Smartwool Athlete Favorites
Our athletes take our products from 20,000-foot summits to 100-mile trails. They continuously inspire us to run a few more miles and take a couple extra pow turns. We design products to meet your every adventure, so it helps to have some of the best skiers, snowboarders, alpinists, and ultra-runners out there as our ultimate field testers.
Read on to get the scoop on some of their favorite Smartwool socks.
Griffin Post, Skier
Favorite socks: PhD Pro Freeski
Our PhD Pro Freeski is a serious sock built for serious skiers—just like Griffin. These socks offer the highest performance to give complete freedom on the slopes or in the backcountry. Griffin admits to spending an unhealthy amount of time on Google Earth, planning expeditions and day-dreaming of the places he’s yet to explore.
Rob Krar, Ultra Runner
Favorite Socks: PhD Pro Endurance
We worked with Rob Krar to create the ultimate sock for ultra running, so it should come as no surprise that these are his favorite! This purpose-built sock features Shred Shield™ technology to reduce wear from toes, activity-specific minimal and targeted sole cushioning, and a new malleolus ankle cushion designed for protection on the most rugged trails.
Bryan Fox, Snowboarder
Favorite Socks: PhD Snow Medium
Our very first snowboard athlete, Bryan knows just what he likes, preferring socks with the utmost cushion available. Our PhD® Snow Medium socks offer just that, with cushioning in the ball, toe, and shin of the sock.
Mary Rand, Snowboarder
Favorite Socks: PhD Snow Light Elite
The women’s PhD Snow Light Elite socks add some extra personality to your feet, just like Mary does to her snowboarding. With targeted cushioning in the heel and toe, body-mapped mesh zones, and our 4 Degree™ elite fit system, these socks can easily transition from the slopes to the backcountry.
Seth Swanson, Ultra Runner
Favorite Socks: PhD Run Cold Weather Crew
Residing in Montana, Seth doesn’t let the cold weather stop him from training in the off season. He’s taken the “brrr” out of his vocabulary with our PhD Run Cold Weather socks. Featuring a Merino blend and mesh zones designed specifically for runners, these socks help keep your feet warm during long winter runs.
Chris Benchetler, Skier
Favorite Socks: PhD Ski Ultra Light
We partnered with Chris to bring his artwork to life on our PhD Ski Ultra Light socks. The socks feature Indestructawool™ technology for long-lasting wear, our 4 Degree™ elite fit system, mesh ventilation zones, and our signature Virtually Seamless™ toe for ultimate comfort.
Blair Habenicht, Snowboarder
Favorite Socks: PhD Pro Mountaineer
When Blair’s not riding the world’s best powder, you can almost guarantee he’ll be found adventuring around the PNW in our PhD Pro Mountaineer socks. These socks were designed to support every move. They offer 20-30mmHg of graduated compression, extra friction protection, and a 4 Degree™ elite fit system, making Blair’s feet the last thing on his mind.
Curtis Ciszek, Snowboarder
Favorite Socks: PhD Snow Light Elite
Curtis is always ready to lay down some turns in our PhD Snow Light Elite Socks. With targeted cushioning in the heel and toe, body-mapped mesh zones, and our 4 Degree™ elite fit system, these socks are perfect for backcountry bowls or powder-filled trees.
Darcy Piceu, Ultra Runner
Favorite Socks: PhD Run Ultra Light Print Crew
Darcy likes to run far, and she likes to run fast. She’s drawn to steep, rugged trails with technical climbs and challenging descents. Not only is she an elite ultra runner but she also balances being a mom and counselor. She doesn’t have time for ordinary socks, making the Ultra Light Print Crew her favorite pair.
Nick Russell, Snowboarder
Favorite Socks: PhD Pro Approach
Nick can be found summiting peaks in both the winter and summer, making our PhD Pro Approach Crew socks a go to for his everyday adventures. These socks feature specified cushioning to help protect feet from footwear friction, our 4 Degree™ elite fit with flex zone, ankle padding that provides additional cushioning against loose rock and scree, and body-mapped mesh to help make even the most ambitious approaches more manageable.
Eric Jackson, Snowboarder
Favorite Socks: PhD Snow Light Elite
Eric has two passions in life, charging on his snowboard and catching wild steelhead with his fly rod. Our PhD Snow Light Elite offers targeted cushioning in the heel and toe, body-mapped mesh zones, and our 4 Degree™ elite fit system, perfect for skinning up mountain tops or into a remote BC river.