Socks for cold sits
Warm toes at first light.
Knee-high socks knitted mostly from alpaca and merino. They move the walk-in sweat off your skin and insulate without bulk, without the damp socks on stand, the second pair or the batteries.
- Moves sweat off your skin on the walk in, so you're not sitting in damp socks
- Alpaca insulates without bulk: one pair, with room left in your boots
- Knee-high, so they sit above rubber boot tops and never slide down
- Naturally resists odour over a long weekend at camp
- Soft, and far less itchy than ordinary wool
100-day Best Socks Guarantee · Free shipping on 8+ pairs
Sound familiar?
Heavy boots and thick socks keep you warm on the hike in, so your feet sweat. Then you sit still, and that damp sock turns cold. Thicker boots and a second pair of socks often make it worse: more sweat, and no room left in the boot. The fix starts with what's touching your skin.
- Damp before you're settledThe walk in soaks your socks before shooting light.
- Toes gone by 30 minutesSitting still is when the cold gets in.
- Two pairs, no roomPacked boots and still cold toes.
- Batteries and hand warmersHeated socks work until the battery doesn't.
Your sit, in alpaca
What a cold morning feels like in these
- 4:30am · At the truck One pair, room to spare Pull them on, lace up, and there's still room to wiggle your toes.
- 5:15am · The walk in Sweat moves out Alpaca and merino draw moisture off your skin as you climb and hike.
- 6:10am · Settled in Not sitting in damp socks Your feet start the sit dry, not clammy.
- 8:30am · Still sitting Warm without the bulk Partly hollow alpaca fibres trap a little air, without packing your boots.
- Day three · Camp Still bearable Wool naturally resists odour, so the tent doesn't need to know.
How they work
Why alpaca, on stand
Most of every pair is fine alpaca and merino, with a little nylon for strength and spandex so they stay up. Three things that matter when you're sitting still in the cold:
Dry
The walk-in sweat moves out
Alpaca and merino draw moisture vapour off your skin and let it escape, so you don't start the sit in damp socks. Cotton holds it against you, which is the fastest way to cold feet.
Warm
Warm without the bulk
Alpaca fibres are partly hollow, so they trap a little air and insulate without being thick. One pair, with room left in your boots for your toes to move.
Fit
Snug at the ankle, so nothing bunches
A graduated fit, snuggest at the ankle and easing up the calf, keeps a knee-high sock smooth and in place, so it never slides down into your rubber boots on the walk in.
What's actually in them
84% alpaca and merino. The rest keeps them up.
Mostly fine alpaca and merino, with a little nylon for strength at the heel and toe and spandex so they stay up. Imported.
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Baby alpaca 62%
Soft, warm, kind to skin. Exceptionally fine and naturally warm without the weight. It's lanolin-free, so it's gentler on skin that finds wool itchy.
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Merino wool 22%
Breathes and stays fresh. Moves sweat away from your skin and naturally resists odour, so your feet stay fresher for longer.
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Nylon 9%
Strength where socks wear through. Reinforces the heel and toe and helps every pair hold its shape.
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Spandex (elastane) 7%
The stretch behind the compression. The stretch and recovery that create the graduated fit, and what keeps them up.
Made for sitting still in the cold
- Whitetail standsLong, still sits on frosty mornings.
- Duck and goose blindsRubber boots, cold water, sunrise sits.
- Elk and backcountryBig days on foot, then glassing in the cold.
- Late seasonWhen the cold is the real opponent.
- Turkey morningsPre-dawn walks and long waits.
- Bigger calvesPlenty of stretch in every size, made to sit smoothly in tall boots.
How they compare
Alpaca vs the usual cold-weather fixes
How one pair of ours compares with cotton and with doubling up thick socks.
| Feature | Alpine Woolies | Cotton socks | Two thick pairs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Walk-in sweat | Moves it off your skin | ✕Soaks it up and stays wet | ✕More sweat |
| Sitting still | Insulates, even a little damp | ✕Cold once damp | ~Warm until damp |
| Room in the boot | One pair, room to move | ✓Thin | ✕Packed tight |
| Staying up | Knee-high, snug at the ankle | ✕Slides down | ✕Bunches |
| Days at camp | Naturally resists odour | ✕Holds on to it | ~Holds on to it |
| Against your skin | Soft, far less itchy than ordinary wool | ✓Soft | ~Can be itchy |
| Backed by our 100-Day Best Socks Guarantee |
And what other sock brands don't give you
No return postage, ever
Not happy within 100 days? We refund you. Keep the socks.
Mix & match any colour
Black, grey or natural white. Every pair counts towards your deal.
Free shipping on 8+ pairs
Tracked to your door, with nothing extra at checkout.
NZ owned & operated
A small Kiwi team who answer every email ourselves.
Featured product
Alpaca knee-high socks for hunting
- Moves the walk-in sweat off your skin
- Warm without the bulk, so there's room in your boots
- Knee-high: sits above rubber boot tops and stays up
Choose your bundle
12-Month Wear Promise: a free new pair if one wears through
Most popular12-Month Wear Promise: a free new pair if one wears through
Best value- 100-day guarantee
- Premium alpaca
- NZ owned & operated
- Free shipping 8+ pairs
FAQ
How does the mix-and-match deal work?
Buy 2, get 1 free (3 pairs). Buy 3, get 5 free (8 pairs), our Black Friday month deal, which ends 30 November. Buy 4, get 6 free plus an extra $21 off (10 pairs). Mix any colours; the discount applies automatically in your cart.
Is shipping free?
Yes, on our 8- and 10-pair bundles, with tracking. The 3-pair bundle ships at a small flat rate.
What if they don't work for me?
Wear them for up to 100 days. If they're not the best socks you've owned, email us and we'll refund the pairs you're not happy with. You don't send worn socks back.
What if a pair gets a hole?
Bundles of 8 or more pairs come with our 12-Month Wear Promise. If a pair wears through within 12 months of delivery, email a photo of the hole and your order number to hello@alpinewoolies.com and we'll send you a new pair, shipping included. You keep the old pair; there's nothing to post back.
It's one replacement pair per order, for holes from normal wear. It doesn't cover cuts, burns, snags, pet damage or shrinking in a hot dryer.
The 100-Day Best Socks Guarantee
Hunt in them for 100 days. If they're not the best socks you've owned, we'll refund you.
Take them on your coldest sits and your longest walks in. If they're not the best socks you've ever owned, email us within 100 days and we'll refund the pairs you're not happy with. No forms, no return postage, no sending worn socks back.
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1
Wear themPut them through your longest shifts and flights for up to 100 days.
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2
Not the best you've owned? Tell usEmail hello@alpinewoolies.com with your order number.
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We refund youFor the pairs you're not happy with. Keep the socks.
Once you've worn the best, there's no going back. That's why we can promise this. — The Alpine Woolies team
- Free tracked shippingOn 8- and 10-pair bundles.
- Secure checkoutEncrypted checkout, all major cards.
- NZ owned & operatedReal people answer every email.
- Warm feet, guaranteedMix any colour in every bundle.
Hunters ask us
Aren't compression socks a bad idea for cold feet?
Tight boots and doubled-up socks leave no room, and that's what most hunters mean. These are one pair, snug at the ankle and calf so they stay up, with room in the boot for your toes. If you have a circulation condition, check with your doctor first.
Are they warm enough for late season?
They're a sock, not a boot heater. They keep you drier and insulate without bulk, which is what makes the biggest difference sitting still. On the coldest days, pair them with boots that still have room for your toes.
Do they work in rubber boots and waders?
Yes. They're knee-high, so they sit above the boot top and stay up instead of sliding down.
Will they hold up on long walks in?
The heel and toe are knitted with a little nylon for strength, and the sole is cushioned. And you've got 100 days to decide whether they're the best you've owned.
Can I wash them at camp?
Rinse them in cold water and hang them to dry. At home, machine wash cold on a gentle cycle, inside out. Skip the dryer and fabric softener.
What size should I get?
Three sizes, M, L and XL, by your usual shoe size: tap Size chart under the deals to find yours. Between sizes? We recommend sizing up. Wrong size? We'll send the next size free.
Can anyone wear compression socks?
They're everyday comfort socks, not a medical device. If you're pregnant, have diabetes, neuropathy, a circulation condition or a history of blood clots, or are recovering from surgery, check with your doctor first. Take them off if you feel numbness or tingling.
Before opening day
Warm toes at first light, every sit
Enough pairs for a full season and a long weekend at camp. Mix black, grey and natural white. Buy 3, get 5 free is our Black Friday month deal and ends 30 November. Shipping is free on 8+ pairs.
Buy 2, Get 1 Free
3 pairs for $70.00
1 pairs free
Buy 3, Get 5 Free
8 pairs for $99.00
5 pairs free
Buy 4, Get 6 Free
10 pairs for $119.00
6 pairs free
Alpine Woolies compression socks are everyday comfort wear, not a medical device, and aren't intended to diagnose, treat or prevent any condition. If you're pregnant, have diabetes, neuropathy, a circulation condition or a history of blood clots, or are recovering from surgery, check with your doctor first. Take them off if you feel numbness or tingling.