Smartwool Men's PhD Ski Racer Socks

good socks
January 26, 2012

the socks worked , good fit. fits good in boots. i would recommend this product. Ultra light in the heel and shin areas. With over-the-calf height, strategic mesh venting zones, a targeted 4-Degree System band raps critical foot zones for a precise performance fit.

Good ski socks
January 15, 2012

I like these socks, and would recommend them. They keep my feet warm, and are comfortable. My shins still looked red and abraded at the end of the day, but less so compared to other socks, and with little to no bruising. I am a little concerned about the durability, since the fibers over the shin have started to pill out from the nice neat weave they originally had, but washing them restored 95% of them back to normal. I expect they'll last me a couple seasons at least. These socks have a little padding around the shin, but not much, which makes them good for well fitting ski boots. If you are renting boots, I would go up to the PhD Ski Light socks for more padding. I would buy these again, and recommend them to anyone with good fitting boots.

Great ski socks
December 23, 2011

These socks were very warm under my ski boots. They did not itch. They weren't tight so the fit was good. Didn't fall down either. They are perfect for skiing!

great race socks
June 21, 2011

These are the best race socks, providing a thin fit but comfort and warmth. Only downside is that in achieving thinness, comfort and warmth, the sock will wear down more quickly than thicker ones. Still it's well-worth the trade off.

Comfortable Sock
May 12, 2011

I love these socks. They have great compression and just the right amount of cushion (kinda like Goldilocks and the three bears). The tron-like design on the socks is pretty sweet as well. I am over 6 feet tall and these socks come to just below my knee. This is a sock you can wear all day plus it has all the benefits of merino wool! Definitely consider this sock for your winter sports activities.

Perfect!
March 12, 2011

I bought these for my husband in "Loden" and he really likes the color and pattern. They are over-the-calf, light-to-medium weight, and they wash and dry nicely.

Good ski socks
February 09, 2011

Fits tight and very comfortable. A good go to ski sock. Smartwool keeps you warm but also lets you breath. These socks will be used often! The design is a litte futuristic but I can roll with that.

happy feet
February 03, 2011

Nice merino wool on my feet in freezing conditions keeps my soul happy. Seems they are just a bit thicker than a normal ski sock, not to the point where it will effect the fit of your boot.

Perfect fit, but weakness @ literal achilles heel!
January 17, 2011

Punchline: perfect fit, but questlionable seam at heel bodes poorly for durability. I own 5 pairs of these socks, and they are by far the best fitting ski sock for my foot and setup (have tried just about everything on the market over the last 30 years: Thorlo, Eurosock, Bridgedale, Wigwam ...). I use them for all-mountain skiing from the sidecountry & EX terrain to playing around with my kids on cruisers and in the park. I wear Smartwool's size Large with my ultra-narrow 98mm-lasted Salomon CX Pro boots (mondo 28 / US 10), and full custom insoles. The socks fits perfectly to the contours of my narrow, low-volume foot, with just enough padding at the heel to enhance heel hold and just enough padding at the shin help soften the repeated impact of skiing in the bumps: I've skied the with a PhD Racer sock on one foot and an unpadded PhD Ultralight on the other, and the addition of padding in these two critical areas on the Racer makes for a significant increase in comfort/performance. (FWIW, the Racer is basically the PhD Midweight ski sock with all padding deleted from the heel forward). One big caveat: I have a full season of use (rotated between 5 pairs), and ALL my Phd ski socks exhibit the same weakness: YOU CAN SEE SKIN THROUGH GAPS in the weave on the diagonal seam from the bony ankle-protrusions to the back of the heel. Thanks to the padding in the heel of the PhD Racer, these gaps don't cause the same amount of abrasion and discomfort as they do in the unpadded Ultralight version of the sock. Regardless, I have never had this problem with another Smartwool model (my family wears Smartwool year round, and we have over 40 pairs), and find this serious design flaw troubling in a $20+ ski sock. I have yet to have a seam fail on me completely, but I have a hard time imagining these socks will last more than one more season. Bottom line: great fit, but questionable durability/ build-quality

Fuzzy Warm
November 10, 2010

Great product. Very warm and comfortable. Fits on the small size so becareful to purchase a size up. Warm toes up the hill for sure. Washing advice...wash and air dry to retain true size!

Great cold weather socks
February 22, 2010

I'm not actually a skier, but got these socks because of the extra padding on the anterior shin for my winter boots. They are super comfortable and not itchy at all. Love them.

Great sock for close fitting skate ski boots!
February 03, 2010

I now have three pair of these. They do a great job of keeping your feet warm while allowing the secure fit required for cross country skate ski boots.

Terrific Ski Sock
March 11, 2009

Purchased a pair of these with my custom boot liner at full price, which was sorta pricey. If I wasn't such a cheapo with princess feet there'd be no way. But, these are great socks, which is why despite the bleah color (who cares, right? They're inside your boot), I jumped on these. Well worth it. Very soft, lovely merino that is not so lightweight that you feel that you have nylons on, like some. Very comfy heel and shin "padding"(extra thick section of sock), right where you need it along the tongue. Extremely comfortable and leaves your foot feeling dry at the end of the day. Nice and plush and keeps its shape really well (I believe there is a little synthetic comp in this to help). Nicer than my previous bulky synth socks by far. Highly recommended.

Excellent Socks
February 08, 2009

These socks are great at moisture management. The fit is perfect. The light socks are great for warmer days and the medium socks are great for those coolder times. The shin padding is perfect for ski racers. It gives a bit of extra comfort where needed;on the shin.