You Tell Me ...

Went skating this weekend for the first time in 2 years! I'm glad I lived to tell.

I was also glad to have my newest accessories on hand. Well, actually my feet.

I had new skate socks. Haven't bought skates socks since 1991. That's right. I bought a couple of pairs in Japan in '91 that were so tough - thicker than normal nylon - that they lasted through five more years of heavy use (I retired in '96) without any runs. I was back in Japan in 2000 to buy more, but they were no longer around. The company put themselves out of business I bet, because the nylons were so tough. Lasted me for 17 years.

Okay, before you all run from this post worried about the smell of nearly two-decades old item of clothing, don't worry. I washed them all the time.

But it was time for a new pair. And there at our Saturday local market, between the stall selling extension cords and electric outlets on one side and a bootleg copy of any recent movie you can name on the other was the sock stall.

Nothing but socks!

And I saw a pair of thick nylon-like booties with the tops two inches above the ankles. That's very important for me. I need some kind of protection at the place above my ankle where I hook my laces.

Okay, Ice Charades, first you talk about fishnets, now socks. Big whup. Are you going anywhere with this?

Why yes I am, thanks for asking.

What you wear or don't wear inside the boot is critical to how you skate. Once skaters get past the rental stage, they usually stop wearing thick socks because they are too heavy. You can't feel your foot move. To me, nylons are too thin and my foot slips around. Not good.

Some show skaters were tough and refused to wear any socks. There were others that were tougher (or stupid or both) and refused to use any padding either. Hello cysts and blisters. Not pretty.

But to me, a bare foot will stick to the boot making your foot immobile.

Everyone's different. You tell me?

Socks, nylons, or bare feet?