Socks! specifically Smartwool socks
 

I have to say that today was an absolute wonderful ride in part because I convinced my wife that I needed to purchase 2 pairs of Smartwool cyclying socks. :love: These are the best socks I have ever owned. I rode the GAP in August and left my old pair in friends car and it has taken quite a while to be able to retreive them. I have ridden in other socks since then but today I put my feet into brand new Smartwool socks and it was SPLENDID!

I highly recommend.

Ps smartwool begins to smell after 4 days or riding with no washing :innocent:

Merino wool is the key, I believe. It doesn't have to be Smartwool. That said, I have a number of pairs of Smartwool socks that I wear when I ride.

I have about 12 pair in different weights and lengths. There was ski shop closing and had the smartwool socks for 50-60% off. I bought $100.00 worth. Plus 4 pair for my wife. Gave them to her first before I told her how much I spent. Still wearing them 5 years later.

Smartwool is great. I don't think I own any currently, but I've been hooked on wool socks for ages. I don't know if they Gold Toe still makes wool socks with 15% nylon, but that's what I'm wearing now. I wear them whenever I wear shoes, i.e. when I'm not wearing sandals.

I started out with Rohner Merino wool socks for backpacking and mountaineering back when they were available dirt cheap from Sierratradingpost.

Smartwool is almost as good on the comfort and a bit more durable.
That's all I'll wear for any ride longer than 10 miles.

Nothing better than good shoes/boots and merino wool socks, I will not cheap out on my feet.
Those that have not tried merino wool/blend socks really don't know what they are missing, they are cool in the summer and warm in the winter and no feet smell at all....

noglider, I bought several pairs of the gold toe wool socks with 15% nylon after X-mas last year at 75% off.
They work great for dress shoes, and custom boots that require a thinner sock.

But 4 days is pretty good! I love my merino wool cycling gear, especially the socks. Most you can wear at any temperature and feel comfortable. I like them on these fall days that are really cold in the morning and warm late afternoon.

that is what i like about them they are warm when it is cool but I have not felt like they were too hot either during the summer. I love them. $17 for a pair of socks but I wish all my sock fit and performed the way these do.

I have 2 pair and although my feet sweat a fair bit, I generally don't have foot odor and my smartwool socks can be worn all week before washing without smelling (although there are fewer visitors to my office as the week progresses, related to the socks? no, I don't think so).

+1

10 years ago I discovered merino wool sox. I've worn out more pairs than I care to think about, but I will not wear anything else. I keep my eyes on the sales and pick up 3-4 pairs at a time whether I need them or not, all different weights, heights etc. They all do wear out eventually. I probably have 30 pairs of merino wool sox at the moment for every temp, activity, and use.

i dont think mine would have smelled as bad if I had not been touring. they really never had a chance to dry out. :(

Bought some thick merino wool blend socks last winter, and they are pretty great. Still need something else in addition during sub-freezing temps but for the most part they're awesome. I got them from a local sportman/outdoors type of store.

Gold Toe continues to make them, the are great and wear well. I have Merino wool socks for many, many years and would have to moce south if not for them My feet get cold in the winter and there were times I was outside in very nasty weather for hours. I was glad I had them.

I also have Smartwool glove liners for those frigid days that are 2 or 3 months away. They keep fingers nice and warm.

I got some Wigwam hiking socks a few years ago. Now I wear them daily. Even when they get wet from sweat or rain, my feet don't feel cold or clammy.

Another positive vote for merino wool and Smartwool brand. The wife always has cold feet during the winter, I finally got her to try them last year, she is hooked.

I enjoy good sox. I've only worn merino wool socks from Costco. Can anyone tell me how they compare to highly favorable smartwool socks recommended here?

If you have a Sams club card , they have them for the seasonal period right now ! I have 20 pair so far :)

I believe merino wool is overhyped in terms of smellproofness. I believe the reason can be found when you observe those merino fibers under a microscope. They have increased comfiness and lost smellproofness on the way. I have a few from different brands including smartwool and they all smell after just one day of use.
In my own trial and errors, harsh old school wool is way better against smell.
A trick i use to increase smellproofness is to dip those garments into backing soda and just remove the excess. Works wonderfully.

I wash myself and my clothes daily ... saw a guy at the gym today using the hand dryer on his gym shirt ... ew what is he gonna do? re-use it tomorrow?

I always dry my cycling clothes off with a hairdryer at the bike station where I park when I get to work. It prevents them from getting smelly when I put them back on to ride home. Not sure why someone would do that at the gym, though.

According to Mr Smarty Pants, you should put them in the freezer to kill the stinky microbes.

My freezer won't do, commercial freezer maybe. I'm a big microbe and i'm still alive (and happy) when i ride at -30/-40F. :lol:
And putting my dirty clothes with my food :twitchy:
Baking soda works wonderfully for me. I already use it for everything anyway toothpaste, deodorant, cleaning, laundry detergent, baking powder...

Maybe he didn't want it sitting wet and getting all nasty in a gym bag until he could get it in the wash.

The socks I mentioned above are actually Smartwool, and they definitely do NOT smell after a couple of uses.

I own numerous pairs of "Head" brand wool socks from Costco. Cheap, long wearing, no itch or stink. Like most socks, they seem to shrink a bit with repeated laundering.

I also have some Smartwool too - no apparent difference from the Heads. I researched this subject a few years ago before acquiring the Head socks and discovered the SW socks are made in a knitting plant in TN. This same plant makes the cheap Head copies sold at Costco, and they're careful not to publicize the fact.

A quick search indicates the Head brand is gone, seems to have been replaced by Kirkland.