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I don’t know of anyone who enjoys having cold feet, which is why I’m always looking for the best socks for winter to keep my dogs warm. Whether I’m sipping coffee and working at my home office or on a trail in my Hoka Speedgoats, I typically am wearing Swiftwick merino socks and my OluKai slippers.
Swiftwick’s typical Vision line is made with a polyester blend. I wear them in summer sometimes but usually stick with merino wool. That may seem crazy for summer, especially in hot and humid Alabama, but the thin merino socks wick sweat and are comfortable. On trail runs, too, when I hit a creek or puddle they quickly dry out. Remember, cotton sucks for socks and underwear; go with wool or poly to avoid chafing, blisters, swamp ass and saggy shorts.
You’re probably still thinking about wool and all the wrong stuff you’ve heard from people about it in regard to socks. “Oh, it’s too itchy!” False. “Oh, that’s sooooo hot!” False. “Oh, I could never wear those!” False. False false false. The people who say those things are either old and thinking about scratchy wool from the 1950s like Ralphie wore in “A Christmas Story,” or they’re ignorant and don’t know any better, or they’re just snowflake stupid and don’t want to know any better. Bah.
What you should know is that merino wool is not scratchy. It’s incredibly soft, with a fine hand but one that is tough and can withstand years of use. I have older merino wool socks that I’ve used with hunting boots, outdoors shoes, trail shoes and casual shoes. Over time — years — they would get worn. Merino wool is tough. It also is quite warm, even in thin layers. I have a thin neck gaiter made with merino wool and it’s super. Finally, merino wool helps regulate your body heat and moisture, unlike cotton (remember, cotton sucks).
Swiftwick is now offering a new series of socks for the cold months — the Vision Winter line. These are made with more than 50 percent merino wool, so you get a combo of the regular Vision poly and merino. The addition of the wool gives you more odor and moisture regulation.
The new socks are available in Khaki Wolves, Cream Snowflake, Black Wolves, Cream Forest, Heather Forest and Navy Snowflake. It’s a limited edition, too, so if you’re keen on these … hurry and buy them now.
These would make a great gift for the holidays, and definitely would get a better reaction than, “Oh. Socks. Yay.” when someone opens the box. Find the new Swiftwick Vision Winter line and others here.