Elbec: how to choose mountain socks

For every sport its equipment, for every sportsman his ideal sock: here's how to choose the right mountain socks model

When it comes to mountain sports, there is no universal rule: every sportsman has his own needs and his own style. For this reason, when you find yourself having to choose a tool or a technical garment you cannot simply rely on chance or only on aesthetic taste. There are so many variables to consider! In the Elbec online store we try to give you all the information that may be useful to you with videos, photos, reviews, tutorials, testimonials, but sometimes even this information alone fails to clarify. As someone said that “less is more”, we decided to close the circle to two basic concepts for the choice of your mountain socks: let's see them together!

 

What material is used for mountain socks?

The first thing to consider when choosing is the material: not only your performance depends on this, but also your comfort and foot health. Do they have to be 100% natural yarns? It would be better, of course, but socks in 100% natural yarns are not always performing or suitable for certain activities. Take Elbec's NATURE line, for example: these socks are made of superior quality extra-fine merino wool. It is an organic product line, because no pesticides are used on the animals and they are fed only with hay and pasture grass (only GOTS certified organic farms are chosen) and it is not treated with chlorine in the dyeing phase to respect you and the environment. In the NATURE line we use a very small amount of polyethylene on the heel and toe to ensure the durability of the mountain socks and a better grip on the foot. The TECH line, on the other hand, is made of 60% merino wool and 40% polycolon. The intertwining of the yarn is thus much more resistant and easy to dry, so the foot does not remain damp with all the consequent inconveniences (temperature changes, blisters, humidity, etc.). In both lines, our merino wool, in addition to being organic, is certified no-mulesing in respect of the health and life of the sheep. These, and other characteristics, make them the best trekking socks on the market according to our point of view.  

When to choose the TECH line and when to choose the NATURE line?

Knowing the yarns and the percentage of natural and synthetic material present in each of our socks lines, the choice of the most suitable socks for you depends on the type of activity you will carry out. The NATURE line is for you if you practice sporting activities occasionally and of light intensity, which do not lead you to sweat excessively. More generally, we recommend it to all sportsmen who pay particular attention to the environment and their physical well-being. The TECH line, on the other hand, is recommended to all sportsmen who practice intense activities such as climbing, aerobic sports at a competitive level and to mountain guides of any level. With this line you are assured of a performing product that lasts over time, even in case of frequent and intensive use. However, we remind you that even in this line we only use controlled and certified yarns even if of synthetic origin.

Do you need a thick or thin sock?

This is the second point that for us is essential to consider, above all because it is a very subjective aspect. To help you decide though, we leave you some rough guidelines: ● You must be able to move your foot freely in the boot, both in summer and in winter, you must be able to move your feet and you must not feel compressed ● The thicker the sock, the more thermally insulated the foot will be ● The thicker the sock, the more resistant it will be over time and wear ● The thickness of the sock, with time and use, tends to decrease ● For technical equipment we suggest thinner socks, for more classic equipment thicker socks are more suitable.

 

Choose the right mountain sock based on the activity

We had said that to simplify the choice of the best mountain sock it was enough to consider the material and the thickness, but the type of activity you are going to carry out also is important for deciding. So here are the tips for choosing the right Elbec mountain sock for each discipline: ● Trekking in summer - Trekking Light series NATURA line as well TECH line ● Ferrata - depends on the type of shoe used ● Approach - Trekking Light TECH or Sky Black TECH ● Trekking in winter or at high altitude - Hiking NATURE ● Snowshoeing - Hiking NATURE or Ice Climbing TECH ● Nordic walking and Nordic skiing - Trekking Light TECH ● Ski touring and slip boards - Skimo TECH ● Descent on skis - Alpine NATURE ● Free rider - Alpine NATURE ● Ice Climbing - Ice Climbing TECH (the name says it!) ● Mixed routes - Ice TECH or Skimo TECH ● Mountaineering - Mountaineering TECH or Mountaineering NATURE ● High altitude and expeditions (over 4,000 meters) - Mountaneeting TECH ● Running - Sky Black TECH for trials and ultra trials, in mid-seasons or with low temperatures ● MTB - Trekking Light TECH and MTB ● Winter Cycling – Bike Packing Organic Now that you have an overview of most mountain sports, you can more confidently choose the sock model that best suits your needs. If you want more information don’t esitate to contact us by mail to: info@elbec.it