A brief – and now that the big thaw has arrived – probably somewhat irrelevant post about the wonders of good socks. I don’t mean the three-pairs-in-a-pack for £2 that you get in Tesco – I am talking about seriously expensive, thick, wooly, high tech hiking socks.
I know I do have a bit of a thing about socks. When I went to Berlin for the first German FreeFrom Food Awards I got seriously over excited about Falke’s socks. Over excited because although the Falke socks were lovely (and they were designed for left and right feet which is pretty cool) they did not really solve the runkling under the foot issue. However, that is a different matter from hiking socks.
A long time ago before I went walking in the foothills of the Himalayas I spent a good deal of time looking for the right boots. And I remember being told by the boot salesman that although getting the right boots was obviously a good thing, what you really needed to spend money on were the socks. A good boot was all very well but what changed a good boot into a really amazing boot were the socks – while a good sock could upgrade a mediocre boot to good one. I took his advice and splashed out on three pairs of these Bridgedale Trekker Women’s. And he was right. My feet positively skittered over those Himalayan foothills. But as with all good things, in due course the socks wore out and I sort of forgot about them – until this week!
On a quick visit to John Lewis last week to pick up some of the bits that the FreeFrom Food Awards’ cooks we’re complaining were lacking in my kitchen – I saw some ‘smart wool’ trekking socks on a stand – for £19 a pair!! I splashed out – and was I glad that I had.
Through all of the ice and snow of the last few days my feet have been nestling snugly inside my boots, cradled by my ‘smart wool’ socks, warm, comfy and totally oblivious of the Siberian gale buffeting the rest of me. To be absolutely honest, I am not sure that they are quite as wonderful as the original Bridgedale socks, but maybe my memories are just rosy tinted.
In any case, allow me to recommend to you all, lest the storms return, to invest in a good pair of cosy hiking socks – and do not stint. In this area you pay for what you get!!
Socks.. Oh yes.. Proper socks are the cat’s miaow! I am very very spoilt as one of my most treasured friends knits them. She finds proper, sock quality wool and we, her friends the recipients of these heavenly things, only have to mention that we would like long or short, in scarlet or crazy orange and they appear! We, in return, spoil her with books and homemade goodies. For life is not a one way street.
Well, those would knock socks off (oooh – so sorry) my smart wool jobs! How lovely!!