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Overpriced socks
Posted: Thu 15 Jul, 2021 6:44 pm
by Hikrazy
I have been paying $25 for brand name hiking socks for years and getting 50% wool socks.
I searched for a higher wool content with a Tasmanian trip in mind and found locally produced 90% wool socks for only $12.
Re: Overpriced socks
Posted: Thu 15 Jul, 2021 7:15 pm
by Avatar
I'm a UK 9.5 or EU 43.5 but I'd go with the size 11-14. These would also make great bed socks.
Aldi just had a special buy July 10, Hiking socks 2 pairs of 59% merino wool, 20% nylon, 19% acrylic and 2% elastane for $12.
https://www.aldi.com.au/en/special-buys/special-buys-sat-10-july/saturday-detail-wk27/ps/p/adults-wool-blend-hiking-socks-2pk-4/
Re: Overpriced socks
Posted: Thu 15 Jul, 2021 7:16 pm
by crollsurf
I love buying Australian. Do they have a website?
Sent from my SM-G965F using Tapatalk
Re: Overpriced socks
Posted: Thu 15 Jul, 2021 7:43 pm
by wildwanderer
Re: Overpriced socks
Posted: Thu 15 Jul, 2021 7:56 pm
by Avatar
Awesome find. Real wool lumberjack shirt is tempting. Note vintage fabrics for those with sewing machines, AND they have those for sale as well!
Re: Overpriced socks
Posted: Fri 16 Jul, 2021 9:22 am
by Franco
Great post, thank you.
Re: Overpriced socks
Posted: Fri 16 Jul, 2021 10:28 am
by north-north-west
And a lovely red long sleeve merino top. Gorgeous! Thank you (for breaking my budget).
Re: Overpriced socks
Posted: Fri 16 Jul, 2021 10:33 am
by gayet
And I think I'll need to ask them to produce knee warmers for those with artificial knees. Use the fabric as for the footwarmers, as a tube, with ribbing bands top and bottom, thicker at front than at back. I don't have fake knees but have been asked to knit some one who does. First pass only moderately successful.
Re: Overpriced socks
Posted: Fri 16 Jul, 2021 11:08 am
by Eremophila
Interesting comments on the website:
ORDERS phone-1800355411 Factory outlet also at 8 Trade Place, Coburg. only by appointment.This outlet has had an armed robbery and attempts to murder the owner. Melbourne a city of crime. 
Some good products and a good range of sizing. One item in my cart so far..... the red "skivvie".
Edit: just found the thicker skivvies in other colours. Hmmmm.
Edit Edit: they are the same product, lightweight apparently. Red not available. Grey and plum on the way.
I do love a skivvy and the lightweight merino is perfect to wear to work (office). My wardrobe is stocked with camphor after losing a favourite one a couple of years back to insects.
Re: Overpriced socks
Posted: Fri 16 Jul, 2021 3:03 pm
by Biggles
Victoria Market has a sock seller; I bought both summer and winter (70% wool/30% nylon) socks there just after the lockdown finished in November last year. Not sure if it is the seller mentioned in this thread.
I believe the big name brands are grossly over-priced to the point of anti-competitive gouging. And this is not restricted to socks, either!!
Re: Overpriced socks
Posted: Fri 16 Jul, 2021 3:57 pm
by Hikrazy
crollsurf wrote:I love buying Australian. Do they have a website?
Sent from my SM-G965F using Tapatalk
https://www.aust-woollenmills.com/
Re: Overpriced socks
Posted: Fri 16 Jul, 2021 3:59 pm
by Lizzy
Added some hiking socks to cart & shipping seems to be $6 per pair of socks. Cost doesn’t seem to decrease with larger quantities…. So not quite so good a deal when 6 pairs of socks has $36 postage
Re: Overpriced socks
Posted: Fri 16 Jul, 2021 4:59 pm
by Eremophila
Ouch! Might be worth a phone call?
Shipping was $17 for the two skivvies.
Re: Overpriced socks
Posted: Fri 16 Jul, 2021 7:26 pm
by Joynz
I have lots of these - and just bought 4 more pairs.
One warning - the heels wear out really quickly - at the top of the heel.
Re: Overpriced socks
Posted: Fri 16 Jul, 2021 9:16 pm
by GregG
I noticed on their web site (Australian Knitting Mills) that they have 50 sewing machines for sale, various kinds and prices. Being a sewing illiterate I didnt make much sense of it but thought it might be interesting to the keen sewers amongst us. Moondog? Lamont?
Re: Overpriced socks
Posted: Fri 16 Jul, 2021 11:49 pm
by Avatar
Joynz wrote:I have lots of these - and just bought 4 more pairs.
One warning - the heels wear out really quickly - at the top of the heel.
Thanks for the heads up. Disappointing. Might just use them for bedsocks then.
Re: Overpriced socks
Posted: Sat 17 Jul, 2021 7:42 am
by Lamont
GregG wrote:I noticed on their web site (Australian Knitting Mills) that they have 50 sewing machines for sale, various kinds and prices. Being a sewing illiterate I didnt make much sense of it but thought it might be interesting to the keen sewers amongst us. Moondog? Lamont?
Goodonya Greg. Ta for the notice.
Have had a good look and unfortunately nothing to tickle my fancy.
Re: Overpriced socks
Posted: Sat 17 Jul, 2021 10:21 am
by Lamont
Avatar wrote:Joynz wrote:I have lots of these - and just bought 4 more pairs.
One warning - the heels wear out really quickly - at the top of the heel.
Thanks for the heads up. Disappointing. Might just use them for bedsocks then.
I find these socks pretty useless for bushwalking -they need to be Merino and Nylon only I reckon and they wear through underfoot, all over, way too quick, but the top part remains in perfect condition so....
when they wear out underfoot--
cut the foot off and you have calf/knee warmers.
I often use synthetic anklet socks and pull the woolen sock/tube that's left, over my calf on cold mornings. They stay in place running.
Haven't unraveled and just have a cut edge but, you could darn up the edges easily in a few minutes per sock. They will last for ever.
Re: Overpriced socks
Posted: Sat 17 Jul, 2021 12:35 pm
by Moondog55
Just wondering how their footwarmers would do as tent/ hut slippers with a sole glued or stitched on
Re: Overpriced socks
Posted: Sat 17 Jul, 2021 2:04 pm
by Hikrazy
Moondog55 wrote:Just wondering how their footwarmers would do as tent/ hut slippers with a sole glued or stitched on
Am trying them out as bed and hiking socks in 2 weeks in Tassie
Re: Overpriced socks
Posted: Sun 18 Jul, 2021 4:07 am
by GPSGuided
Costco’s Kirkland hiking socks for me for quite a few years now but they seemed to have stopped men’s. Women’s are still available.
Re: Overpriced socks
Posted: Wed 21 Jul, 2021 7:54 pm
by Eremophila
Sorry mods, please move this post if necessary.
Received my skivvies/jumpers from Australian Knitting Mills very promptly on Monday. Texture and colour a little school-jumper-ish but not scratchy at all. The plum colour is nice, the grey is a very light grey. Sizing good, not small.
A staff member did text me to advise the colour I had ordered wasn’t available, which I thought was a nice touch.
Received a hand-corrected pamphlet with my order which has some handy sizing info, although they forgot to add in some of the “New Prices on Coats”. And a bizarre comment included in the pamphlet about being “black banned”.
The transaction appears on my account as PayPal even though I used a debit card which is not linked to my PayPal account. This is the only new merchant I’ve purchased from recently.
Today I see a number of fraudulent transactions on my account, all of them took place between 2am and 3am.
Now I’m not suggesting this company is connected to the fraudulent transactions. But in view of their unsophisticated website I’m wondering how good their cyber security is. The timing seems rather coincidental.
They do provide a pay-by-phone option as well, or by bank deposit.
Re: Overpriced socks
Posted: Thu 22 Jul, 2021 12:19 pm
by Voltaire
Many thanks - was just about to go and buy some "overpriced" socks, but have ordered a few through this site to compare. A$50 for 3 socks with postage, about what I'd pay for 1 sock elsewhere. As someone noted above though, the online function doesn't seem to discount for increased orders though.
Re: Overpriced socks
Posted: Fri 23 Jul, 2021 11:05 am
by slparker
I'll stick to my overpriced socks - this look like your standard loose, thick socks that cause blisters.
I'd be happy to be proven wrong but I have never got on with socks made in Australia that seem to be made for wearing blunnies to the worksite than bushwalking in day after day.
Re: Overpriced socks
Posted: Sat 18 Dec, 2021 9:18 am
by peregrinator
slparker wrote:I'll stick to my overpriced socks - this look like your standard loose, thick socks that cause blisters.
I'd be happy to be proven wrong but I have never got on with socks made in Australia that seem to be made for wearing blunnies to the worksite than bushwalking in day after day.
Judging from only the photographs, your assessment seems likely to be true. Sad, because I'd prefer to buy locally made. But can I ask what brand/s can you recommend?
I think a key word you chose to use is "loose". I'm sick of poorly constructed socks, where the heel section begins to stretch out of shape after being worn and washed a few times.
Re: Overpriced socks
Posted: Sat 18 Dec, 2021 10:36 am
by ChrisJHC
Overpriced but worth every cent: Injinji toe socks.
Did the Larapinta with zero blisters.
Also no cuts on my toes where the toenail from the adjacent toe digs in (no matter how short I trim them).
Re: Overpriced socks
Posted: Sat 18 Dec, 2021 11:18 am
by peregrinator
ChrisJHC wrote:Overpriced but worth every cent: Injinji toe socks.
Did the Larapinta with zero blisters.
Also no cuts on my toes where the toenail from the adjacent toe digs in (no matter how short I trim them).
Interesting you should say that. I've often worn these and liked them. But now want to go back to wearing Armaskins as a liner, so the Injinji's are not a viable combination.
Re: Overpriced socks
Posted: Tue 11 Jan, 2022 9:39 am
by slparker
peregrinator wrote:slparker wrote:I'll stick to my overpriced socks - this look like your standard loose, thick socks that cause blisters.
I'd be happy to be proven wrong but I have never got on with socks made in Australia that seem to be made for wearing blunnies to the worksite than bushwalking in day after day.
Judging from only the photographs, your assessment seems likely to be true. Sad, because I'd prefer to buy locally made. But can I ask what brand/s can you recommend?
I think a key word you chose to use is "loose". I'm sick of poorly constructed socks, where the heel section begins to stretch out of shape after being worn and washed a few times.
Darn Tough have been my faves for years now. They are a merino nylon blend and have a close weaved, almost felted, feel. They fit close and don't get loose when wet. They're expensive to buy but do last a long time and have a replacement guarantee that I have never actually bothered with - essentially you can send your worn out socks to the factory in vermont USA and they will replace them free.
Re: Overpriced socks
Posted: Tue 11 Jan, 2022 11:00 am
by peregrinator
slparker wrote:
. . . Darn Tough have been my faves for years now. They are a merino nylon blend and have a close weaved, almost felted, feel. They fit close and don't get loose when wet. They're expensive to buy but do last a long time and have a replacement guarantee that I have never actually bothered with - essentially you can send your worn out socks to the factory in vermont USA and they will replace them free.
Thanks for the suggestion. They do seem to be well made judging by the website information, so probably worth spending a bit more than what I've wasted on some abysmally constructed socks.
Re: Overpriced socks
Posted: Tue 11 Jan, 2022 11:19 am
by Turfa
peregrinator wrote:slparker wrote:
. . . Darn Tough have been my faves for years now. They are a merino nylon blend and have a close weaved, almost felted, feel. They fit close and don't get loose when wet. They're expensive to buy but do last a long time and have a replacement guarantee that I have never actually bothered with - essentially you can send your worn out socks to the factory in vermont USA and they will replace them free.
Thanks for the suggestion. They do seem to be well made judging by the website information, so probably worth spending a bit more than what I've wasted on some abysmally constructed socks.
Another vote for Darn Tough.... expensive but totally worth it. I have one pair that has over 3,000km on them now and they look no different to a brand new pair. Very comfortable in both wet and dry conditions. Pair them with some Injinji liners for really long days or ultra events.