the design and strategic light padding. I prefer the Lightweight model which is actually very thin in in the non-padded areas. The padding over the shin and top of the foot is really nice

Men's Outer Limits Over-the-Calf Lightweight Ski & Snowboard Sock

The Outer Limits ski sock features mesh panels on top of the foot and back of the leg and light cushion underfoot to guide soft landings lap after lap.

darntough.com

 

[Blue Streak]

Darn Tough "outer limits, lightweight" Fan here although I should be a Smartwool or Point6 fan.... I love the design and strategic light padding. I prefer the Lightweight model which is actually very thin in in the non-padded areas. The padding over the shin and top of the foot is really nice

Men's Outer Limits Over-the-Calf Lightweight Ski & Snowboard Sock

The Outer Limits ski sock features mesh panels on top of the foot and back of the leg and light cushion underfoot to guide soft landings lap after lap.

darntough.com

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I genuflect to your superior knowledge of all things textile.
But I just bought 3 pairs of Smartwool Phd Ski UL socks last week.
Your wisdom on the matter is of little value after the fact.
Where is @Ron's Head to Toe Ski Toggery Guide when you need it?

 

[Ron]

ya' know, the reality of it is whatever is comfortable is best. I seriously doubt any sock will make you a better skier.

 

[bremmick]

Resurrecting this one from 18 months back. When to cushion and not to cushion?

Also, new boot fit time, do you go in with the thinnest sock you can find?

 

[Doug Briggs]

I don't use a thick sock with a lot of cushion. It is tight and thin, but not sheer. I use DeFeet Bode Miller socks.

Bring a range of socks. Your boot can advise you best once he examines your feet and evaluated your needs.

 

[Rudi Riet]

I use thin socks - mostly Darn Tough lightweight, Lorpen ultralight, or SmartWool PhD racing. I'm also going to try out Ridge Supply's tall sock this winter and see if it'll work well for ski duty (it's technically a tall cyclocross sock). I used to wear a more sheer sock but not these days.

I'm with @Doug Briggs here: take a lot of socks with you and have a dialogue with your fitter. Note that the fitter might have a brand allegiance to what's sold in their shop, but they'll typically get you pointed in the right direction.

 

[Shawn]

Anything merino-wool based and on the thinner side. I like merino wool because I can re-use the same socks day-after-day. Even in the summer, I'll inline skate in the same socks and won't have to wash them every time. I'm in an REI-branded sock right now.

 

[Yo Momma]

@ 60+ days per yr on skis found my fav socks at TJ Maxx. Super thin, I think the brand is Addidas or something like that... didn't matter... it's an athletic thin sock.... whatever is cheap @ $6.99 per 12 pack. Actually work better than my "Expensive" ski socks that now just sit in storage. I've found absolutely no advantage to pay $$$ for ski socks other than for ski boot heat molding & fitting.... I use them for Alpine, Tele, and XC + hiking and biking too. Hotronics + Boot Gloves @ -20F and an amazing bootfitter = no cold feet so warmth not an issue

Take extras, I give them to homeless when I stop at lights, give them to friends who forget socks... etc... if they get wet, tear or lose them... no issues, no stress

Don't overthink it! Just go thin...

If you demand "Ski socks" for some reason and live in or near VT go to the yearly Cabot sock sale in Northfield, VT. I still have a bunch of pairs of ski socks in storage that are new from the sale 15 yrs ago. Just haven't needed them bec of Marshall's/TJ Maxx....

 

[Ecimmortal]

I bought a pair of Darn Tough on a whim last year after reading the name every time the discussion came up. My Lenz didn't see a day of use for the rest of the season. I'm not even sure where they are at the moment.

 

[Scrundy]

I bought a pair of Darn Tough on a whim last year after reading the name every time the discussion came up. My Lenz didn't see a day of use for the rest of the season. I'm not even sure where they are at the moment.

I also switched to Darn Tough socks last season after I received them as gift. Only wool socks that hold up and hold shape I’ve ever skied. They would be my recommendation also.

 

[Rudi Riet]

The one thing that helps a ton for my feet as well as the socks: putting antiperspirant on the soles of my feet before donning socks. Less sweat = warmer feet. I've also been known to rub a tiny amount of embrocation (i.e. capsaicin cream used by cyclocross racers in wet/rainy/muddy events) to give the feeling of heat - and a little goes a long way).

But the antiperspirant works really well, whether on warmer days or truly frigid days when the air temperature is barely about 0°F. Dry feet = warm feet = happy feet.

Combine that with socks that are warm and don't compromise blood flow to the feet and life is bliss.

 

[Tom K.]

Resurrecting this one from 18 months back. When to cushion and not to cushion?

Also, new boot fit time, do you go in with the thinnest sock you can find?

Well, boots are going to pack over time -- some brands more than others -- so I always start thin, and end up thick by about 100 days.

I've never noticed any perceptible performance change as I move through the arc from really thin, to thin, to medium, to thick-ish, but I'm just a fairly high-level recreational skier.

 

[Tony Storaro]

Did I mention Lenz Heat 6.0 effectively killed all the other socks I own? Because they did.

 

[Yo Momma]

Did I mention Lenz Heat 6.0 effectively killed all the other socks I own? Because they did.

Been looking at heated socks for some time now to see if better option than Hotronics. I'm waiting to hear how they hold up after 60 + in the washing machine. Please let us know how the technical parts of the sock holds up!

 

[Tony Storaro]

Been looking at heated socks for some time now to see if better option than Hotronics. I'm waiting to hear how they hold up after 60 + in the washing machine. Please let us know how the technical parts of the sock holds up!

Washing? What washing?


Jus kiddin..
So far so good. Gentle washing cycle as recommended, 30C, no problems.
A true game changer these. I rate them as high on the "Gear that changed my life for the better" list as the heated bag and Garmin Varia radar.

 

[Rudi Riet]

Been looking at heated socks for some time now to see if better option than Hotronics. I'm waiting to hear how they hold up after 60 + in the washing machine.

Pro tip: hand wash any socks you want to have last more than a couple seasons. Doesn't take long and if you do an initial wring dry by rolling in a towel, then hang to dry, they'll be dry by morning. Elastics and stitching are preserved - and in the case of heated socks the wiring stays pristine.

Same rule goes for cycling kit and socks.

 

[David Chaus]

Yup, Lenz Heat 5.0.

I keep the mesh bag they come in, and wash with other laundry (after wearing them once or twice, depends on whether or not my feet sweat with the level of activity/exertion). I hang them to dry.

For spring skiing I have Point 6 Pro Light and a pair of Durn Tough.

 

[Tony Storaro]

Pro tip: hand wash any socks you want to have last more than a couple seasons. Doesn't take long and if you do an initial wring dry by rolling in a towel, then hang to dry, they'll be dry by morning. Elastics and stitching are preserved - and in the case of heated socks the wiring stays pristine.

Same rule goes for cycling kit and socks.

Lenz specifically says their socks should NOT be hand washed. It is in the instructions somewhere. Guess something to do with bending the cables too much dunno...