In the early 80’s enthusiastic Brits going skiing were advised what ski essentials to pack and this included sanitary pads for the shins. Most had no real idea of what that meant and why they would need them until they’d spent a day side-stepping uphill in tight and probably ill fitting boots. That evening, after releasing their legs from the boots to find bruised and sore legs that needed massaging and coaxing back to life, they participated most fully in the après ski activities until they could no longer feel a thing.

The following morning, however, had the dread of squeezing back into the ski boots and feeling severe discomfort as they were done up. Where there had been no space the day before for the sanitary pads, the pads were now forced into place to protect the shin with every step hurting until the exhilaration of skiing could replace the pain. For some people the pain really was too much and they had to retire from the fun sooner rather than later. If ski socks were even an option at that time they were mostly priced and thought to be just an accessory for the rich. But ski socks are not just an accessory and they do cost more than your standard sock because they are not your standard sock. A ski sock does what it says on the tin. Well, not quite what it says, after all, it’s not a sock for the ski but it truly is a sock for skiing.

Ski socks have always been designed to keep the skier in warmth and comfort thereby improving the skiers performance. It is hard to perform your best if part of your mind is thinking about the pain or possible pain within your boots and subconsciously limiting your turns. Both ski boots and snowboarder boots needed to be firmly, if not even tightly, fitted. This is because turning the feet in the boot thus turns the edge of the board or ski. If the foot is loose in the boot, when the foot tilts or turns it does so without the boot tilting and turning at the same time. Therefore, the tighter the boot the firmer the control over the skis or snowboard.

During the last 30 years ski sock technology has advanced enormously so that ski socks and snowboard socks are designed to enhance performance as well as keep the wearer in comfort. Ski socks that have low friction at the heel and ankle, such as the Bridgedale Mens Control Fit sock, use technical fabrics that allow for ease of access to slide into boots and it really does make it so much easier to get cold feet into cold boots. Ideally you wouldn’t have cold boots because you might have a boot warmer but sometimes it’s just not possible to store your boots anywhere other than a draughty store room. Women snowboarders wanting a little extra padding no longer need to pack sanitary pads to protect their shins but can check out the North Face Womens Snowboard-Padded Sock. This padded ski sock has cushioning to absorb shock at common pressure points during extreme sessions on or above the snow, when you don’t need any distractions as you want your edge to really count.