Cob Jockey

My winter riding wardrobe has been pretty well set for years at this point - and if you remember, my winter wardrobe is extra important because I have a condition that causes my hands and feet to go numb easily, and then causes me to nearly pass out when the blood comes back to them. 

Socks are always coming and going though, as socks do.  I've never been truly impressed by any winter socks I've tried (and I have tried THEM ALL), which is why I always supplement them with disposable whole-foot foot warmers if I'm riding below 30, or if I'm sitting still outside and it's below 60.

That is, until I took a flyer on these when I needed to hit a free shipping threshold a few months ago:



Guys.  These socks are my holy grail.  They are so warm, they've actually pushed back the threshold at which I need footwarmers.  They're so warm, I wear them for our 10 minute walk to our favorite bar downtown and find my feet getting warm during dinner, something that normally doesn't happen  when I wear other winter socks there.  And they're so light, I don't even notice I'm wearing them.

Why are they so good?  Alpaca fibers!  Alpaca fibers "have an advantage over wool though because of the extra hollow space in the fiber. This additional space creates a greater thermal capacity and allows for more warm air to fill the textile and provide extra warmth over its sheep’s wool counterpart....Alpaca fleece offers equivalent softness, more warmth and higher wicking properties than merino wool, and is also hypoallergenic and eco-friendly."

"Yeah what up, the superior sock producing animal here checking in"

I've been wearing them all winter, and they've washed up well and held up great.  The only thing I don't like is that they're crew socks, so they tend to slide down my legs a bit when I'm pulling breeches over them.  But, if these were knee high, they'd probably be prohibitively expensive, so there's that.  At any rate, I still love them so much I've since bought a total of six pairs for me and two pairs for gifts!

They're tough to find online - not sure if they're being discontinued, if it's just an end-of-season thing, or if most riding apparel companies just didn't pick them up - so if you are interested in trying them, jump on it!

Bottom line: These outperform wool socks, hunting socks, ski socks, shiny reflecting-your-body-heat socks, men's socks, Canadian socks and literally every other sock I've ever tried, and I'm obsessed with them.

What: AriatTek Alpaca Performance Socks
Price: $16.95 on RW or $13.95 direct from Ariat (free shipping at Ariat too)
Size/color options: RW has black/grey in XS/S (up to women's size 8) and M/L (8+), as well as navy/red in XS/S.  Ariat has beige/rose in XS/S.
Where to buy: Riding Warehouse | Ariat