Ski Socks for a very chunky lass

[popelady]

Hello! I've been (anon) following so many posts on here about boots for chunky thighs and wondered if y'all could help with some recc's for socks! For context, my calves at their biggest are 19 inches! (I do powerlifting in my free time so its a *lot of fun* trying to find ski gear to fit cos everything is muscle and doesn't jiggle as much, esp calves & thighs)

I've got my trip coming up on the 5th March and was planning to wear tights until I got a bit of a telling off from a few people (despite me doing it before with rented boots)

For context, this isn't my first time skiing, but it is my first time back since 2017 - I've been skiing my whole childhood & adulthood until taking a break in 2018 and 19 to compete in powerlifting & travel.

(i dont need heated, or anything I just need something that wont fall down and that dries)

 

[popelady]

(for context, I'm skiing, I'm 5ft tall, and have size 4/5 feet so mens socks might not work for me as i have vv smol feet)
(I'm based in the UK too - skiing in France this year rather than austria which is my country of choice)

 

[Jilly]

Thanks, I was just going to ask that question.

 

[bsskier]

Bridgedale Women’s Race socks! Won’t fall down nor leave an indent on our athletic calves. Here’s the euro link but you can usually find a pair online (or at a true boot fitter).

Women's Race Over Calf | Bridgedale

Women's performance sock that is thin and light giving the closest possible boot fit. Ideal for custom boots or when a no-bulk fit is desired.

www.bridgedale.com

 

[diymom]

Welcome to the forum. I think I remember a similar thread from a few years ago. Maybe try a search on "wide calf socks"on here. In the mean time, the one brand I tried with different calf width options is Falke. Sadly more options for men than women though. For women they have two widths, for men they have 4 I think. I wear a UK6 so was able to pull off the men's sizing.

Sockwell has a couple on their site that are marketed as "wide fit" styles. I think I read somewhere that they are supposed to be 20% wider? Or branch out to non ski specific socks without seams in a wicking fiber- go on Amazon and put in "wide calf socks women".

Why no tights? I assume you mean the footed kind, like you would wear under a skirt.

 

[Jilly]

I have a friend with the big calves and she swears by Bridgedale. But she also have big feet!!

 

[popelady]

Ahh I found a few threads but quite a few of the brands seem to have gone out of business or at least don't ship to the UK!

I got told tights (yes the footed kind, I think the US call them pantyhose? https://snagtights.com/collections/50-denier-tights/products/80-denier-opaque-tights-builders-tea specifically these and the 120 denier ones for cooler days under my thermals)
sorry tights, wont give me the padding i need on the shins but also I run barbells over them every week and I've had my bruises whilst I went thru it!

I'll look at Bridgedale! Looks like they are out of stock in a lot of places though :( Fingers crossed I find some!

(ON Falke, i've just ordered a pair!)

 

[newboots]

I have seen wool tights somewhere, some time. Those would work, although without padding. Good luck with the Falkes!

 

[Divegirl]

Hello @popelady - I have extremely wide calves and smallish feet - I wear Smartwool men's XL ultra thin socks and I boil the feet (not the whole sock) to shrink them - yes it works, should I have to do it - no. My bootfitter clued me into boiling the feet to make them fit.

 

[knolan12]

CEP Compression socks! They're pricey, but come in different sizes. They also come all the way up to the knee (regular ski socks hit me at the meatiest part of my calf womp).

 

[Jilly]

Not sure how Mountain Warehouse's socks fit. I know a lot of their stuff is big. Since they are based in the UK, you should be able to find them.

 

[newboots]

I was skiing in compression socks - felt wonderful! - until I realized they were at least partly to blame for my Morton's neuroma. Doing better without. (Irrelevant to the topic of this thread, mostly)

 

[CaliSkiCat]

Hello @popelady - I have extremely wide calves and smallish feet - I wear Smartwool men's XL ultra thin socks and I boil the feet (not the whole sock) to shrink them - yes it works, should I have to do it - no. My bootfitter clued me into boiling the feet to make them fit.

I know this is an old post but love the idea I'm so going to try this. Thank you!

 

[Divegirl]

@CaliSkiCat - You don't have to do this any more! Smartwool has extra stretch zero cushion ski socks. Mens and Womens. I have some of each - they fit over my very chunky calves and I can find a foot size to fit. I have the purple womens and the mens blue. Wore them yesterday. NO digging into the calf at the top either.

 

[brooksnow]

My daughter loves her Smartwool extra stretch socks! Small feet, large calves. Thanks so much @Divegirl for letting us know about them.

 

[Divegirl]

My daughter loves her Smartwool extra stretch socks! Small feet, large calves. Thanks so much @Divegirl for letting us know about them.

You're welcome! I'm in the same boat as your daughter - small feet, large calves. I just stumbled on them looking for socks. So many women struggle to find well fitting clothing, it was wonderful to finally find socks for skiing.

 

[horsepowered]

Another vote for the Smartwool extra stretch socks, and a suggestion to either buy 3/4 or cut your baselayers off at the calf, so that you have less bulk inside your ski boots. My ski boots are at their absolute maximum with just my calf + thin socks - there's absolutely zero extra room to fit the pant leg, and on the one occasion I tried, I ended up with a bruise from the seam because it was so tight.

 

[TheGreenOne]

If you have small feet, I highly recommend buying from brands that offer few sizes for adults like Smartwood, Stance, Fox River --- Over calf ones are almost too long for me (I'm 5'1" so similar to your height), which I think means, for you, you can wear the shaft of the sock lower, which will allow the wider diameter of the sock at the elastic to accommodate your larger calf.

I've found Smartwool and Stance socks at Sierra heavily discounted, but that's a hit or miss—sometimes you get lucky and are there when they put out new batches. Always check them out when seasons change—I've found them on clearance price. HIGHLY recommend Stance's no-show socks for flats/tennis shoes in warmer months. I actually converted all my socks to these athletic brands, regular bulk pack socks neer fit my small feet. They stay on unlike many other no show socks. FoxRiver in my experience has shortest shafts, so maybe not the best option out of three brands.

Stance over the calf socks --- https://www.stance.com/stance-performance-wool-snow-otc-socks/PERFSNOWSOCKSWOOL.html

Stance no-show --- https://www.stance.com/stance-cotton-no-show-socks/NOSHOWSOCKSICONBLACK.html

The over-the-calf Stance socks do have fairy thick soles, may not work for everyone. I'm starting to steer away from any thickness and going super thin in ski boots.

 

[BlizzardBabe]

It's Bridgedale all the way for my 15.5 - 16 inch calves. Shoe size is 9.

 

[callmijane]

I got some of the smartwool extra stretch socks this season and I love them! They fit so well, and are very comfortable. Prior to this I was wearing Burton snowboard socks, which isn't ideal because they take up too much volume in the boot.