Tag Archive for: ski socks

Jon Weisberg

Short Swings!

/0 Comments/in /by

Mountain goats in Little Cottonwood Canyon, Utah. Photo: Harriet Wallis

Contributor Harriet Wallis snapped this pic on her way down one of the Cottonwood Canyons connecting Salt Lake City with several resorts. Mountain goats are visible from the road this time of year. They maneuver the narrowest ledges like they’re strolling Main Street. Thanks for the picture, Harriet!

CALIFORNIA

Dennis Quaid’s band, The Sharks, will kick off Squaw Valley’s Toyota Ski Pro-Am, Saturday, March 11 at the Resort at Squaw Creek.

COLORADO

Aspen hosts the 2017 Audi FIS Ski World Cup Finals. March 15 – 19. The world’s top 25 men’s and women’s alpine ski racers will compete in Aspen, the first time the event has been held outside Europe since 1997.

UTAH

Park City Area Lodging Association’s Delta Gift Card Program gives an $800 Delta Air Lines electronic gift card when booking a minimum six-night stay, valued at $800 or more. Good through April 16. Program details: 855-585-0776.

Snowbird got 75″ in seven days. It released a brief video to celebrate the event.

Solitude Mountain Resort is offering several attractive Spring ski and stay packages.

OTHER

The ’17-’18 Mountain Collective pass just went on sale for $399. It provides two days of skiing at some of the world’s best resorts. Additional days are 50% off. This season, I’ve met several older couples on a grand tour of Mountain Collective areas. One couple from D.C. started at Stowe and worked their way to Sun Valley, Jackson Hole, Snowbird and Alta. Another couple, from the state of Washington, started at Whistler Blackcomb and worked their way south to the participating Idaho, Wyoming, Utah and Colorado resorts. Now is the time to get the best deal on the pass; prices increase over coming months. If you ski two days at each of four resorts, the daily rate will be less than $50. This season, an online advance purchase for two days at Aspen, alone, (included in the pass) costs $250.

FITS is the sock manufacturer that makes the FILM SKI OTC sock. I tried it and liked it. Because it’s thin, I recommend it for spring conditions. I needed to buckle down one additional notch to accommodate for thinness. Made with non-cushioned merino wool, the sock has graduated compression all the way over the calf. It also has anti-itch and flame resistant properties (good if you plan to place feet on hearth). Odor resistant and antimicrobial, the FILM SKI OTC is a practical addition to any ski wardrobe. Around $24.00 online or in ski shops.

Tamsin Venn

Blistering Review of Farm to Feet Socks

/0 Comments/in /by

How Do You Like Your Socks?  Farm Fresh, Says Tamsin.

Here's where the raw material for Farm To Feet socks originate: Merino sheep who live in Wyoming. Credit: Farm To Feet

Here’s where the raw material for Farm To Feet socks originate: Merino sheep who live in Wyoming.
Credit: Farm To Feet

Do you have those mornings when your lower back is a bit stiff from yesterday’s skiing, and you try to pull on your ski socks standing up and almost fall over? I have. A pair of ski socks just stretchy enough to slip on easily is a key happiness factor. I found those in Farm to Feet socks.

My Lange boots are fairly snug, so I wear lighter socks than I used to. Farm to Feet socks, made of merino wool, some nylon, and a touch of LYCRA® Spandex (for the stretch noted above), use a plaiting construction that puts cushioning in just the right pressure points, despite their overall thinness.

Here's a pair of women's socks: over the calf, compression, lightweight. Credit: Farm To Feet

Here’s a pair of women’s socks: over the calf, compression, lightweight.
Credit: Farm To Feet

Not everyone agrees that a thinner sock is a warmer sock. Instead, they grab for the thickest pair in the drawer on those ten-below days. Also, skiers tend to need thicker socks when your boots become packed out after several seasons of wear. But others argue that a thinner sock allows better circulation, so your toes don’t freeze. I have yet to test this theory, but another plus worth noting is that with less bulk, your foot conveys more finely tuned signals to your boots and skis. My feet are like control central when I wear the Waitsfield lightweight socks.

Also, using Lycra fiber creates a firm fit that helps support the foot. Seamless toes mean no bulking up of material. Despite multiple wears/washes, they’re not pilling, thinning, or stretching. And they come in colorful patterns that are fun to wear!

Like the farm to table movement, Farm to Feet caters to those who like to know the product’s origins. This ski sock maker uses merino wool from sheep in the western United States. The wool is then sent back east, spun, and made into socks in Mt. Airy, N.C.

One supplier is Fred Roberts, a third-generation rancher, who raises 7,000 sheep at Roberts Ranch, in Cokeville, Wyo.

Wyoming sheep rancher Fred Woods like to ski and cycle when he's off-duty. Credit: Tamsin Venn

Wyoming sheep rancher Fred Woods like to ski and cycle when he’s off-duty.
Credit: Tamsin Venn

“I like the animals, I like the lifestyle and being outdoors,” says Fred, who mountain bikes and skis in his spare time.

The Adventure Snow Line for men and women skiers consists of six over-the-calf models ($20-$26)  in different weights. Each sock is designed with a specific ski area in mind.

The Park City midweight is the heaviest and most cushioned; Alpine Meadows and Waitsfield are lightweight versions; Sugar Mountain is a light Nordic sock; the Jackson is an ultra light racer.

The Franconia lightweight ski sock, with classic diamond-knit styling, honors the Turtle Ridge Foundation of Franconia, N.H., the non-profit founded by Olympic champion Bode Miller and his family, which supports youth and adaptive ski programs. Your purchase helps support the foundation.

So you can wear ski socks that not only make your feet feel great but also support a good cause.