2024 Gear Preview: Le Bent Cody and Elyse Socks
Cody Townsend and Elyse Saugstad—both big-mountain skiers who have made a name for themselves in the ski mountaineering world—are the biggest power couple there is in skidom. So when they make innovations on new products with Le Bent, one of the coolest wool brands and a relative newcomer in the space, we pay attention.
A few years back, they helped Le Bent design the Le Send, some of the best touring socks on the market—and the first women’s specific backcountry sock. Now, they’ve revamped the originals for updates called the Cody Townsend Pro Series Zero Cushion Snow Sock and the Elyse Saugstad Pro Series Zero Cushion Snow Sock that remove the now-needless cushion in the toe. We haven’t tried either new model yet, but we love the originals. Here’s the skinny.
While the women’s version is fits slightly shorter in the forefoot and calf, the socks boast identical tech. Both have supreme breathability, temperature regulation, anti-stink properties, and comfort that comes from Le Bent’s blend of rayon, bamboo, and merino wool. They also both have Le Bent’s proprietary foot-molding memory stretch to deliver a precise fit even after a whole season on the skin track. They’re semi-compressive, have an anti-wrinkling elastic instep, and silicone strips on the heel and upper calf to keep them from sliding down. An achilles support band minimizes heel lift while you hike, which helps combat blisters and hot spots. But the big news with both is that they’ve eliminated the cushioned toe, which is no longer necessary with modern touring boots. The result is a more streamlined and less bunchy backcountry sock that allows for supreme feedback from your boots.
Is it an overstatement to say these will make you a better backcountry skier? We don’t think so. Anyone who’s ever been out there wearing anything inferior will tell you that socks matter. A lot.
