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Best Ski Socks?

Rudi Riet

AKA songfta AKA randomduck - a USSS coach, as well
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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...

If you live in an apartment where the only available washing machine is industrial strength and doesn't have a cycle for delicate fabrics you do a lot of hand washing. Hasn't messed with the Lenz socks I've had for a while - just be gentle. And the roll-and-wring doesn't bend the wiring any more than donning the socks, so... dunno.

Guess I'm just a rulebreaker...
 

Tony Storaro

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If you live in an apartment where the only available washing machine is industrial strength and doesn't have a cycle for delicate fabrics you do a lot of hand washing. Hasn't messed with the Lenz socks I've had for a while - just be gentle. And the roll-and-wring doesn't bend the wiring any more than donning the socks, so... dunno.

Guess I'm just a rulebreaker...

Need to try and take a shower with them on instead of washing, my wife will absolutely love it... :roflmao:
 

Yo Momma

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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.
Yes....... Good info! That's my Western trip routine. My friends are partying and are like, "Where's Mark?" ... Washing socks again!!! LOL but they do last! At home I use the front loader on gentle cycle. :beercheer:
 

Doug Briggs

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Did I say Fuxi Socks rock?

20170222_210452_Queen Of The West Road-1 Fuxi socks.jpg
These just go in with the rest of the laundry and get tumble dried. Some of those are close to 20 years old and not the least bit threadbare.
 

Sibhusky

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Very thin... merino wool. My requirements beyond that is that they fit over my calf. Not all brands do and some brands you can't trust from modeI to model. (Lorpen did this to me. Bought them for years. New ones don't fit. Still wearing the old ones.)
 

zircon

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Best ski socks I've used are the Farm To Feet Jackson (ultralight synthetic race socks). Have about 10 pairs of them. They appear to be discontinued. If I need more I'd probably break out my super thin tall boot socks (Zocks? The ones with the crazy prints) from my horse show days.

I briefly tried a couple pairs of Zensah featherweight compression socks I had lying around from running when I was at high altitude last season and had immediate heel pain. The ever so slight increase in fabric thickness was enough to throw off my fit. Switched back and life was good again.
 

Quandary

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Can someone that actual has Lenz socks compare the thickness of the 6.1, 6.0 and 5.1 to a traditional ski sock like the a Darn Tough or Smartwool model. Also from what I gather the Lenz socks run big so for me a size 9.5 (right in the middle of large) I would actually be better off with a medium. Is this correct?

Thanks for the insights!
 

Sinecure

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I've been using CEP socks for years. I get a couple seasons out of the Thermo ones and at least a full season from the Merino ones. I ski 100-150 days/season.
 

lisamamot

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Light or Ultralight Smartwool or Darn Tough...machine wash, hang dry. Fabulous and the perfect stocking stuffer for the skiers in your life. I often buy the 2nds at TJX stores and have never had an issue - they wear equally as well as the 1sts I have gotten in other retail stores.
 

JChockey22

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patriot footbeds ski socks are all I wear now IMO they are the best ever and ive tried every brand ... perfect thickness super wicking and just a tiny amount of padding .. pretty much anything patriot is amazing the owner Craig knows ski boots and anything ski feet related .. but if I forgot my socks or something Le Bents are pretty awesome too
 

cantunamunch

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Superthin but still warm, ideal for plug boots:


We talked about those upthread, not remotely easy to get in the US.

Edit - my fault, got the thread wrong. I think it's time to have a neverending sock thread.

 

Poolskier Vinny

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Can someone that actual has Lenz socks compare the thickness of the 6.1, 6.0 and 5.1 to a traditional ski sock like the a Darn Tough or Smartwool model. Also from what I gather the Lenz socks run big so for me a size 9.5 (right in the middle of large) I would actually be better off with a medium. Is this correct?

Thanks for the insights!

If you prefer/need thin socks then it’s hard to go wrong with the Smartwool PhD ultra thin. I’ve worn them for years. Very thin, 0 padding, very good control/contact for foot-boot-ski interface.

If you want to go to a heated sock and are OK with wearing a medium weight/thickness sock or wear/prefer a padded sock, then the 5.0 would likely work for you or the 6 series. I have seen the newer Lenz 6 series socks and they look and feel thinner and have more compression so that might be an option.

Going to a heated sock - my Lenz 5.0 work well (they have the heated toecap). I only have around 25 days on them since I don’t wear them as often as my feet don’t get cold unless temps approach the minus 20 degrees C or lower then I’ll throw on the heated socks. (that might change with my new hybrid boots so we’ll see). My wife wears her Lenz 5.0’s every time out skiing and also when she’s working outside. She probably has 50+ full days on them. Zero issues for either of us. Wash gentle cold in the net bag that comes with them and hang/flat dry. For the most part they don’t need to be washed every usage.

I can’t comment on the wearability of the Lenz 6.0 versions but can provide a comparison of the 5.0 to the Smartwool ultra thins which I’ve worn for years as my “go-to” unheated sock. My shoe size is 8.5. I have a medium volume foot. I wear a medium in the Smartwools and a large (42-44 EUR) in the Lenz 5.0’s – those sizes work best for me. My wife’s Lenz 5.0 are a medium (39-41 EUR) and while I can get them on and they stretch/fit fine around the foot - they are a bit too tight at the very top of the upper calf. Her foot is very narrow and they fit her fine – I suspect that they would fit a medium foot in that sizing fine as well.

Socks comparision.JPG


Here’s a photo of my Smartwool PhD Ultralights and Lenz 5.0:

The Smartwool ultralight is noticeably smaller. Once you are wearing the Lenz 5.0 the fabric thickness thins out a bit to some degree so it isn’t quite as thick as it might seem via the photo.

Obviously the padded areas and the heated elements still make the Lenz sock considerably thicker than the Smartwool ultralight. On the foot - I’d estimate the fabric on the Lenz in the unpadded areas to be 2x as thick, with the padded areas being 3-4 times thicker at least.

The Lenz 5.0 in terms of wearability thickness (how much I notice the thickness while on the foot) I feel it would be comparable to a medium weight ski sock.

YMMV but neither my wife nor I have ever noticed or had an issue with the heating elements being noticeable/bothersome. In terms of battery life I can get a full day out of the RCB 1200 packs on low/medium (depending on how cold it is). My wife has the RCB 1800 battery as she runs hers at a higher temp and it lasts her all day.

The socks, charges and batteries are a well-made products with good fit and finish - which is important given the high cost of these items. We waited to get the socks and extra battery packs on sale but I still feel that they represent good value for the dollar IF you are in the market for a heated sock. Some people may not need them – others won’t ski without a heated sock, especially if they are sensitive to cold or ski in really cold temps, etc.) My wife for example - won’t ski without them.
 

Quandary

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Thanks for the ^^ for the comprehensive response! I will have to track down a store with the Lenz 6.0/1 or the Hotronics thin as from the look and your description the 5.0 will be to bulky. I also could always stick with my Hotronic foot beds but I think the sock might be more convenient, particularly with the bluetooth control.
 

Tom K.

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I think it's time to have a neverending sock thread.

And snow tires!

It's critical, that on an annual basis at a minimum, we joust about thick/medium/thin/untrathin socks and snow/3PMSF/all season/AT tires! ;)
 

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