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gottabekd · 09-25-2016, 10:48 PM

I'm way too old to only have discovered this last year...

For everyday, casual socks, especially in the winter: Merino wool socks are the answer.

I've always had the impression that wool=itchy, and thought 'wool socks' meant getting warmth at the expense of itchiness. Well, it turns out that isn't the case. Good quality merino wool is not itchy at all and is very soft. Outdoor people have known this for 20 years I guess. As an indoor person who likes warm, dry feet in the winter, I'm glad to have finally learned this.

In the winter, I find some cheap cotton socks aren't enough to keep my feet warm around the house, so I often wear slippers, which increases the sweating, which cools my feet off. Vicious cycle and all that. Merino wool are tightly knit (more insulating) and wick away the moisture, which means sweating is less of a problem, meaning my feet are comfortably warm. Supposedly it is also anti-microbial. This means it isn't entirely taboo to wear the socks a couple of times before washing them...if you're cool with that.

One brand that has a lot of Internet hype is Darn Tough. These things are $20-30 for a pair, though they are guaranteed for life. Wash them inside out and hang dry, and they are never supposed to wear out. If you do manage to wear a hole in them, they will replace them.

Darn Tough socks are at Outdoor stores like MEC, Campers Village, Cabela's, and the new Sporting Life in Southcentre which is supposed to open Oct. 6th.

So pretty much, I dare everyone to shell out $30 for a pair of Darn Tough socks, and I bet they will be your favourite pair in your drawer this winter.

09-25-2016, 10:48 PM	#22
gottabekd Powerplay Quarterback Join Date: Mar 2006 Exp:	I'm way too old to only have discovered this last year... For everyday, casual socks, especially in the winter: Merino wool socks are the answer. I've always had the impression that wool=itchy, and thought 'wool socks' meant getting warmth at the expense of itchiness. Well, it turns out that isn't the case. Good quality merino wool is not itchy at all and is very soft. Outdoor people have known this for 20 years I guess. As an indoor person who likes warm, dry feet in the winter, I'm glad to have finally learned this. In the winter, I find some cheap cotton socks aren't enough to keep my feet warm around the house, so I often wear slippers, which increases the sweating, which cools my feet off. Vicious cycle and all that. Merino wool are tightly knit (more insulating) and wick away the moisture, which means sweating is less of a problem, meaning my feet are comfortably warm. Supposedly it is also anti-microbial. This means it isn't entirely taboo to wear the socks a couple of times before washing them...if you're cool with that. One brand that has a lot of Internet hype is Darn Tough. These things are $20-30 for a pair, though they are guaranteed for life. Wash them inside out and hang dry, and they are never supposed to wear out. If you do manage to wear a hole in them, they will replace them. Darn Tough socks are at Outdoor stores like MEC, Campers Village, Cabela's, and the new Sporting Life in Southcentre which is supposed to open Oct. 6th. So pretty much, I dare everyone to shell out $30 for a pair of Darn Tough socks, and I bet they will be your favourite pair in your drawer this winter.