Iconic socks live up to their name

Iconic. As in Iconic Socks. If you're Eddie Turner and you bring out a 21st Century version of the Driftmaster pike rod, you can probably get away with calling it iconic. But iconic socks..?

Rewind a few weeks, when I went to a tackle shop to buy socks. When I asked the man behind the counter where he'd hid the Skeetex, he said: "H'int got none. They 'int making 'em any more."

Mourning the demise of your favourite toe rags might sound slightly sad - even for me. But before I got round to surfing the net to buy up any I could find online, I got a pair of these in Tesco. Every little helps. And blast me they're warm. They also don't appear to wear out as fast as Skeetex.

They were £6 in Tesco - but I've seen them cheaper since then in garages and got this pair for £3.50 in one of those discount shops that sell plastic tidy boxes, bulk rolling papers and lighters with pictures of Bob Marley or scantily-clad ladies.

I'm still not sure if they're iconic. But they don't half keep your feet warm.

Skee-Tex North Pole socks for pike fishing

The humble sock performs a vital role when it's freezing cold. They keep your feet warm. I've tried all kinds over the years but keep coming back to these because they're the best I've tried - despite the fact they're not the most expensive.

A couple of pairs of these usually last me through a winter's pike fishing, which isn't bad for the price of a day or two's worth of deadbaits. Coupled with the same company's legendary moon boots, one pair keeps your tootsies as warm as toast.
When it's really cold or they start getting a bit threadbare around the heels, I wear two pairs.

They're made from a blend of wool and man-made fibres which really warm you up without making your feet sweat, which can be a pain and make the car smell like a sumo wrestler's jockstrap on the way home.

One small confession - I've found washing them tends to make them wear out faster, so don't tend to launder mine too often. Staying warm out-ranks personal hygiene every time, in my book. They're a steal for £4.95 a pair.