Many people suffer with aching and cold feet whilst riding up in the mountains, and most of the time this is due to inferior or poor fitting boots. However, it could be that low quality or non specific socks are to blame; so getting the right high quality pair of ski or snowboard socks is important for a comfortable days skiing/snowboarding.

You might think that ski and snowboard socks are very much the same, and while this can be true some of the time, when it comes to well known snow sport brands they then start to vary with different features, materials and construction. Below is a short guide on the different socks and how they are tailored to a specific sport.

When it comes to choosing that sock, whether skiing or snowboarding, the two following statements are important:

Look at the material and make sure you don’t choose one with cotton in. Although it’s great for a nice looking shirt it doesn’t have very high moisture wicking properties causing your feet to stay damp from sweat in turn getting cold.

Some say the thinner the sock the better but this is really down to personal choice, some agree with this statement and others don’t.

Sock Size

Choosing the correct size is paramount as a sock that’s too big can sag giving an uneven feeling in your boot whereas a sock too tight can cut the circulation to your feet causing them to become cold which nobody wants. To help determine the correct size go off your ski boots or have your feet professionally measured.

As a general rule of thumb when it comes to choosing the weight (thickness) of your sock its probably best to go with either a medium or light weight sock as the thicker higher density socks combined with the insulation from your boot could create too much sweat and heat.

Materials

Wool – Merino wool in particular is a natural fibre which has excellent levels of warmth and moisture wicking properties keeping your feet warm and dry. Being a natural fibre means it doesn’t have high levels of elastic memory causing the sock to lose shape overtime yet doesn’t absorb odours which is great for a week’s holiday needing only a couple pairs of socks.

Synthetic – There are numerous synthetic materials the more common materials are polyester, nylon, acrylic and elastic. These materials retain their shape very well, have moisture wicking properties and give high levels of comfort.

The Perfect Blend – Many modern day ski and snowboard socks are a blend of natural and synthetic fibres combining the best characteristics from both worlds for the ultimate sock.

Ski Socks

Ski socks tend to be much taller (over the calf) in height so to accommodate the much higher profile of ski boots. Modern ski socks have additional padding in areas such as the shins due to the increased pressure from pushing on the boot tongue and in other areas it’s much thinner for a more performance orientated fit and helps prevent blistering around the heels.

Snowboard Socks

Many snowboard socks have been specially designed to have forward lean built in which helps prevent the sock from bunching under foot giving a much more comfortable days riding. Unlike ski socks snowboard socks tend to have more uniformed cushioning rather than smaller specific areas due to going from toe to heel edge on a regular basis.

If your still unsure as to what type of sock you need after reading this blog why not pop into store where our passionate and highly qualified staff can give you some advice.

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