{"id":7296,"date":"2016-03-14T09:03:09","date_gmt":"2016-03-14T16:03:09","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/?p=7296"},"modified":"2025-11-21T10:08:35","modified_gmt":"2025-11-21T18:08:35","slug":"conrad-anker-introduces-smartwools-new-phd-sock","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/climb\/conrad-anker-introduces-smartwools-new-phd-sock","title":{"rendered":"Conrad Anker Introduces Smartwool\u2019s New PhD Sock"},"content":{"rendered":"<span class=\"cb-itemprop\" itemprop=\"reviewBody\"><p>If you meet Conrad Anker, one of the most iconic athletes in alpine climbing, you\u2019d think he\u2019s a little quiet, somewhat stoic, and altogether polite. But when it comes to socks, Anker\u2019s loud.<\/p>\n<p>That\u2019s why <a href=\"https:\/\/www.rei.com\/b\/smartwool\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">SmartWool<\/a>, the leading merino wool clothing company in the run, snow and active lifestyle markets, brought him on board: to help put the latest iteration of their PhD Performance Sock Collection featuring new Indestructawool\u2122 technology to the test.<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"YouTube video player\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube-nocookie.com\/embed\/bGrv2gqriqU\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><br \/>\n<\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe would send him prototypes and he would wear-test them for us to measure comfort and durability,\u201d says Molly Cuffe, SmartWool\u2019s Global Brand Manager, of working with the storied mountaineer. \u201cHe\u2019s really engaged and interested in fit depending on environment, whether he\u2019s ascending, descending, on ice, et cetera.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-article_body wp-image-7454\" src=\"https:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2016\/03\/conrad-headshot.jpg?resize=600%2C338\" alt=\"Conrad Anker\" width=\"600\" height=\"338\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Anker is just one piece of the puzzle behind the patent-pending Indestructawool\u2122 \u00a0technology, a <a href=\"\/s\/merino-wool-clothing\">merino wool<\/a>-based durability system that brings the life of SmartWool\u2019s sport-focused socks to an all-time high. John Ramsay, the head designer behind this project at SmartWool, is the other piece to this puzzle\u2013he\u2019s a fifth generation sock developer whose mission in life is to create the best sock in the world. By strategically placing nylon in the heel and toe, where socks wear out most easily, and wool along the foot and up the leg for comfort, SmartWool\u2019s new PhD socks are proving to be 30% more durable than previous versions. Plus, they are made on 200 needle count machines, which allow knitting the lightest sock possible with the finest yarns. Overall, SmartWool is betting these socks will not only be more comfortable and efficient at wicking moisture during your adventures, they\u2019ll forgo holes longer than other socks you own.<\/p>\n<p><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-article_body wp-image-7456\" src=\"https:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2016\/03\/conrad-in-action.jpg?resize=600%2C900\" alt=\"Conrad Anker\" width=\"600\" height=\"900\" \/><\/p>\n<p>All of which is to say that SmartWool\u2019s PhD Performance Socks, which have been around since 2008, have hit their best version yet. The collection has steadily risen to fortitude over the years, building on technologies the company creates for each iteration. The most recent version, born in 2013 and featuring what the brand called Reliawool\u2122, was incredibly popular. The new release featuring Indestructawool\u2122 technology\u2013starting with the hiking version of the socks sold exclusively at REI through the summer\u2013will feature the brand\u2019s 4 Degree Elite Fit System, which places elastic in specific spots to keep the socks from bunching or slipping, and sport-specific cushioning, adding extra padding in places like the ball of the foot or under the heel.<\/p>\n<p>Constant testing, innovating and improving is the mantra at SmartWool. Similar to how they work with athletes, SmartWool designers take real-time data from their 34,000 Fan Field Testers, find out what they are looking for and work to create solutions. To make sure they are developing something worthwhile, the SmartWool team will enlist testers to wear the socks for months straight, simulating multiple years of wear to test durability. In the case of Indestructawool\u2122, the socks didn\u2019t wear out, even after 70 days.<\/p>\n<p><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-article_body wp-image-7457\" src=\"https:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2016\/03\/C01-5125.jpg?resize=600%2C400\" alt=\"Smartwool\" width=\"600\" height=\"400\" \/><\/p>\n<p>\u201cFor our new PhD Performance socks we had thru-hikers, mountaineers and our employees testing months and even years in advance,\u201d says Mark Satkiewicz, SmartWool\u2019s CEO. \u201cThese socks have proven their durability time and again.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The 2016 version of PhD Performance Socks also features gender-specific mesh ventilation and thermal body-mapping. And if holes arise before you summit, SmartWool will replace the socks for you, honoring their 100% Satisfaction Guarantee.<\/p>\n<p>But according to Conrad Anker, \u201cSmartWool is always trying to build the best sock possible.\u00a0 And this season\u2019s PhD socks are exactly that.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Shop <a href=\"\/b\/smartwool\/f\/pl-phd\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">women&#8217;s<\/a> and <a href=\"\/b\/smartwool\/f\/pl-phd\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">men&#8217;s<\/a> SmartWool PhD Outdoor Indestructawool socks at REI.com.<\/p>\n<\/span>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>If you meet Conrad Anker, one of the most iconic athletes in alpine climbing, you\u2019d think he\u2019s a little quiet, somewhat stoic, and altogether polite. But when it comes to socks, Anker\u2019s loud. That\u2019s why SmartWool, the leading merino wool clothing company in the run, snow and active lifestyle markets, brought him on board: to [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":7458,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[352,555,556,554],"internal-tag":[502,1674,553],"class_list":["post-7296","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-climb","tag-climb","tag-conrad-anker","tag-innovation","tag-smartwool","internal-tag-ali-carr-troxell","internal-tag-pre-redirect-climb","internal-tag-running-and-athletic-socks"],"parsely":{"version":"1.1.0","canonical_url":"https:\/\/rei.com\/blog\/climb\/conrad-anker-introduces-smartwools-new-phd-sock","smart_links":{"inbound":0,"outbound":0},"traffic_boost_suggestions_count":0,"meta":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","headline":"Conrad Anker Introduces Smartwool\u2019s New PhD Sock","url":"http:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/climb\/conrad-anker-introduces-smartwools-new-phd-sock","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"http:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/climb\/conrad-anker-introduces-smartwools-new-phd-sock"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2016\/03\/C01-5030.jpg?resize=150%2C150","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2016\/03\/C01-5030.jpg?fit=1500%2C1000"},"articleSection":"Climb","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Angela Crampton"}],"creator":["Angela Crampton"],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Uncommon Path \u2013 An REI Co-op Publication","logo":""},"keywords":["climb","conrad anker","innovation","smartwool"],"dateCreated":"2016-03-14T16:03:09Z","datePublished":"2016-03-14T16:03:09Z","dateModified":"2025-11-21T18:08:35Z"},"rendered":"<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"wp-parsely-metadata\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@type\":\"NewsArticle\",\"headline\":\"Conrad Anker Introduces Smartwool\\u2019s New PhD Sock\",\"url\":\"http:\\\/\\\/www.rei.com\\\/blog\\\/climb\\\/conrad-anker-introduces-smartwools-new-phd-sock\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"http:\\\/\\\/www.rei.com\\\/blog\\\/climb\\\/conrad-anker-introduces-smartwools-new-phd-sock\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.rei.com\\\/blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/4\\\/2016\\\/03\\\/C01-5030.jpg?resize=150%2C150\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.rei.com\\\/blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/4\\\/2016\\\/03\\\/C01-5030.jpg?fit=1500%2C1000\"},\"articleSection\":\"Climb\",\"author\":[{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"name\":\"Angela Crampton\"}],\"creator\":[\"Angela Crampton\"],\"publisher\":{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"name\":\"Uncommon Path \\u2013 An REI Co-op Publication\",\"logo\":\"\"},\"keywords\":[\"climb\",\"conrad anker\",\"innovation\",\"smartwool\"],\"dateCreated\":\"2016-03-14T16:03:09Z\",\"datePublished\":\"2016-03-14T16:03:09Z\",\"dateModified\":\"2025-11-21T18:08:35Z\"}<\/script>","tracker_url":"https:\/\/cdn.parsely.com\/keys\/rei.com\/p.js"},"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2016\/03\/C01-5030.jpg?fit=1500%2C1000","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7296","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=7296"}],"version-history":[{"count":36,"href":"https:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7296\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":201272,"href":"https:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7296\/revisions\/201272"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/7458"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=7296"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=7296"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=7296"},{"taxonomy":"internal-tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/internal-tag?post=7296"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}