The thinner your ski sock, the better. Yes, seriously. Frosty toes are the bane of snow sports and it may seem like a completely logical and a cozy idea to wear really thick explorer style socks or even more than one pair of socks to keep your toes and feet warm and dry all day. You will more than likely regret it once you’re out on the slopes.
Even when it’s cold out, your feet sweat and wearing a super thick sock or a few layers on your feet will only increase your sweat rate and take up any spare room inside your boots which insulates your feet, so it simply makes you colder. A mid-weight or thinner pair of sweat-wicking socks such as merino wool, Thermolite or eco-fibre socks will keep feet dry and insulated with just the right amount of wiggle room for your toes.
Also, by wearing one pair of well-fitting, merino blend socks you reduce any friction and rubbing that may result in blisters and bruises.
If you are heading away for more than a day trip and spending a period of days at the snow, always remember to wear clean dry socks Every. Single. Day! It’s tempting to try and get a few days to wear out of them but their performance degrades with the more body oils and sweat they absorb, clogs the pores of the fabric and they simply no longer wick out the moisture. We recommend you have enough pairs of socks for your trip or wash your socks at the end of your day to make sure you have a fresh new pair of socks every day you go out in the snow. It’s a small price to pay for a day of comfort.
TIP: Make sure your sock is pulled up firmly and allow your thermals to rest just above the top of your boot (not tucked into your ski boot).
If skiing with your family, this is so important when helping to put your kids' gear on at the beginning of the day. An uncomfortable seam or ridge in their socks coupled with cold, wet feet will most likely stop their skiing day and lead to an unhappy child.
Some important ski sock wearing points to remember:
- Wear merino blend socks or ski socks which have high tech insulation properties such as Primaloft or Thermolite. Never cotton.
- Only wear one pair of ski socks
- Choose a mid-weight sock if you get cold feet for extra warmth
- Wear clean socks every day
- Never tuck your ski pants into your ski boots, you will thank us later!