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For The Nylon Addicts For Everyday Comfort >> Bambootz Are you one of those riders who sprays her legs with ShowSheen and recruits someone to hold her down while someone else hauls her super-snug tall boots off? Chances are, you're sticking with nylons to try to get the closest possible fit. These days, nylons are fun to wear, as you can get them in dozens of different designs, but they run pretty easily and just don't give the same performance of an actual sock. Enter Bambootz, kneehigh slim socks made from organic, sustainable bamboo. They're about as slender as nylons and feel silky soft, but they're much more durable, with a reinforced toe and heel. They're antibacterial and hypoallergenic, too, and, like JoJoSox's other offerings, available in a variety of cute patterns. It's no wonder JoJoSox have become a favorite of the likes of eventers Sinead Halpin, Hawley Bennett and Allison Springer (who has a color pattern named after her). These socks cost a bit more than the nylons they're replacing, but they will definitely last a lot longer. $18, jojosox.com. >> Ariat Tall Boot Socks These lightweight socks are a solid all-around choice. On a long day of barn work, they stay up well under my jeans and kept my feet sweatfree. They fit well under my super-snug half chaps and my taut tall boots. They seem durable, with reinforced toes and heels. They don't quite stretch up to my knee, but I'm OK with that, as it avoids my least favorite fashion faux pas: socks sticking out the top of your tall boots. They're probably not the toastiest socks in your drawer, but they're slim enough that toe warmers will fit in nicely right under the toe once the mercury starts dropping. They're made in the USA from a nylon/CoolMax blend. Ariat socks are available in men's and women's sizes. $10.95, ariat.com. For The Injured Or The Chronically Cold >> Back On Track Socks To be clear, these socks aren't specifically for riding. But Back On Track's wraps and blankets are favorites of riders like Olympic gold medalist McLain Ward, so it stands to reason they could give aching human feet a boost, as well. I pulled these socks on hoping they could help support the foot I broke six months ago, which still throbs from time to time, especially by that 10th trip out to the paddock on uneven ground. Sure, they're made of special ceramic-infused material that reflects radiant heat to decrease swell- ing and increase circulation, but they look and feel like normal, slim-fitting mid-calf black socks. Within half an hour, my toes were remarkably toasty, especially given how slim the socks are (I wore them easily with dress shoes as well as paddock boots). And when I took them off at the end of a day of barn work, I realized my foot didn't ache at all. I have lousy circulation and am perpetually shivering, but I was amazed that, in these, my feet actually sweat on warmer days, even when I'm not working too hard. They're probably too toasty for most people to wear in the summer (they're recommended for people with diabetes or poor circulation), but for me, they're a godsend. Back On Track also recommends you try wearing them at night, which may be a good solution for people who'd like the benefit of the ceramic fabric without the heat. The special fabric does necessitate specific care: You can throw these in the wash on cool, but you have to let them air dry. $30, backontrackproducts.com. C H RO N O F H O R S E .CO M W INTER 2013 19

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