In the Wild: Broken Vans and Changing Plans

In the Wild: Broken Vans and Changing Plans - FITS®

January 19, 2017

I left my broken van in California, crossing into Baja with a backpack full of dirty clothes, my camera, ten rolls of unshot film, and less than a hundred dollars to my name. After what must have been the tenth breakdown this summer, I was tired of constantly changing my (admittedly loose) plans because of the stubborn hunk of metal. Not this time. No, I was getting my fill of salty hair, desert views and fish tacos one way or another.

fits sock ambassador aiden's broken down live in van

The original plan was to caravan along side two other sets of friends down the long skinny Mexican peninsula, but alas, Otis, my nearly thirty year old 1987 VW Syncro TDi blew its fourth turbo in the last four months. Yep, you read that right. Pretty loco... and equally expensive.

Suffice it to say, I needed a break from the thing and left it behind, stuffed a rushed and ill-planned assortment of clothes into my backpack and headed south to catch up with the others via greyhound.

fits sock ambassador aiden's shop fixing van in baja

Leaving the van behind is always hard. In many ways it’s more than just a vehicle. It’s my home and it’s where I keep all my stuff, but in a weird way its more than even that—it’s my companion. But, after three years of living on the road, I’ve also learned that when things get tough, sometimes the best thing to do is get some space and remind myself that at the end of the day, the most important thing is the adventure, and that can be found anywhere.

fits sock ambassador aiden's van on the inside

It’s easy to get bogged down by things not going according to plan. It’s stressful and irritating. You make a mental itinerary only to have it picked apart one wrong turn at a time. But as soon as you let go of the idea of control and take a few deep breaths, more often than not you’ll see an alternate path, which may very well end up being a lot more interesting than the one you were on. After all-- the real adventure starts when everything goes wrong.

fits sock ambassador aiden's photo of baja beach

With that notion tucked away closely in my mind, I left. And like with almost anything else in life, the time away cleared my head and helped me gain a little perspective on the situation. Or maybe it was just the fish tacos. Either way, after a few weeks of going with the flow and bouncing around Baja I was refreshed and ready to tackle whatever greasy, rusty puzzles Otis had for me to solve.

fits sock ambassador aiden's van on beach

Sock Sizing

The Perfect Fit Starts With the Right Size.

Your sock size shouldn’t be a guessing game. Our socks range from small to double XL, but the best way to know the perfect fit for you is to match your shoe size to the chart on the left. That way, you’ll know the size you select will give you the fit and feel you expect.

Between sizes? Go with your gut, but rest assured that your socks will still fit great. If you receive your order and find yourself wishing you’d gone up or down a size, just let us know. We’ll happily send you replacements for your preferred size.

Concerned about laundry mix-ups? All FITS® socks are coordinated by color and size, based on the colors you see on the size chart. So, you won’t have to worry about mixing up your sizes with the other FITS® wearers in your home. (But stray socks mysteriously going missing in the dryer? Unfortunately, we can’t help with that.)

The Light Hiker is perfect for everything from big adventures to everyday wear.

How Do You Determine Sock Size?

Sock sizes are typically measured in inches, not by your shoe size. So, a sock size 6-8 will comfortably fit someone whose feet are between six and eight inches long. However, at FITS®, we make it easy for you to choose the ideal sock size without having to measure your foot. Simply use our sock size conversion chart based on your shoe size to select the right fit for you.

How Do You Measure Your Foot for Socks?

To measure your foot for socks, measure the length from the heel of your foot to the tip of your longest toe. The measurement in inches correlates to your sock size. For example, if your foot is 10 inches long, a sock size 9-11 should fit you comfortably. At FITS®, you can skip this step and find your sock size based on your shoe size using our conversion chart.

What Is the Sock Size Conversion?

The sock size conversion refers to sock size compared to shoe size. While all companies may vary slightly on which size socks to purchase based on your shoe size, you can always measure your foot to find the right fit for you.

What is Sock Size to Shoe Size?

Because sock sizes are determined by the length of your foot in inches vs. your shoe size, shoe and sock sizes differ. The FITS® sock size to shoe size conversion is as follows:

FITS® Sock Size Small = Shoe Size 3½ - 5½ men’s and 5 - 7 women’s
FITS® Sock Size Medium = Shoe Size 6 - 8 men’s and 7½ - 9½ women’s
FITS® Sock Size Large = Shoe Size 8½ - 10 men’s and 10 - 11½ women’s
FITS® Sock Size Extra Large = Shoe Size 10½ - 12½ men’s and 12 - 14 women’s
FITS® Sock Size Double-Extra Large = 13 - 15½ men’s and 14½ - 16½ women’s

Knowing this makes it easy to choose the ideal sock size based on your shoe size without measuring your foot.

What Age is Sock Size 9-12?

Sock sizes typically don’t correlate with age. For kids, age can be a general indicator of what size sock they’ll need, but everyone is different. An adult sock size 9-12 fits anyone whose feet are approximately nine to twelve inches long. For kids’ sock sizing, check with the company to find exact details to ensure your little one gets the perfect fit.

Got more questions about finding the perfect sock size for you? Let’s talk.

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