WETSOX: Not Your Average Neoprene Socks
Bryan Marville March 29th, 2016 Posted In: Articles Tags: Surfing
Putting gear on before surfing in Iceland.
We know you’ve been there, trying to easily get into your wetsuit boots before hitting a great session in the water. Everyone else is in the water by the time you get one wetsuit boot on. Frustrating, right? Enter in WETSOX. These revolutionary and innovative neoprene socks work by eliminating friction between the person and their wetsuit – wet or dry.
We’re NY, NJ, and East Coast surfers and we really don’t want to spend a lot of time getting in and out of our wetsuit gear. WETSOX cuts down on that time and offers great rash and friction protection. I put my neoprene socks on before I even leave the house. That way, I’m ready to get in the water super fast. The biggest thing for me is AFTER I get out of the water on really cold days and I’m just totally sapped. WETSOX make it so I don’t have to fight with my gear.
When we created these neoprene socks, we also realized that we didn’t have to pull and stretch our wetsuit and boots, which helped prevent any fast wear and tear. WETSOX actually make the rest of your equipment last longer. The ORIGINAL line provides just the right amount of protection and ease for getting in and out of wetsuit boots. And the THERMS line adds another millimeter worth of warmth beneath your boots as well as compression to keep the circulation flowing where you need it most.
6 oz. Split-Toe ORIGINALS
1mm Split-Toe THERMALS
As with any idea, there were some hurdles we faced while creating WETSOX. The obvious one is cash. But I think the biggest one was making sure we had a quality product and that it surpassed any demand surfers or water sport lovers would have for a product like this. We had to make sure that the toe pockets were the correct length. The stitch and thread had to have some stretch and the sizing had to be right. We launched the split toe first because it could work with either style boot and because we knew it would be the hardest to make. It took FOREVER (at least it felt like it) to find a reliable production facility that would even take on the project and one that could make the socks properly. But, we finally found one.
We also wanted to make sure that the concept and education behind WETSOX was user-friendly. After much trial and error along with the support of friends, family, and members of the surf and paddle communities, we were proud and able to launch these wetsuits socks. I can’t stress how much so many different people have helped us – just for the sake of helping us. Our buddy, Al Ciske, who shapes NME in Portland just called us one day and was like- ‘Hey, I saw your socks. Pretty rad. Send me some and I’ll tell some folks around town.’ He introduced us to a bunch of shops out there and helped us spread the word. It was just awesome.
What’s next for WETSOX? We’ve now added an original and thermal version for round toe boots! We’re also a gear company at heart so we’re going to keep making gear and continue to try and solve problems. We’ve got a few things in the pipe – but you can count on the fact that we’ll be paying homage to our cold water roots.
Want to know how to get in and out of wetsuit boots with WETSOX? See below!
