Wool socks. Brings back childhood memories of the thick, itchy socks tucked way back in my sock drawer, and on the first snow-day every winter mom would say, “Wear those warm socks Aunt Betty knitted for you. They are made for cold weather, you know!” Sure they kept you warm enough…if you like thick, scratchy sandpaper on your feet that made your boots so tight you couldn’t feel your toes. And following an afternoon of snow angels and sledding, ready for hot chocolate to warm up your frozen fingers, those socks were not coming off without the help of mom. How could something so hand-crafted with love make a sweet little child’s feet sweat so much on a cold winter’s day?? If this sounds familiar or interesting, read on friends, because lucky for us, the times have changed.

Smartwool resides in the heart of the Colorado Rockies in Ski Town USA – a town that proudly produces more Olympic athletes than any other place on the planet. So with mountain athletes and gold medal Olympians living and training in your own backyard, what better inspiration to produce performance, comfortable Smartwool socks?

After searching the world for the best wool, Smartwool found it in New Zealand. Unique climate and centuries of farming heritage produces the strongest, cleanest and brightest Merino wool, which is the best fiber for an unpredictable environment to control moisture management, regulate temperature, provide breathability and deliver an odor-free sock.

What’s really unique about Merino wool is that it keeps you cool in the summer and warm in the winter by working with your body’s heating and cooling system. It keeps you dry and comfortable by moving moisture vapors away BEFORE turning to sweat. So those days of the itchy, thick knitted wool socks – and hiding them way back in your sock drawer are over. Smartwool socks are made to wear year-round.

Skepitcal? Join hundreds of our loyal customers who took the plunge and bought a pair. These aren’t the kind of socks you find in the clearance bin in your favorite discount store. These are performance socks designed to last with exceptional comfort. Oh yeah, and they have some really cute styles. See what a Margarita feels like on your foot.

Have your own gold medal performance – in a race, hiking or just dashing through the grocery store. Smartwool socks. A smart investment.

It depends on the activity and your individual needs. If you're running, the socks will DEFINITELY make a difference. New Balance and SmartWool make running specific socks that provide temperature regulation, extra arch support and combat odor causing bacteria. I run in either the New Balance Coolmax N260 or the SmartWool PhD Running Light Micro. Both give me extra support in the arch area that helps to reduce fatigue from those extra trying jogs. They also keep my feet cool which is important considering they're taking the impact of the run with direct contact to the surface. And don't be afraid of the 'Wool' in SmartWool. It's exactly how it sounds, SMART! Made with Merino wool and fine combed to take out the 'itch'. SmartWool PhD collection in particular lives up to its intelligent sounding name. Check out the specs below to see why.

For just an every day sock I would go with what is most comfortable. If you don't have foot pain than you don't necessarily need the extra cushioning under foot that New Balance and SmartWool build into alot of their styles, although it could be considered a preventative measure. To show off just how smart they are, SmartWool also addresses the non-cushion and micro-cushion needs with some of their casual styles. And if you're strictly going for the 'cute' factor they have fun patterns as well, like the Margarita, the Saturnsphere for women and the Diamond Jim and Stripedo for men.I obviously wear New Balance and SmartWool running and casual socks for the comfort value. But you have to just go with what's comfortable for you. Believe me! Your feet will let you know when they are unhappy! Good Luck!

Seasons change but your fabric of choice doesn't have to!

Merino Wool so smart it's:
Itch Free. Odor Free. Blister Free. (Really!)
We love it so much we want to shout it from the mountain tops! But we don't think you'll hear us from there so Now through November 15th use code: SMARTFA09 on any order of 4 pair of Smartwool socks and the 4th pair is on us!

Cover Your toes, Family toes, Friend toes or one set of each and the Fourth Pair is Free!

Why 4 Pair?
To cover your holidays of course!
With one pair to grow on...

Ladies' Best Friend and Men's Hiking Smartwool styles are perfect for Thanksgiving because we are thankful for best friends, especially when the men are off hunting.

Christmas brings us Ladies' Cable and Men's Classic styles as the holiday favorites start to emerge on T.V.

Ring in the New Year with Ladies' Margarita and Men's Stripedo as we all have a little fun counting down!

...And One to grow on...
This is the best spot for the PhD styles!  
Why not finish out '09 or start the new year smarter than the average sock! The Smartwool PhD styles incorporate a 4-degree fit system and WOW (wool-on-wool) technology to provide support where it's needed at the temperature most comfortable.

So get Smart for feet's sake! Smartwool!

*You can also Print this blog and take it to any of our 6 store locations to take advantage of the
Buy 3 get one Free offer. But Hurry! Offer expires November 15th!
*Up to a $16.95 Value.

It's that time of year again. A sea of thousands upon thousands of people will fill the streets of downtown Saint Louis in support of Susan G Komen this Saturday June 13th.  Saint Louis held their first Race for the Cure in 1999 with 10,257 participants, a record for a first year Komen event. Today, the Komen Race for the Cure Saint Louis is one of the top three largest Race for the Cure events in the world with around 65,000 expected participants including over 4500 survivors. Up to seventy-five percent of the net money raised will stay in the Saint Louis area to fund education, screening, treatment and support groups. New Balance has been there since the beginning! New Balance proudly celebrates its 20th anniversary of association with Susan G Komen for the Cure this year, 2009. Read more about New Balance involvement here and here,where you can also find Lace up for the Cure® styles featuring the official logo and pink ribbon of Susan G Komen for the Cure. Sadly I will miss the race this year so I will have to rely on my comrades for footage and updates on the great event. In the meantime enjoy footage from last year's race. If you will be attending tomorrow's race be sure to look for the New Balance booth!

19°

Brrrrrrrrr!!!!

• Michelin Man-up!
  In other words: Layers, layers and more layers! You don't want to bulk up your body and make a steady pace uncomfortable so use less heavy, multiple layers. Start with a wicking fabric against your skin to pull away the perspiration allowing it to evaporate. Something like the Reach Tight and the Tempo top from New Balance is perfect as it incorporates Lightning Dry, a wicking fabric. Make sure your outer shell is a breathable, wind resistant fabric such as Gore-tex or nylon preferably with closures over the zippers to keep air from leaking through. New Balance has you covered here as well with the Sequence Pant and my personal favorite NBx Wind Blocker jacket.  If it's really cold or BRRRRR be sure to add an extra layer in the middle for insulation.
• Accessorize!
  Don't forget the hat and gloves! A good percentage of vital body heat can be lost through your hands and out the top of your head like a chimney. Take a pointer from the little ones and go with mittens for even more warmth on your digits. And don't forget your toes! Add a wicking coolmax layer under your warm wool sock.
• Streeeetttch!
  Warm yourself up with proper stretching, before and after your run/walk. Start slow and gradually work into a more vigorous routine as you want to warm up your muscles before hitting the pavement too hard.
• Factor in Windchill!
  If the wind is strong the temperature you feel may be much different than the temperature you see on the thermometer. If it's too strong it can penetrate your layers and remove the insulating warm air you worked so hard to attain. Run into the wind! If you head out into the wind it will be behind you on your way back when your more likely to be sweaty and can catch a dangerous chill. If the temperature is BRRRRR or the windchill is in the single digits or below you may want to play it safe on the treadmill.  
• Drink up!
  Make sure to drink water or a sports drink before, during, and after your run/walk. You may not sweat as much on a winter excursion but cold air has a drying effect which can increase the risk of dehydration. You can immediately feel the drying effect it has on your throat when breathing heavy in cold weather. Staying hydrated also ensures healthy muscle action and recovery after running in the cold.
• Take it Off!
  Get out of your damp clothes and into a warm shower or dry clothes as soon as possible after your run/walk. This is very important when temperatures are low. If you get wet from rain, snow, or sweat in cold temperatures you're at increased risk for hypothermia, a lowering of your body temperature. And it just feels good to snuggle up in warm clothes like the cozy Kaspian after an exhilarating run!
• Save Skin!
  Last but definitely not least protect your natural outer shell. Apply moisturizer and lip balm before heading outdoors. Winter weather takes a toll on our soft outer layer with cold temperatures, chilling wind, and lower humidity indoors and out. To offset the chapping and drying effects of Old Man Winter and Jack Frost, moisturize before your run or walk and after your shower.

Now you have no excuse but a lame one so go out and make some tracks in the snow!

*Cold air can trigger chest pain or asthma attacks in some people. Before braving the elements, talk to your doctor if you have any medical conditions or concerns about exercising outdoors.

Let's face it. Your feet are the body part farthest from your brain, both physically and more than likely, mentally as well. Most people, with the exception of foot models, probably don't think about their feet until there's a problem. However the age old saying, "Don't fix it if it ain't broken!" does not apply when it comes to caring for your feet. There are 26 bones in the human foot. Third grade math will tell you that's 52 bones in a pair of feet, which is 25% of the 206 bones of the body, not to mention the numerous muscles and tendons affected by all those bones. Wouldn't it make sense to keep them happy? I spoke with Certified Pedorthist Randy Brown to find out how to do just that. I've elaborated below on 5 important foot care steps he's highlighted for us to follow.

1. WASH YOUR FEET!

Keep your feet clean and reduce bacteria with daily washing. Be sure to dry between the toes. Do your feet sweat? You bet! Each human foot has approximately 250,000 sweat glands that produce about 1.2 pints of moisture per day, or almost 2 quarts per week, equaling 25 gallons a year! Some feet give off even more! All this moisture is a great place for bacteria to feed and we all know what that can lead to... stinky feet!
Choosing the right sock with breathability will help combat foot odor and perspiration. Contrary to popular belief, cotton is not the best choice. Cotton, while somewhat breathable is absorbent and will hold the moisture in. Whereas a material such as Coolmax  incorporates fibers that will wick moisture away from your feet allowing for acceleration of evaporation. The right shoe will also help. Tight fitting shoes can compress the small blood vessels near the surface of the foot. This interferes with normal removal of wastes through the blood system and forces waste removal through the pores via excessive perspiration. We'll talk about getting the right fit in step 4.

2. MOISTURIZE!

Apply lotion such as Khepra footbalm to your feet daily, summer and winter! Believe it or not the sweating we just mentioned actually dries out your skin. This can lead to cracking and allow bacteria to enter and cause infection. Do NOT apply lotion between your toes as it can cause excess moisture, which as stated before, is a breeding ground for bacteria. So between your toes it's: wash and dry; do not apply lotion.

3.CLIP IT. AND CLIP IT GOOD!

Keep your toenails trimmed. A toenail is made of a protein called keratin and consists of many different parts vulnerable to troubles. Ingrown toenails are the most common of these problems. To avoid ingrown toenails trim your nail straight across. Do NOT trim by following the curve of your toe on the corners. Keeping your toenails trimmed will also keep your socks from getting holey toes. 

4.WEAR PROPERLY FITTED SHOES!

25-40% of Americans have foot problems. Blisters, Corns, Calluses, Bunions and Bunionettes are all conditions/ailments that can be caused by abnormal and excessive pressure from ill-fitting footwear. As you've probably found, one size does not fit all.  Just because you may wear a size 9 in Clarks does not mean you wear a size 9 in New Balance. Every brand will have different fitting characteristics that have to be considered. In addition no two feet are exactly alike, even if they both belong to one person. What? Really. Typically one foot will be longer than the other or wider or thicker and you always want to accommodate the larger of the two. It is best to have both feet measured and watch for any available fitting characteristics when choosing new brands.  *In addition to properly fitted footwear you want a properly fitting sock. A sock that is too tight can draw your toes up or squeeze everything together causing abnormal pressure in numerous areas. A sock that is too big can wrinkle or bunch up inside of your shoes causing areas of friction and increased pressure. 
*Ensure your Shoes will Fit*

5. DO NOT IGNORE FOOT PAIN!

Persistent foot pain and uncomfortable pressure is not normal. It is not something you should just tolerate. Your feet may ache after a long day of standing or walking but a constant ache or severe pain in any area is not something to brush off or take lightly. If foot pain persists, please consult a certified pedorthist or see your physician for a footcare evaluation. 

Your feet may be at the bottom but a stronger foundation leads to a happier, healthier structure.

Have a particular ped-question? Ask Dr. Shoelutions!