Is there a winter sock better than a Woolie Boolie?

prhymeate
prhymeate Posts: 795
edited November 2013 in Road buying advice
I have had a pair for the last year and must have worn them almost every day, whether on the bike or not. It's time to buy a new pair though so I wanted to check if it could get any better than this. Can anyone who has also owned a pair of Woolie Boolies recommend anything better?

Comments

  • Bobbinogs
    Bobbinogs Posts: 4,841
    Yepp, the standard Prendas Merino sock. Mainly because I am not a big fan of the woolie boolies for cycling as they are just too thick and I cannot afford a new pair of shoes one size up just for them. Then again, woolie boolies are great for plodding around the house in winter time, very durable and warm. Maybe one day we won't all be worrying about ways to keep warm without turning the CH up :cry:
  • napoleond
    napoleond Posts: 5,992
    No. Defeet socks are just freaking awesome.
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  • maddog 2
    maddog 2 Posts: 8,114
    the Endura winter merino is good. As warm as a WB with less thickness, and they last well too.

    I've just bought a pair of the Rapha winter socks to try and they don't perform any better than the Enduras, for almost twice the price.
    Facts are meaningless, you can use facts to prove anything that's remotely true! - Homer
  • StorckSpeed
    StorckSpeed Posts: 291
    Woolie Boolies are the best, and then there's the little sheep stitched in the sole to entertain the wife and kids.
    I now have a few pairs, 2 pairs for cycling and 2 pairs for winter socks.
    I bought a pair of Smartwool socks from the LBS because they were longer and these run them fairly close, they're a good fit, just as warm and can take a splash of water. But they were double the price, and it definitely wasn't worth the extra. Plus they don't have the little sheep. :-)
    There's warp speed - then there's Storck Speed
  • graham_g
    graham_g Posts: 652
    Prendas winter socks - nice thick soles/toe area but still fairly low volume overall, absolutely superb.
  • giant_man
    giant_man Posts: 6,878
    the prendas ones are good, but WB's are the best imo ..
  • prhymeate
    prhymeate Posts: 795
    Cheers for the replies everyone! Looks like I'll be putting in a bulk order of woolie boolies in the near future.
  • Coach H
    Coach H Posts: 1,092
    I have only worn my Woolie Boolies once since trying Prendas Thermolite and that was to check I wasn't deluding myself.

    Woolie Boolies feel nicer on the skin but I find the Prendas FAR better and now would only wear the WB for casual non-cycling use.

    IMHO - Thermolite are warmer, thinner (therefore better fit in shoes without upping sizes) which can make them warmer, half the price, durable, kids like the fact they can tell you you have them on the wrong feet (they have L & R on them). The only compromise is that they are not the best at wicking so can sometimes feel a bit damp, but this is fairly minor and being very picky.

    I used to be firmly in the WB camp but since the start on last winter its Prendas Thermolite for me (and are also by stock Xmas Prezzie for others at the moment. I've even converted a couple of walkers and one footballer, who uses them as liner socks when it gets cold!)
    Coach H. (Dont ask me for training advice - 'It's not about the bike')
  • jordan_217
    jordan_217 Posts: 2,580
    giant man wrote:
    the prendas ones are good, but WB's are the best imo ..

    +1. I recently bought myself 2 pairs of the Prendas socks and immediately regretted my decision. Wollie Bollies are far superior. The Prendas socks don't offer anywhere near the same level of insulation. They're still good socks but IME are better suited to early Autumn/late Spring.
    “Training is like fighting with a gorilla. You don’t stop when you’re tired. You stop when the gorilla is tired.”
  • johnmiosh
    johnmiosh Posts: 211
    Brasher hillmaster hiking socks. Merino/Coolmax mix. £15 RRP but good
  • Monty Dog
    Monty Dog Posts: 20,614
    Woolies are my go-to winter sock, both for bike and walking about - they are very durable IME. I usually have 2-3 pairs on the go - I've bought other merion socks but they wear out far quicker. Less worried about the sizing as my winter bike boots are sized to be worn with a thicker sock.
    Make mine an Italian, with Campagnolo on the side..
  • Velonutter
    Velonutter Posts: 2,437
    Tried most socks and the Assos Thick Winter Socks have helped a lot but still suffer with cold feet, was going to try the Assos Fugu Thick Socks.

    I have bad Neuropathy from my diabetes and my feet can be really painful in the cold :-(
  • prhymeate
    prhymeate Posts: 795
    Velonutter wrote:
    Tried most socks and the Assos Thick Winter Socks have helped a lot but still suffer with cold feet, was going to try the Assos Fugu Thick Socks.

    I have bad Neuropathy from my diabetes and my feet can be really painful in the cold :-(

    Have you ever tried anything like these heated innersoles? They look pretty thin so hopefully they'd fit without too much trouble. It's a shame they're disposable, but might be worth trying for the coldest days.
    http://www.lockwoods.com/mycoal--heatea ... _5374.html
  • alihisgreat
    alihisgreat Posts: 3,872
    Woolie Boolies are great socks but they're a bit too thick unfortunately - Endura merino socks are my go to sock at the moment.
  • mattgeezer
    mattgeezer Posts: 1,805
    Anyone wear 2 pairs ever? Feel warmer or too tight?
    Allez 2013
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  • Iamnot Wiggins
    Iamnot Wiggins Posts: 685
    maddog 2 wrote:
    the Endura winter merino is good. As warm as a WB with less thickness, and they last well too.

    I've just bought a pair of the Rapha winter socks to try and they don't perform any better than the Enduras, for almost twice the price.

    Yes, the Endura socks are great. Not surprised about Rapha....

    I also have some socks made by Moose which seem to be pretty decent.
  • vespario
    vespario Posts: 228
    On cold days I wear two pairs of socks, have tin foil under my insoles and put 2 pairs of overshoes on! Works for me!
  • sloppyschleckonds
    sloppyschleckonds Posts: 8,019
    vespario wrote:
    On cold days I wear two pairs of socks, have tin foil under my insoles and put 2 pairs of overshoes on! Works for me!

    Do you look like you're wearing clown shoes?
    I'm sorry you don't believe in miracles
  • northpole
    northpole Posts: 1,499
    On the back of this thread I bought a few pairs of Woolie Boolie (Evans were running a discount last weekend).

    I was out on the bike yesterday and today, admittedly only 30 miles each with temperatures down to around 4 Celsius combined with a fresh north breeze. My shoes were a bit tighter but they adjusted fine. No overshoes used and my feet were remarkably comfortable throughout both rides.

    Have to say I'm well chuffed with them and recommend them. Only provisos being that I haven't been on a long ride and if your shoes are a tight fit with little adjustment available, they may pose a problem.

    Peter
  • robbo2011
    robbo2011 Posts: 1,017
    Velonutter wrote:
    Tried most socks and the Assos Thick Winter Socks have helped a lot but still suffer with cold feet, was going to try the Assos Fugu Thick Socks.

    I have bad Neuropathy from my diabetes and my feet can be really painful in the cold :-(

    Try the Assos Fugu Speer windproof sock over your regular socks together with overshoes. Very warm combination.
  • racingcondor
    racingcondor Posts: 1,434
    More love for the Woolie Boolies here.

    Bought a pair a year for 4 years when I started riding with a club. I've still got the first set (now 7 years old). The only problem they ever had was that they're not all that high but they fixed that this year with the long version so I see some more coming my way soon.
  • Velonutter
    Velonutter Posts: 2,437
    Prhymeate wrote:
    Velonutter wrote:
    Tried most socks and the Assos Thick Winter Socks have helped a lot but still suffer with cold feet, was going to try the Assos Fugu Thick Socks.

    I have bad Neuropathy from my diabetes and my feet can be really painful in the cold :-(

    Have you ever tried anything like these heated innersoles? They look pretty thin so hopefully they'd fit without too much trouble. It's a shame they're disposable, but might be worth trying for the coldest days.
    http://www.lockwoods.com/mycoal--heatea ... _5374.html


    Thanks they sound brilliant but when I'm back to riding 5 times a week it would get too expensive during the colder weather.
  • lostboysaint
    lostboysaint Posts: 4,250
    No.
    Trail fun - Transition Bandit
    Road - Wilier Izoard Centaur/Cube Agree C62 Disc
    Allround - Cotic Solaris
  • Velonutter
    Velonutter Posts: 2,437
    robbo2011 wrote:
    Velonutter wrote:
    Tried most socks and the Assos Thick Winter Socks have helped a lot but still suffer with cold feet, was going to try the Assos Fugu Thick Socks.

    I have bad Neuropathy from my diabetes and my feet can be really painful in the cold :-(

    Try the Assos Fugu Speer windproof sock over your regular socks together with overshoes. Very warm combination.

    Thanks Robbo, I'll give them a try :-)
  • mattsccm
    mattsccm Posts: 409
    Any other wool sock will be the same.
    you can't ask about a specific sock for your feet as those feet are not the same as other peoples. Fit, length, wear etc will be different.
    Even the wool and knit will be different. In primary school science we would say that you are not making a fair test.
    Th thicker the warmer it will be.
  • mfin
    mfin Posts: 6,729
    Velonutter wrote:
    robbo2011 wrote:
    Velonutter wrote:
    Tried most socks and the Assos Thick Winter Socks have helped a lot but still suffer with cold feet, was going to try the Assos Fugu Thick Socks.

    I have bad Neuropathy from my diabetes and my feet can be really painful in the cold :-(

    Try the Assos Fugu Speer windproof sock over your regular socks together with overshoes. Very warm combination.

    Thanks Robbo, I'll give them a try :-)

    If you want really warm feet you could try some Gore Thermo overshoes, no good for the wet really but in the dry with some woolie boolies they are actually too warm for me unless it's zero degrees (and my feet are those limited edition ones that get really cold).

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