Smartwool Socks
Posted on 31. Mar, 2010 by admin in Uncategorized
Sheep may have a reputation for being dumb, but their wool doesn’t. At least, not when it is in the hands of Peter and Patti Duke.
These two enterprising ski instructors from Steamboat Springs, Colorado, came up with the perfect sock for snow-sport enthusiasts and generally outdoorsy folk in 1994. Spun from Merino wool, the light, breathable, Smartwool socks became so popular with hikers and skiers that Colorado (the clothing and equipment company, not the State) bought out Smartwool in 2005.
Merino wool is a little like a natural wool-Lycra blend. This is the Rolls Royce of natural fibers and wearing a pair of Smartwool socks feels like wearing a second skin – a skin that is a better version of your on.
The secret of Merino wool is it’s fine fiber. Sheep wool is measured in microns, and Merino wool is usually less than 24 microns in diameter, with the superfine variety getting as low as 13 microns. This means that instead of pricking against the skin, the wool bends with it, cushioning the foot, reducing friction (the number one foot ailment among outdoor sportspeople) and wicking moisture away from the skin. Merino wool is also naturally stretchy, and as soft to the touch as cashmere without the finicky maintenance issues (Merino can be washed in the machine on a gentle setting).
The piece de resistance in the Smartwool sock is the crimped look of the fibers. This can only be seen under a microscope, but individual strands definitely look like they are corrugated. This creates hundreds of thousands of tiny air pockets, effectively providing insulation that heat the skin of your foot when it is cold and cooling it when the weather turns hot.
Every seen a flustered looking Merino sheep? Probably not – they’re wearing Smartwool socks after all.
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