All About Socks and Tights

[Kevin Callahan]

Obviously as a male, I'm not exactly going to be wearing tights anytime soon, especially not hosery. However, I think even the thinnest socks I have might not be right for my new boots. I think there's too much slipping, and when I get out the wrinkles from my socks are imprinted on my feet. Is there some alternative? Perhaps a pair of those "try on socks" you can find at shoes stores or some other sort of sock type items made out of tight like material? Or I should I just try to find the thinnest socks possible?

[sk8er1964]

I know several guys who go barefoot.

How about black skating socks. Do they make those? I this I've seen guys wearing something like that.

[EastonSkater]

Maybe you can try these things...

http://www.skates.com/Coolmax_skate_socks_p/469.htm

The guy that gave a 1 star rating wanted medium thickness....but I guess these may have been too thin for him.

[EastonSkater]

I know several guys who go barefoot.

How about black skating socks. Do they make those? I this I've seen guys wearing something like that.

ahahahaha ... bare foot? That's incredible. The perspiration and things would really make that boot real nasty after a while.

[aussieskater]

My DH had a similar problem, and his solution was to start using thick black opaque (70 denier?) knee-hi's, which he raids from my drawer...on him, they come to mid-calf and look like fine weave but normal men's sox. Maybe try these? Several other men at our rink do the same (which is where he got the idea from).

[dbny]

ahahahaha ... bare foot? That's incredible. The perspiration and things would really make that boot real nasty after a while.

Quite a few elite skaters go barefoot in their skates, but then they need new boots every four to six months anyway.

[Jeanmarie]

I like micro-fiber trouser socks. They are like thick soft knee-highs.

[EastonSkater]

Quite a few elite skaters go barefoot in their skates, but then they need new boots every four to six months anyway.

Although, it doesn't take much time for perspiration to do it's thing. And I thought that the point of wearing socks is to stop blisters and things...unless you wear adhesive strips between toes and parts of your feet where blisters might occur.

[Mrs Redboots]

Kevin, go to the supermarket and look at the bit where they sell women's stockings. You will find something called "knee-highs" or "pop sox", which is what you want - these are very thin nylon socks that women wear under their trousers "for best", and they are perfect for skating in. You'll probably find several different shades, so get the nearest to black.

If you feel embarrassed at the thought of buying women's socks, get someone to get them for you!

I believe very thin silk or microfibre socks are also good, but the pop-sox are cheap enough to be quasi-disposable (if you _can_ wash them and get a second or even third wearing out of them, do so; if not, just bin them when you take them off), and you can keep a pair in your skate-bag for emergencies.

[Jump]

Hi,
How about getting black skating tights and cutting them off at the shin? That way you get 'thicker' socks but thinner than the 'knee highs' that are usually nylons?
Sounds like a horrid waste of money though. sorry!

[batikat]

I wear thin, short cotton/lycra ladies socks from Tesco (UK supermarket). Always have and probably always will. I've never had a problem with wrinkling as the lycra content keeps them in shape. I occasionally wear in the boot skating tights If I'm forced too but they never feel as comfy as my socks and OTB tights.

My problem now is that I've decided that I actually like the look of tights and white boots better with a skating dress than the look of OTB tights which look a bit like you have deformed and overlarge feet! But then I can't wear my lovely socks - dilemma!

[russiet]

Hi,
How about getting black skating tights and cutting them off at the shin? That way you get 'thicker' socks but thinner than the 'knee highs' that are usually nylons?
Sounds like a horrid waste of money though. sorry!

That sounds like a good idea.

I live in ski country. I visit the local ski shop & buy "sock liners". They are very thin, although not as thin as tights. You can also buy very thin ski boot socks as well; they are designed for upper end ski boots, which are similar also fit very snugly. Maybe something like this:

http://www.backcountry.com/store/LOR0017/c11/s100000009/Lorpen-S.S.M.-Ski-Socks.html?id=W5Ch5t6g

I'm not sure how thin that particular brand is, but that's the idea. I always find it better to be able to feel how thin the sock is while looking at the display on the wall.

I have skated barefoot when I've forgotten my socks, but I don't like the way my feet feel in the boot. I would worry about the smell build up as well.

Jon

Ahhhh, I just took a look at my socks....they are made by Smartwool.

https://www.smartwool.com/default.cfm

The particular model I have is the "Skiing Ultra LT", described as

"...the ultimate sock for that "snug" boot fit. This non-cushion sock fits like a glove and feels like a second skin. It features a flat toe seam for maximum comfort and is available in over-the-calf-height."

They post a retail price of $15. Available in black, silver grey & navy.

I give them two thumbs up.

[Cactus Bill]

Mondor makes a knee-hi sock designed for skating. They are a bit heavier than straight nylons are and hold up well. They are available in both suntan (for the ladies) and black. I get them from a local pro shop.

[VegasGirl]

I wear regular cotton sports socks, don't like anything thinner than that (and over-the-boot thights) but I suppose those would be too thick for your skates.

[Skate@Delaware]

I skate barefoot so my feet don't slip around. I use a lavendar oil spray in between sessions to freshen up my skates, and let them air out. Every other month, I take out the insoles and wash them by hand. Then they are good as new and fresh again. Your skates will absorb perspiration no matter if your feet have hose, socks, or nothing.....you need to air them out in between sessions.

[mikawendy]

I skate barefoot so my feet don't slip around. I use a lavendar oil spray in between sessions to freshen up my skates, and let them air out. Every other month, I take out the insoles and wash them by hand. Then they are good as new and fresh again. Your skates will absorb perspiration no matter if your feet have hose, socks, or nothing.....you need to air them out in between sessions.

Oh, duh [*smacks forehead*], I never thought about washing my insoles! They are GROSS and I was actually thinking of calling Jackson to order a new set. I think I'll hand wash them after I skate tonight! They are the smelliest part of my skates....

[Skate@Delaware]

Oh, duh [*smacks forehead*], I never thought about washing my insoles! They are GROSS and I was actually thinking of calling Jackson to order a new set. I think I'll hand wash them after I skate tonight! They are the smelliest part of my skates....
You actually can order new ones, but washing them will extend their life quite a bit :lol: and you can use dishsoap or shampoo or whatever smells nice-just be sure to really rinse it well!!! and air dry

[Kevin Callahan]

If you feel embarrassed at the thought of buying women's socks, get someone to get them for you!

This amused me.

EDIT: I reread what I had initially wrote, and it sounded extremely snotty, which was definitely not my intent, so I just decided to edit it.

[flo]

I like George brand socks - a very thin micro fiber from wallmart.

[Bothcoasts]

I like the thin socks that have colorful designs all over them--the ones you buy in sock shops that say things like "Happy Halloween!" in purple and orange letters. They're thin enough so that they don't wrinkle in my skates, and they also keep my feet warmer than knee-hi's or tights.

It's a great excuse to buy fun socks!

[iskatealot]

[QUOTE=sk8er1964]I know several guys who go barefoot.

QUOTE]
I dont know, maybe guys feet are different, but everytime I have ever skated barefoot I have had very painful experiences. Even more indents and lines and blisters....

[garyc254]

ahahahaha ... bare foot? That's incredible. The perspiration and things would really make that boot real nasty after a while.

Barefooting isn't unusual.

I'm a barefoot skater. I allow my boots to air well by keeping my small skating bag open. My boots don't smell and I don't have any slippage.

8-)

[garyc254]

I dont know, maybe guys feet are different, but everytime I have ever skated barefoot I have had very painful experiences. Even more indents and lines and blisters....

If you break your boots in without socks, they will eventually form fit to your feet and your feet will toughen to the boot.

I've found that a small strip of "adhesive knit" over hot spots does the trick for stopping blisters.

8-)

[sue123]

I like the thin socks that have colorful designs all over them--the ones you buy in sock shops that say things like "Happy Halloween!" in purple and orange letters. They're thin enough so that they don't wrinkle in my skates, and they also keep my feet warmer than knee-hi's or tights.

It's a great excuse to buy fun socks!

Hehe, you're like me. I wear all those types of fun socks too. I constantly get made fun of for them at the rink. Actually, I prefer nylon knee high trouser type socks, and I prefer to get those in colorful patterns. It makes my feet happy.

[doubletoe]

I wear thin cotton socks (which I assume have a little lycra or something in them). Not only do I find them more comfortable and less sweaty than nylon, but my feet don't slip inside the boots like they do when I wear nylon. In my last pair of boots, I ended up taking out the insoles and replacing them with the Dr. Scholls insoles they sell at the drugstore. They kept the soles of my feet dry and comfortable and of course they can be replaced once they start to get stinky. :)

[techskater]

Barefoot is not as gross as it may sound. I had my last pair of skates for 3 years and wore them barefoot every day. Of course, I spray them out on a regular basis so there's nothing growing in them

[Kevin Callahan]

I tried barefoot today, and it didn't quite work out.

[Casey]

Wearing socks, even thick ones, doesn't exactly protect your skates from perspiration.

I've skated barefoot a few times, but it doesn't really work in my skates because the boots are a bit too large - I need average thickness socks to make them comfortable enough to wear, and heel bunga pads to boot.

But even with that, my skates get pretty sweaty after a few hours, and need to dry out. Skating barefoot I think may even generate less perspiration, since the feet might not stay quite as warm.


While on the topic of tights, I'm a guy too and while I guess I could wear tights, I'm uhh...not exactly inclined to. ;-)

That being said, I quite enjoyed wearing jazz pants which male dancers do wear, but are typically a female's article of clothing, for the past year or so while skating. They're loose at the bottoms, from about the mid-thigh down. I recently bought a pair of sportpants from a thrift store (where I do all my clothing shopping) which are tight all the way down the calves. I was a bit nervous about wearing these out the first couple times, but decided I didn't really care and gave them a go. I found that they're absolutely fantastic to skate in, because there's no loose pant legs to watch out for or to create additional drag (I was able to spin better as a result).

I don't really understand why it is that women wear form-fitting pants all the time and they look fine, but men generally wear looser fitting clothing. I just decided I don't care. :P

[Mrs Redboots]

I don't really understand why it is that women wear form-fitting pants all the time and they look fine, but men generally wear looser fitting clothing. I just decided I don't care. :PYou're certainly not the only male skater to wear the tight-fitting leggings for practice; many of the more serious ones do. Much better - no risk of catching yourself with your blade on a spin or jump as you could with the baggy ones.

Having said that, I don't think there is any way in the universe I could persuade the Husband into them - even though when we're practising together I have to skate in a skirt, no matter how cold it is, if we plan to work on our lifts! And it is very cold at our rink at the moment! And out of it, come to that.

[Isk8NYC]

You actually can order new ones ...

In the past, I've replaced Riedell's insoles with no pro shop assistance. I don't even remember them charging me a fee.

I had sent Jackson a request for new insoles via email and the reply came back to have my pro shop order them. Obviously, I never got around to doing it since I'm still looking for new insoles.

From whom can you order new Jackson insoles, other than the pro shop?