I’ve been fairly disappointed in all the socks I’ve tried that are made specifically for cycling, Castelli included, which is my beloved kit for everything else. My thoughts are to widen my search and try those made for other winter sports, like skiing. But I don’t really know where to start. And they’re a little on the pricey side to demo.
What winter or cold weather socks do you love? Please provide some details as to why, and any other relevant info – thickness, material, etc.
Defeet Woolie Bookie
But really any long will sock will do. They should be medium thickness, vary density by how warm you need.
I’ve been fairly disappointed in all the socks I’ve tried that are made specifically for cycling, Castelli included, which is my beloved kit for everything else. My thoughts are to widen my search and try those made for other winter sports, like skiing. But I don’t really know where to start. And they’re a little on the pricey side to demo.
What winter or cold weather socks do you love? Please provide some details as to why, and any other relevant info – thickness, material, etc.
What don’t you like about them?
I think that Windstopper oversocks are awesome at keeping things toasty(ier)
In general Darn Tough makes good wool socks from a fit and durability standpoint.
Smartwool have terrible durability
defeet woolie boolie. slightly thicker than typical castelli racing socks. wonderful in the winter. add ski toe Warmers and booties for the really cold days.
Swiftwick Pursuit have been my favorite since I was introduced to them. Run, bike and XC ski, feet stay dry and warm. Not as thick as Woolie Boolie and seem to keep my feet drier.
As mentioned, the Woolie Boolies are good…albeit pretty thick. If you have tight fitting shoes it may be an issue.
Huh. It may be boring, but I’ve been very happy with Pearl Izumi Elite tall wool socks. They’re pretty boring this year with no fun patterns but the thickness is good for me, I’d say they’re medium-thin. They come in a thermal version which is supposed to be warmer but I can’t tell the difference. I have about 6 or 7 pair of these.
I use winter socks by keen, don’t know if there is a specific model name. Can’t be too thick though cause it wouldn’t fit in the shoe (I use the same summer and winter) but if it’s getting near 0 I use a toe cover plus a winter bootie over that. Anyhow after more than 2 hours it’s getting cold.
Never tried those warm pads but was thinking.
DeFeet Aireators do me fine. Great longevity (I have 3 pairs used in rotation that get used virtually every day for commuting for the last couple of years and they still look as good as new), and they’re plenty warm enough for me.
I prefer to use the same kind of sock year round and then deal with the cold by changing shoes and/or using overshoes. If my feet are dry and protected from the wind then I really don’t need a lot of sock for them to stay warm. If it’s really wet then the only way I have found of keeping feet dry is a pair of ankle high MTB shoes with fully taped seams, and then waterproof trousers or tights over the top. Mainly use those for commuting though, if it’s that wet at the weekend I generally stay indoors. When it’s cold and dry, or just light rain, then a pair of neoprene overshoes normally does the trick. I do have a pair of Sealskinz waterproof socks, but don’t use them much as they’re bulky and as I have quite snug-fitting shoes then they’re not great on comfort.
I ski as well, lots of high tech sock options for you to look at there, and they tend to be pretty good at wicking moisture away and also allowing the feet to stay warm when moist (can get pretty sweaty in a ski boot…). But the good ones are also quite thin, the general thinking on keeping your feet warm when skiing is to have a snug, well-fitting boot with a fairly thin sock.
As mentioned, the Woolie Boolies are good…albeit pretty thick. If you have tight fitting shoes it may be an issue.
+1 for Woolie Boolies but any socks made from Merino wool keep you toasty even when damp. If it`s wet, Gore make socks that are pretty effective to keep you dry but have no insulation so you need thin socks underneath.
On the coldest days I use a pair of fleece socks (kind of like these, but not the same brand) over a pair of wool socks and LG wind proof shoe covers.
As mentioned, the Woolie Boolies are good…albeit pretty thick. If you have tight fitting shoes it may be an issue.
At a friends recommendation, I got some Woolie Boolies. They are too thick for my taste when cycling. On the other hand, they have by a huge margin become my go-to sock for day to day non-cycling wear. I love how warm they are and they are super comfortable. They just don’t feel right to me on the bike.
Do you use overshoes? How about mudguards?
Socks on their own will always be sub-optimal compared to socks and overshoes. If you’re going to do a lot of winter riding, mudguards will transform your world. Usually mandatory on all group rides.
Castelli nanoflex boots are okay. I’m not a huge fan of neoprene, but for many neoprene overshoes work well. Rapha even do some… 
How cold?
What shoes?
I ask because both of these things will dictate what the choices are.
The second question is asked for several reasons. A well fitted road shoe, does not really have room for a much thicker sock. And thick-sock/tighter fit will actually lead to colder feet. Also thin carbon soles get really cold and will conduct that cold directly to your feet.
i tend to wear whatever socks and wear toe warmers or shoe covers.
i find this better than really thick socks.
i have some swiftwicks they sent me(free) that were thicker. i’m not sure what kind they were but i think something was spelled wrong on them.
I like Feetures elite+ merino wool socks. They aren’t as thick as most winter socks but keep your feet warm. I do use shoe covers if it is below 40 degrees and my feet stay warm and dry for the ride. I have wider feet than most so extra cushioning in the sock tends to make my feet uncomfortable for the majority of the ride so these socks fit the bill for me. YMMV.
I use Seal Skinz socks, but tbh the weather over here is normally wet and hovering just above zero in winter, which is why I choose socks with a membrane as feet generally get soaked.
Speaking of shoe covers, what does everybody use for cold weather?
Another vote for Woolie Boolies. NC may not be as cold as up north, but they keep my feet warm.
Mid 30 and under I use the Castello Diluvio show covers or ride my Lake 303 boots. In the high 30s and 40s I just use toe covers.