They’re your favorite fly fishing socks. They cost upwards of $20 a decade ago, and you’ve been enjoying their soft, warm, wicking, anti-microbial features every time you’ve headed out into the great outdoors. Money well spent.
But lately things are rough, chilly, damp, and – if we’re going to be honest – a little stinky. I guess that is fishing, right?
No. It is your nasty old socks. It is socks that have been worn over and over again in demanding conditions. It is socks that have been washed and dried ad nauseum. It is socks that you’ve asked more from than you reasonably should have. I’m not saying you need to throw them away, but for the love of all things pedal: buy some new fly fishing socks.
This also applies to your jacket, your hat, your waders, and even your lucky fishing shirt. Waterproof things stop being waterproof. Breathable things stop breathing. Puffy things stop being puffy. That is simply the way of wool, nylon, and everything in between.
So how do you know when to throw in the towel and shell out another twenty bucks? Here are three things to pay attention to: