Skiing + Point 6 Socks *Gear Review and Giveaway*

*Contest Closed.  R1ch999999 (who said "I've been thinking about seeing how these socks compare to smartwool") you are the winner of the giveaway!  Please email me at mountainmamatales@gmail.com to claim your prize (I can't see your email!) Congrats!*

Staying warm while out playing in the wintry mountains is a pretty recurring theme around here. It is our greatest challenge, our greatest accomplishment, and the pathway to our freedom as parents with young children.  When one of us gets cold (ANY of us, really) the plans have to change immediately and it could mean having to pack up and go home.

In our family, we pretty much wear wool socks or no socks at all (yep, even the baby.)  We have just found that cotton leads to cold (or wet) feet, little protection and is usually downright worthless in the ever-changing climate of the mountains.  Quite honestly, our sock drawers are mainly full of Smartwool (which we do love.)

However, I was thrilled to get the opportunity to test out a bunch of Merino Wool socks from Point6, also based out of Steamboat, CO.  I love being able to test a bunch of different brands because it gives me the opportunity to make an even more informed decision about what I (and my family) like.

This past weekend we decided to try out another less-used XC trail with our AT (Alpine Touring) gear on (translation: downhill skis with lighter, more flexible boots, and bindings that release so that hiking and climbing with skis (and skins for traction) is possible.)

The added weight of the boys in the Kelty and Deuter + food and extra warm gear certainly add to being a little more top-heavy, and I am all for adding as much stability as possible (which the AT gear definitely has.)  Additionally, we didn't know what the downhill portion of the loop would be like and being on the wider skis and more stable boots is just better overall.

I'm not going to sugar coat the fact that the climb was hard.  The skis/boots are certainly heavier than regular XC gear and we (Mountain Papa to be exact) were breaking trail.  Plus, we spent nearly 2 1/2 hours climbing before our 20 minute, mosty-snow-plow (for the sake of going slow enough to be safe with the kids on our backs) descent.

Mountain Papa and I both had sweaty feet and the boys both had rosy cheeks (and the potential for cold feet.)  It was an excellent opportunity to do one last real test of our Point 6 socks before reporting to you.

The general verdict:
J's feet were warm (which can be pretty hard to master when he is in the pack and more exposed to the elements than he is in the Chariot ski trailer) and both Mountain Papa and I remained comfortable in our boots despite the strain of the climb (not too hot, not too bulky, and kept us warm on the way down.)

A little bit more about the specific Point 6 socks we were wearing:

For J (unfortunately Point6 does not make baby socks...yet...):
Kids' Ski Sock retails for $14.95

J wears these just about every other day (especially as his feet grow and they fit him a bit better.)  They hit him just a bit over his knee, but we usually roll them down a bit for comfort.  They are thick and warm and J wears these when he is downhill skiing with Daddy and when he is skiing with us in a pack (because they are that warm.)

For Mountain Mama
Hiking Tech Medium Crew retails for $19.95

A great sock for hiking, snowshoeing, and cross country skiing.  It is definitely padded more (so my wide feet can't handle them in some of my tighter boots) to help avoid "hot spots". They were perfect for this ski because they provided that extra padding and fit well enough to not bunch, bulk or rub when sweaty.


For Mountain Papa
Ski Pro Light  retails for $21.95

He wears this socks nearly every time he skis.  XC, backcountry adventures and Ski Patrolling.  They are warm, built with the intention of not rubbing in ski boots (particularly around the heel) and their no-stink Merino wool means they can be worn more than once (gasp!) between washes.

Why we love Point6:
We are huge fans of Merino wool because they are soft, flame resistant, don't stink, durable, easy to care for and great at regulating body temperature.  Point6 in fact got its name because the socks help you keep to the normal body temperature of 98.6 degrees (get it?!?!)

It is obvious that Peter and Patty (the owners) know what they are doing with socks and do it well.  They have thought out how the socks work in ski boots, hiking boots and just in daily wear.

Most importantly, Point6 socks are durable and will remain in our "sock line-up" for years.  They are made using compact spun merino wool as opposed to ring spun.  Compact spinning is a process that spins the wool tighter and in a fashion that less loose ends end up on the outside of the sock, where the wear and tear typically begins.  The socks are therefore soft AND will withstand a lot of wear (which is great when, like I said, we wear them daily.)  

And yes, we know they are a bit pricy.  However, you truly are paying for quality, warmth, durability and the idea of wearing a sock for a long time.  We think that makes it worth it.  We're hoping we can convince them to come out with an infant sock (something that would fit a baby like P.)


Right now Backcountry.com   is having a sale on their Point6 socks (as much as 25% off - sounds like a deal to me!)


Even more exciting is that Point6 has offered to send one of our readers a package of socks (surprise contents :))  To win, just comment on this post (sorry open to US only...).  I will choose one winner randomly and contact them by email after January 26th.  Good luck!!


Want another opinion about skiing with a kid on your back?  Check out this guest post from last week - it will get you thinking!


Point6 generously supplied our family with socks to test and review.  However, as always, the thoughts and opinions expressed here are completely and honestly our own.  Yarn photo courtesy of the Point6 website.  The backcountry.com link is an affiliate (see disclosure here.)