Let's Talk Socks! [Archive] - Simple Living Forums

SiouzQ.

1-9-18, 11:59am

After all my years of frugality to get me where I am today, I simply CANNOT stand buying the crappy knee socks I've always gotten at Target for $2.50 a pair. Made of inconsistent and very dubious quality, they have caused me to curse many times over the years. Sometimes the elastic at the top is so tight it leaves dug-in impressions on my calves, other times the elastic has the dang things floating down over my heels inside my boots.

In my new-found financial fortune since moving to NM, I thought maybe I would start springing for Smart Wool socks but am really, really balking at paying up to $20 for ONE PAIR of socks! I simply cannot get myself to justify doing that. I would need many pairs, as I do not have any laundry facilities and have to go to do the wash at a laundromat in Santa Fe. Plus I tend to lose one sock out of a pair...

So, that being stated, are there any other brands of decent, comfortable socks I should be looking into? I really like the tall knee-hi style with some nice cushioning. I just sprung for a $200 pair of quality lug soles work-hiking-in-the-desert-style lace up boots-while-avoiding rattlesnake bites on the ankles.

What are your favorite brands to try?

JaneV2.0

1-9-18, 12:39pm

I have no idea, but I would hand-wash whichever ones you end up buying.

KayLR

1-9-18, 12:52pm

SmartWool socks are one of my few indulgences, and I don't apologize. They keep my feet warm, and that is priceless to me. But I don't wear knee-highs, so can't help you there.

razz

1-9-18, 12:59pm

When I travel to the US later this month, I am going to look for Thurlos socks. They are wonderful but pricey, not $20 though.

herbgeek

1-9-18, 1:55pm

Fox River and Vermont Tough are a couple of other brands in that quality level. Fox River tends to be less expensive so that is usually what I buy.

rosarugosa

1-9-18, 2:35pm

SQ: I just recently got my first Smartwool socks and I'm sorry to say that I don't like them. I find them very tight on the calves and I have really thin legs. From a tactile perspective, I just don't find them to feel very pleasant against my skin. I would like to try Darn Tough socks from VT, but I'm not up for spending more big bucks on socks I might not like just now, so maybe I'll try those next winter.
I went ahead and ordered more of my my favorite go-to knee socks, Hue's flat knits. I got them at 3 pairs for $21 on Amazon. I find them perfectly comfortable, but they only last a couple of years. Maybe my expectations are unrealistic for durability. The Darn Toughs are apparently guaranteed to last, but if I don't like them, having them last forever isn't anything to get excited about.

beckyliz

1-9-18, 3:48pm

Bombas. They're pricey, but well-made and they donate a pair to a homeless shelter for every pair they sell. https://bombas.com/?utm_source=bing&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=Search_US_Bing_B_General_Exact&utm_term=bombas&utm_content=A1

BikingLady

1-10-18, 6:18am

I am with you, I bought cheap socks for years. I now buy smart wool and darn tuff socks to wear for my daily hikes and walks and bike. I wash and hang dry and can see like they both advertise a life time sock. I bought life is good for fun socks. Never venturing back to WM brands again.

Sad Eyed Lady

1-10-18, 10:05am

Don't know the brand, but I have found bamboo socks to be some of the most comfortable ones I have ever worn. The kind I have are usually bought in a "gift shop" in an artsy/crafty kind of place. Usually around $15.00/pair.

Oddball

1-10-18, 10:51am

I would like to try Darn Tough socks from VT, but I'm not up for spending more big bucks on socks I might not like just now, so maybe I'll try those next winter.
I've been wearing DT socks exclusively for five or six years now. They have an unconditional lifetime guarantee. I have used it a few times to replace worn pairs at no cost.

rosarugosa

1-10-18, 5:50pm

Do the DT socks have a pleasant feeling fabric? The SW socks I got are almost like compression socks. I think they are more of a performance ski sock style.

rosarugosa

2-16-19, 4:41pm

ANMs OXO post reminded me that I should post a sock update and give a shout-out to Bombas. I did end up trying Darn Toughs this winter, and I didn't like them either! I found them to be super tight, and I have really slim legs, (I weigh 100 lbs). I only wear knee socks, so maybe folks would have less tightness issues with shorter socks. Anyhow, I also gave Bombas a try this winter, ordering 3 pairs of cotton and 1 pair of merino knee socks. I did not like the cotton socks but I love the merino ones, and they have become my favorite socks for walking out in the really cold weather. Bombas has an unconditional satisfaction guarantee, so I e-mailed them and said I didn't like the cotton ones. This was the reply I received:
Josh (Bombas)

Jan 10, 11:42 AM EST

My name is Josh and I'm a member of the Happiness Team here at Bombas. Thanks for reaching out about your return request. I'm sorry to hear that you're not loving the cotton socks!

You're all set!

You should have already received notification of your refund and should see the funds return to your account in 3-5 business days.

Instead of worrying about sending them back to us, please feel free to share your pairs with family members or friends or even feel free to donate them to a local organization that accepts clothing donations.

Thanks for giving us a try!

I have to say that it doesn't get much better than that, and I will be ordering more of the merino wool ones.

Zoe Girl

2-16-19, 7:41pm

I love bamboo fiber, and very sturdy for a long time. I have also handwashed and even darned good socks. I like the smart wool okay, bamboo a wonderful luxury. My most expensive socks are the specialized vans socks. They are rubberized on the heel so they dont slip in the vans shoes

Tradd

2-16-19, 9:27pm

The REI brand merino wool socks are great.

pinkytoe

2-16-19, 9:59pm

Really odd but I bought some heavier weight socks at the dollar store a year ago and have been very happy with them. I haven't been able to find the same kind since so I guess I just got lucky.

pony mom

2-16-19, 10:16pm

I'm not too picky about socks but I find that the heels wear out on just about anything I wear. My work socks are always black and I'm always darning the heels (sometimes the toes too). Santa brought me a new large pack and I finally threw away the holey ones.

My riding socks are Smart Wool hiking ones (with the extra cushioning on the ball and heel) and they are finally wearing out after many years. I bought those from Sierra Trading Post as "irregulars" but can't find anything wrong with them.

Teacher Terry

2-16-19, 10:36pm

Walmart and they last at least a year

catherine

2-18-19, 6:24pm

I've been tempted by the Bombas ads. I've gifted my kids Smart Wool socks--never had them myself because of the cost--I haven't gotten feedback on them from the kids, but they sure look and feel nice.

I like to buy only black socks, same kind, to reduce the dreaded orphan sock syndrome.

I'm not real fussy about socks either, and haven't found a particular brand that's not too loose, not too tight. I currently have been wearing Hanes black crew socks out of Target (https://www.target.com/p/hanes-174-women-s-10pk-red-label-crew-sock/-/A-14510854) and they've been fine.

I haven't felt the need for thick wool socks this winter. We've had virtually no snow in NJ, and I'm not a cold hands/cold feet person. Maybe if I wind up in VT for the winter I'll definitely investigate warmer socks, but I don't like the idea of having to give them special washing treatment. I guess I'd be pickier if I did more hiking.

However, you guys have me thinking about the luxury of good socks. But as my son says, "A luxury once tasted becomes a necessity" so I will enter the luxury sock territory with a little trepidation. :)

dado potato

2-18-19, 9:24pm

Bombas socks are durable.

Teacher Terry

2-18-19, 9:25pm

A friend bought me a pair of expensive bamboo socks and they didn’t last long at all.

Tradd

2-18-19, 9:42pm

My REI merino wool socks get no special treatment. Wash on cold, dry on low, just like all my other clothes.

Float On

2-19-19, 10:16am

My most favorite. We use to do some of the same trade shows and they were always a popular booth. Solemate socks https://wholesale.socklady.com/aboutus.php And they don't match so if you lose one, o.k.

Tall ones for boots, as mentioned previously: Bombas https://bombas.com/collections/womens-socks?filter=height_knee-high

For serious hiking you might want some silk sock liners to wear under wool. Wool always irritates me and I found the silk good for wisking away foot sweat. https://wintersilks.blair.com/p/8902.uts?productVariantId=446227&src_code=IKSPLAGS&cid=pl_ws_google_pla_gen&gclid=CjwKCAiA767jBRBqEiwAGdAOr4oFphzOaqhpMwnAvAIA qU0gwU0BnrF9DpbvrrmLbARLj1nFq0wBrRoCwlgQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

I'd like to see the boots you got. We're in the market for new hiking boots. I usually go with Vasque but looking for new options.

catherine

2-19-19, 11:04am

My REI merino wool socks get no special treatment. Wash on cold, dry on low, just like all my other clothes.

That's good to know. I always assumed wool had to be hand washed.

Alan

2-19-19, 2:09pm

However, you guys have me thinking about the luxury of good socks. But as my son says, "A luxury once tasted becomes a necessity" so I will enter the luxury sock territory with a little trepidation. :)Me too.
I thought my sock philosophy was fully matured as I transitioned 25 or so years ago to owning only Gold Toe socks in either black or white. They all looked exactly alike, were easy to sort and if one got lost, the remaining one could be put back in service once another one disappeared.

This all changed over the summer though when my wife presented me with 5 pair of Eddie Bauer, mid-calf socks with reinforced heels and toes and ribbed arch support. I never knew socks had gotten so high tech and could feel so good on my feet. I've worn nothing but those 5 pair for the past 6 months.

Now, this thread has me looking at pictures of all the brands mentioned and wondering how I can justify to myself buying $25 per pair socks. I'm finding that it's much easier than I would have thought.

beckyliz

2-19-19, 3:23pm

I haven't tried Duluth Trading socks, but we've bought other clothes there for my husband and they are very good quality. They carry women's clothing, including socks.

Rogar

2-19-19, 6:22pm

I have both Smartwool and Darn Tough socks. For the money I think they wear a couple or few times longer than el cheapo socks, and there's the lifetime warranty on the Darn Tough. Neither are what I would call summer socks. I buy Carhartt cotton crew socks for warmer seasons. They come in different colors but I usually buy a few pairs of the same color at once so I don't have to sort them. They are a little more expensive than the run of the mill cotton crews, but also feel and wear better. I maybe get a year or two out of them, but have wool socks that I've had for several years.

rosarugosa

2-19-19, 6:28pm

Float On: Not sure whose boots you were referencing, but finding a new pair of waterproof, insulated "snow sneaker" type boots was a major quest for me this year, and I settled on Sorel Whitney Short Laced Snow Boots. I'm pretty happy with them so far. The North Face boots they replaced were a tiny bit more comfy, but these are still quite comfy and I think are built to last longer. I don't know if the snow resistance is as much of a consideration for you.
https://www.zappos.com/p/sorel-whitney-short-lace-black/product/8895483/color/3?ef_id=WskTqgAAAGlojDF0:20190219232627:s&utm_medium=pla_g&utm_content=41529734&zap_placement=1o3&utm_campaign=171091171&utm_term=pla-402241436314&utm_source=google

frugal-one

2-19-19, 7:04pm

gimmethesimplelife

2-20-19, 9:24am

Socks are one of a few things I will not buy secondhand unless forced to by economics. They are interestingly something else I come close to but not quite end out offshoring to Mexico. What I mean by this funky statement is that the best deals I've ever found on new socks in the US are in Nogales, Arizona, at stores that mostly Mexican national day trippers on Border Crossing Cards, shop at. Cheap socks and they seem to last longer than socks purchased at any big box retailer. Perhaps this is a border thing, I don't know. Rob

oldhat

2-20-19, 3:41pm

There's nothing I love more than slipping into a new pair of socks. For years my sock of choice was the Thorlo Light Hiker, but I think their quality has gone down a bit. I've sampled Darn Tuff, REI and Smartwool, but haven't found another favorite yet.

One source of frustration: I have a pair of socks I love--they are durable and cushy--but I CAN'T REMEMBER WHAT BRAND THEY ARE!!! There are no identifying marks on them whatsoever. :doh:

Merino wool socks are really amazing--that stuff simply does not smell.

JaneV2.0

2-20-19, 3:54pm

I haven't tried Duluth Trading socks, but we've bought other clothes there for my husband and they are very good quality. They carry women's clothing, including socks.

I've never bought their product--and probably never will--but I love their ads.
Proving that advertising dollars are wasted on me...