Winter cycling socks?

joecamel

My Fugu Socks are full of holes and are stupidly expensive to replace. Anyone got a good cheap alternative they have used through winter and would recommend to others?

Bobbinogs

The problem with a lot of winter socks is that they are often very thick...so, unless you have winter shoes/boots which are a size up, the lack of space to move your feet means that they actually get more cold.

I found that the Woolie Boolies fit into this category in that they are great quality and very durable socks that keep my feet really warm...when padding around the house. Can't get 'em into my shoes though.

The Defeet thermo ones are fairly good but I still find the best way of keeping feet warm is using decent oversocks, like Prendas Cordura. Cheap as chips but very effective and the flouro ones standout when your little legs are spinning on a gloomy chill day. They don't last more than a season or two but, at £7, who cares!

The_Wicker_Man

I have a hard time finding winter socks and gloves for that matter as I suffer from Raynaud's. Rapha winter socks are good as well as the endura baabaa. Although very expensive I have bought a pair of sealskin waterproof socks which and a pair of sealskin liner socks which I will use with my winter shoes. I remember seeing on GCN , Dan Lloyd recommended insulating the shoe or foot (can't remember which) with tin foil.

imposter2.0

Never used anything other than 'normal' socks throughout winter. Just put overshoes on over the top.

Anonymous

Woolie Boolie. There is simply nothing better - although agree they are quite thick.

Sealskins if its wet.

Overshoes if it's absolutely baltic. Ones with velcro attachment seems to last better than zips, from what i've read on here.

There is the option of winter boots as well.

bendertherobot

Yep. Agree with Bobbinogs. I have plenty of Woolies and Rapha ones which are lush for trainers, boots, and my slightly larger fitting Shimano XC50N. No good in my Shimano XC70.

So, mostly, I just wear whatever shoes, Prendas winter thermolite and overshoes as required.

fenix

I usually go with PX Merino socks and I switch to my MTB shoes too- thicker shoes for warmth.

rimau

Check out Decathlon's Quechua Forclaz 500 series. They are 70% Merino wool, and when they go on sale the price is about £10 for two pairs.

mostly

I second the Prendas winter option, as another Raynaud's victim I pop on second pair of m&s lightweight thermal socks, found in a bargain bucket, when things are grim.

keef66

I use Woolie Boolies and I'm lucky that there's adequate room in my shoes for them. And some cheapo Planet X neoprene overshoes. That combo is good for 2 or 3 hours at temps around freezing.

Think if I was commuting through the winter I'd want some proper winter boots though.

bikes`n`guns

PX merino are ace in the colder months.

mercia_man

For ultimate warmth, nothing beats possum fur socks, normally blended with merino and nylon. I have two pairs, plus some gloves, and they are much cosier than regular merino, although they are pricey and a bit thick for tight-fitting cycle shoes. UK firm Chocolate Fish used to import these from New Zealand but are no longer in existence. However, I've spotted www.kiwikate.co.uk as a source and you can also buy direct from New Zealand from, among others, www.thewoolcompany.co.nz

A cheaper alternative is cashmere blend socks. Tesco used to sell some for less than a tenner a pair. I have a couple of pairs and they are thin enough to be an exact replacement for cycling summer socks. Again, they are warmer than regular merino socks. I suspect other supermarkets and high street chain stores offer cashmere blend socks at decent prices and you can get them online from www.thewoolcompany.co.uk Endura Equipe cashmere blend cycling socks at around £15 from www.sigmasport.co.uk and other cycling retailers look like they might be good as well.

Decent overshoes - I'm another fan of Planet X neoprene - are another winter essential for me.

step83

Usually I go with PX merio thicky socks I can get my shoes easy enough id I don't tighten the shoes too much. Overshoes though tend to be better, cotton ones for now when its dry. Then onto the sealskins and BBB ones when the weather goes downhill.

Bobbinogs

Mercia Man wrote:

For ultimate warmth, nothing beats possum fur socks, normally blended with merino and nylon. I have two pairs, plus some gloves, and they are much cosier than regular merino, although they are pricey and a bit thick for tight-fitting cycle shoes. UK firm Chocolate Fish used to import these from New Zealand but are no longer in existence. However, I've spotted http://www.kiwikate.co.uk as a source and you can also buy direct from New Zealand from, among others, http://www.thewoolcompany.co.nz

A cheaper alternative is cashmere blend socks. Tesco used to sell some for less than a tenner a pair. I have a couple of pairs and they are thin enough to be an exact replacement for cycling summer socks. Again, they are warmer than regular merino socks. I suspect other supermarkets and high street chain stores offer cashmere blend socks at decent prices and you can get them online from http://www.thewoolcompany.co.uk Endura Equipe cashmere blend cycling socks at around £15 from http://www.sigmasport.co.uk and other cycling retailers look like they might be good as well.

Decent overshoes - I'm another fan of Planet X neoprene - are another winter essential for me.

Strange, in reply to "What winter socks for cycling", I wasn't expecting "Possum fur from Chocolate Fish" as a response! :shock:

mercia_man

Bobbinogs wrote:

Mercia Man wrote:

For ultimate warmth, nothing beats possum fur socks, normally blended with merino and nylon. I have two pairs, plus some gloves, and they are much cosier than regular merino, although they are pricey and a bit thick for tight-fitting cycle shoes. UK firm Chocolate Fish used to import these from New Zealand but are no longer in existence. However, I've spotted http://www.kiwikate.co.uk as a source and you can also buy direct from New Zealand from, among others, http://www.thewoolcompany.co.nz

A cheaper alternative is cashmere blend socks. Tesco used to sell some for less than a tenner a pair. I have a couple of pairs and they are thin enough to be an exact replacement for cycling summer socks. Again, they are warmer than regular merino socks. I suspect other supermarkets and high street chain stores offer cashmere blend socks at decent prices and you can get them online from http://www.thewoolcompany.co.uk Endura Equipe cashmere blend cycling socks at around £15 from http://www.sigmasport.co.uk and other cycling retailers look like they might be good as well.

Decent overshoes - I'm another fan of Planet X neoprene - are another winter essential for me.

Strange, in reply to "What winter socks for cycling", I wasn't expecting "Possum fur from Chocolate Fish" as a response!
:shock:

Possum fur is the bees' knees if you want toasty toes! Chocolate Fish (sadly demised) used to carry testimonials from firefighters, lighthouse keepers, deep sea fishermen etc singing the praises of the warming powers of the possum.

daniel_b

As mentioned twice already, these are superb, AND incredible vfm:
http://www.planetx.co.uk/i/q/CLPXMERS3P/planet-x-thicky-merino-socks-(3-pack)

paulbnix

ALDI had some merino socks on sale recently at £3.99 - there may be some still available.
They felt snug and warm so I went back for another pair

simon_masterson

I'm using DeFeet Wooleators, seem good but not tried them in really cold conditions yet.

navrig2

I have started using Decathlon ski socks. The benefits of ski socks are that the foot bit is not too thick but good at heat retention (wool or wool mix, one even has a wool/silk mix), the tube above the foot can be a bit thicker but that actually insulates the lower leg well helping keep the foot warm. A pair of neoprene overshoes helps too.

Last year I bought NW GTX winter boots. The combo of them and ski socks is great. No need for overshoes.

thomasmorris

Depends on the fit of your cycling shoes. I have never done well by putting on thicker winter socks (woolie boolie or ski socks).

Things that have helped with cold feet, in order of effectiveness:
- Keeping straps and ratchets loose
- Overshoes
- Taping up vents
- higher cuffed socks
- Putting foil under the insole (shinny side up)
- Foil around foot (shiny side in)

Bobbinogs

thomasmorris wrote:

Depends on the fit of your cycling shoes. I have never done well by putting on thicker winter socks (woolie boolie or ski socks).

Things that have helped with cold feet, in order of effectiveness:
- Keeping straps and ratchets loose
- Overshoes
- Taping up vents
- higher cuffed socks
- Putting foil under the insole (shinny side up)
- Foil around foot (shiny side in)

I wouldn't fuss too much about shiny side in/out or shaking it all about. From tinternet (so it must be true):

Aluminum foil is run through finishing rollers in the factory in a double layer; the sides that touch the rollers end up shiny, and the other sides end up dull. The theory is that the shiny side will reflect heat waves, so if you wrap something with the shiny side facing in, when the food starts to heat up, that heat will be reflected back into the food. But in reality, it doesn’t matter. A surface only appears shiny if its roughness is less than the wavelength of light. Since heat is transmitted by infra-red rays which have a longer wavelength than light rays, it is perfectly possible for a dull-looking surface to be 'shiny' as far as heat is concerned.

thomasmorris

Learn something new everyday!

Redbaron1

I have a few pairs of bridgedale socks that are brilliant. They also make a wool calf warmer that I am tempted to buy.

navrig2

Not convinced that foil works in these circumstnaces. Foil reflects radiated heat but there wont be much radiated heat when it is sandwiched between shoe and insole. Foil (as a metal) will conduct heat very well and there will be loads of conduction heat between the insole and the shoe (albeit an equilibrium will be reached very quickly thus making the foil useless).

However foil is a very good wind cheater and wrapping your foot in foil will have the same effect as sealing the vents in your shoes.

thomasmorris

I tape the vent on the bottom of my shoe, and the vents around the front of the toes, as they are plastic. However tape won't stick to the vents on top as they are in fabric and the tape peels off.

Maybe the benefit of my foil is just stopping air flow from the untapped top vent?

Maybe I should try something else?

To be honest, i don't usually wrap my feet when I have overshoes on, but when it's around 8-10 degrees. However I have velotoze toe thingies now which maybe fit this purpose?

Winters coming, i shall experiment with the foil / no foil / foil substitute!

Tiesetrotter

Daniel B wrote:

As mentioned twice already, these are superb, AND incredible vfm:
http://www.planetx.co.uk/i/q/CLPXMERS3P/planet-x-thicky-merino-socks-(3-pack)

Yep perfect. I use them for everything in the winter, riding, work, walking the dog.