# Thin Sock or Thick Sock?



## Trekchick (Jul 26, 2008)

I know this is one of those simple questions that sounds dumb, but I'm curious, how many of us wear a thick sock with our ski boots.

I've always been a thick sock girl, but the transformation to a thin sock made its way into my life boot fitting and I couldn't be happier.

What makes your feet happy?


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## JimG. (Jul 26, 2008)

As thin as I can find.

Thick sox ruin your touch.


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## riverc0il (Jul 26, 2008)

JimG. said:


> As thin as I can find.


Ditto. Better fit and surprisingly warmer.


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## BeanoNYC (Jul 26, 2008)

Thin as possible.  My feet sweat way too much.


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## JimG. (Jul 26, 2008)

riverc0il said:


> Ditto. Better fit and surprisingly warmer.



It's the first thing I ask people who complain their feet are cold...are you wearing thick sox?


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## Trekchick (Jul 26, 2008)

Ski Specific or not?
I have Smartwool light sox, as well as a pair of Swix light sox(which I bought when I forgot my sox at home)


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## roark (Jul 26, 2008)

Def thin for skiing.

I do like thick for hiking, but that might be b/c my current boots are a little large.


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## hardline (Jul 26, 2008)

thin poly or silk sock. then i take da boots off i put on the toasty warm woolies.


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## Warp Daddy (Jul 26, 2008)

Thin  ------------------even at Tremblant  in -75 degree windchill


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## GrilledSteezeSandwich (Jul 26, 2008)

thin but not the thinnest stocking like socks..I like just a tiny bit of padding..


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## Hawkshot99 (Jul 26, 2008)

My ski socks are basicallly non existant, except they have a little bit of padding on the bottom of them.  Thick socks make me sweat tons!


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## wa-loaf (Jul 26, 2008)

Thin! As mentioned in another thread Smartwool ultra light ski socks for me.


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## Beetlenut (Jul 26, 2008)

wa-loaf said:


> Thin! As mentioned in another thread Smartwool ultra light ski socks for me.


 
+1 for me too!


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## cbcbd (Jul 26, 2008)

Thin... Smartwool


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## riverc0il (Jul 26, 2008)

cbcbd said:


> Thin... Smartwool


I use the same. Unfortunately, they have the tendency of only lasting two seasons at best per pair. The extra friction caused by touring further exacerbates and already quick to wear out sock.


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## deadheadskier (Jul 27, 2008)

now that smart wool is apparently discontinued, any recommendations for a substitute?


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## wa-loaf (Jul 27, 2008)

deadheadskier said:


> now that smart wool is apparently discontinued, any recommendations for a substitute?



I'm not so sure about that. Their website still lists the Skiing Ultra light socks: https://www.smartwool.com/#/Mens/So...ood.%20(%20Product:%20Skiing%20Ultra-Light%20)


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## Moe Ghoul (Jul 27, 2008)

Thin ski sox.


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## deadheadskier (Jul 27, 2008)

wa-loaf said:


> I'm not so sure about that. Their website still lists the Skiing Ultra light socks: https://www.smartwool.com/#/Mens/So...ood.%20(%20Product:%20Skiing%20Ultra-Light%20)



I found the lights online at Sierra Trading Post.  I wonder what the difference in thickness is between the light and ultra lights


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## wa-loaf (Jul 27, 2008)

deadheadskier said:


> I found the lights online at Sierra Trading Post.  I wonder what the difference in thickness is between the light and ultra lights



Ultra, no padding. Light, some padding.


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## JimG. (Jul 27, 2008)

Trekchick said:


> Ski Specific or not?
> I have Smartwool light sox, as well as a pair of Swix light sox(which I bought when I forgot my sox at home)



Ski specific...Smartwool Ultralight is a good example.


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## severine (Jul 28, 2008)

Skiing - LIGHT, though I was only converted over the last season to that.

The first season I skied, the guys at the ski shop recommended these really thick socks and that's what I used.  What a difference when I switched to the thin (Smartwool light racing) socks!


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## drjeff (Jul 28, 2008)

Smartwool ultra light 







or X socks, ultralight ski carving socks


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## wa-loaf (Jul 29, 2008)

drjeff said:


> Smartwool ultra light




Sorry doc, those aren't the ultralights. Ultralights have no padding:


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## bvibert (Jul 29, 2008)

I like the Smartwool's with no padding.


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## deadheadskier (Jul 29, 2008)

drjeff said:


> Smartwool ultra light
> 
> 
> 
> ...



$62 for Socks????  :blink:

http://www.backcountry.com/store/XSO0025/X-Socks-Ski-Carving-Silver-Sinofit-Socks-Mens.html


If they're gonna charge that much, they might as well change the name to XXX socks and include a happy ending.  That's insane.


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## wa-loaf (Jul 29, 2008)

deadheadskier said:


> $62 for Socks????  :blink:
> 
> http://www.backcountry.com/store/XSO0025/X-Socks-Ski-Carving-Silver-Sinofit-Socks-Mens.html
> 
> ...



Woa, hadn't noticed that. I thought $15-18 bucks was a lot for the Smartwools.


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## deadheadskier (Jul 29, 2008)

wa-loaf said:


> Sorry doc, those aren't the ultralights. Ultralights have no padding:



I really need to stay out of the gear forum.  It's pretty much guaranteed to drain my wallet.  Going on everyone's love affair with these socks, I just ordered some.  Of course not 1 pair or 2, but 3 in order to vault over the $50 bar for free shipping :roll:    :lol:

looking forward to receiving them and trying them with the Kryptons.  FWIW I did try on the Kryptons barefoot the other night and they felt much better, so looking forward to joining the ultra thin fancy sock world :lol: .  I'm sure once I get them heat molded I'll love em.


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## bvibert (Jul 29, 2008)

deadheadskier said:


> $62 for Socks????  :blink:
> 
> http://www.backcountry.com/store/XSO0025/X-Socks-Ski-Carving-Silver-Sinofit-Socks-Mens.html
> 
> ...



  WOW!  That's a LOT for a pair of socks!


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## GrilledSteezeSandwich (Jul 29, 2008)

deadheadskier said:


> $62 for Socks????  :blink:
> 
> http://www.backcountry.com/store/XSO0025/X-Socks-Ski-Carving-Silver-Sinofit-Socks-Mens.html
> 
> ...



I bet they help you ski better...and I think $20 a pair is insane at the local ski shop so I mainly buy my ski socks from ems.com


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## hammer (Jul 29, 2008)

The only way I can wear my ski boots is with an extra thin sock...I think that's a good thing...


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## drjeff (Jul 29, 2008)

deadheadskier said:


> $62 for Socks????  :blink:
> 
> http://www.backcountry.com/store/XSO0025/X-Socks-Ski-Carving-Silver-Sinofit-Socks-Mens.html
> 
> ...




My wife (the QUEEN of cold feet) got them first, and compared to what we've spent on her entire boot/sock/heater system(s) over the years, $62 is a drop in the bucket.  She got them on the recomendation of her trusted boot fitter(and no his shop DIDN'T sell them).  Without any other changes to her boots at that time, she noticed for her a significant improvement in the warmth of her toes (I thought at first that it might well be psychosomatic ).  Since then, she's also bought a pair of the Boot length tights that they make and has been very happy with them also.

Then last year for Christmas, she got a pair of them for me.  Are they really nice socks, yes.  Are they worth basically 4 times what my smartwools cost me,  unlikely.  Would I have bought them for myself, very, very unlikely at that price.


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## drjeff (Jul 29, 2008)

wa-loaf said:


> Sorry doc, those aren't the ultralights. Ultralights have no padding:




Sorry I wasn't really paying attention the photo,  I just google imaged smartwool ultralight socks and posted without looking


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## tree_skier (Jul 29, 2008)

Thin or no.  When I was racing competitively (not just smoking BobR or skibums9995) I didn't wear socks for the tighter more responsive fit.  But now have gone to a thin sock.  Lange has a great pair.


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## mlctvt (Jul 29, 2008)

I think I paid either $6.95 or $8.95 per pair for the Smartwool Ultralight ski socks last year on SierraTradingPost.com. I stocked up then. Just watch for the sales and use your 20% coupon they tend to email every few weeks. 

My wife always has cold feet . Last year I convinced her to switch to thin socks and she couldn't believe how much warmer her feet were and how much control she gained. 
I think almost every skier newby makes the same mistake and chooses thick socks, thinking they'll be warmer.


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## Marc (Jul 29, 2008)

Whatever I get for Christmas.  I'm not picky.  Free is good.


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## Trekchick (Jul 29, 2008)

I got sox like that on SAC for a whooooooole lot less!


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## Trekchick (Jul 29, 2008)

Trekchick said:


> I got sox like that on SAC for a whooooooole lot less!


Got these for my husband.  He seems to like them.
http://sac.gearattack.com/items/8626


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## eastcoastpowderhound (Jul 29, 2008)

thin ski sock...Lava Wool has some good ones


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## MRGisevil (Jul 30, 2008)

Marc said:


> Whatever I get for Christmas.  I'm not picky.  Free is good.



x2


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## Swamp Dog (Jul 31, 2008)

def something thin from SmartWool.  I've even converted my husband to thin socks.


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## JimG. (Aug 2, 2008)

hammer said:


> The only way I can wear my ski boots is with an extra thin sock...I think that's a good thing...



Fully agree.

And my feet are comfortable and warm.

No numb or pinched spots.


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## JimG. (Aug 2, 2008)

GrilledSteezeSandwich said:


> I bet they help you ski better...and I think $20 a pair is insane at the local ski shop so I mainly buy my ski socks from ems.com



I'll pay $10-11 in a pinch...or ski without sox.


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## marcski (Aug 2, 2008)

This thread is akin to asking which you prefer, thick or thin condom.  


I like the smartwool.  Too much poly makes my feet sweat, I like the wool blends.  (for ski socks....not condoms!).


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## WWF-VT (Aug 3, 2008)

Smartwool ski socks for me


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## riverc0il (Aug 3, 2008)

wa-loaf said:


> Sorry doc, those aren't the ultralights. Ultralights have no padding:



Those are what I wear. They NEVER go on sale either. I have been looking for years for a cheap sale so I could stock up but always end up paying full retail for my annual replacement pair.


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## deadheadskier (Aug 5, 2008)

wa-loaf said:


> Sorry doc, those aren't the ultralights. Ultralights have no padding:



Well, just got mine in.  They seem real nice, but for some reason I was expecting them to be even thinner.  Felt much better than normal socks in my Kryptons.  I think once I get the liner heat molded, they'll be great boots for me.


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## drjeff (Aug 6, 2008)

riverc0il said:


> Those are what I wear. They NEVER go on sale either. I have been looking for years for a cheap sale so I could stock up but always end up paying full retail for my annual replacement pair.



http://www.reliableracing.com/detail.cfm?edp=10449387&category=0501

On "sale" for $9.95, only XL, 2 pairs of Gray and 1 pair of black left as of when I'm posting


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## Terry (Aug 9, 2008)

drjeff said:


> http://www.reliableracing.com/detail.cfm?edp=10449387&category=0501
> 
> On "sale" for $9.95, only XL, 2 pairs of Gray and 1 pair of black left as of when I'm posting



I just bought 2 pair at Joe Jones tent sale in North Conway for 7.50 a pair. They really work good.


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## lloyd braun (Aug 18, 2008)

I think these are the best socks.






Bridgedale, not cheap but worth the bucks

I also wear under amour hockey liners as well as the smart wool socks mentioned all over this thread


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## RootDKJ (Aug 19, 2008)

I've been using a hiking liner sock for a few years now with great success.  What's nice is I can pick them up at the local Sports Authority for about $5 and they keep my feet nice and warm/dry in even the coldest weather.  I usually buy an extra pair before the start of each season, but I've yet to wear a pair out.

Here's a link
http://www.amazingsocks.com/web-pid-F2153-Wigwam-Gobi-Liner-Sock-item.htm


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## ERJ-145CA (Aug 26, 2008)

Thin, either Smartwool or Hot Chilis, something like that but thin ones.


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