Hi, I'm Grace
I’ve always been a sock wearer.
Maybe it’s because I started climbing on my own.
No one to tell me what climbers should or shouldn’t do.
Of course, the myths found me eventually.
“Real climbers don’t wear socks.”
So I tried it. And I hated it.
My feet were sweaty.
They slid around in my shoes.
They made those awful fart noises with every step.
So I climb in socks. Always have, always will.
But I realized something...
with my back ground in sustainable fashion design, product development, and sheep raising...
What if I could create a sock that actually works WITH your climbing shoe?
and I'm Brian
A long time climber of 20 years, was your typical curmudgeony elitist. You don't wear socks with climbing shoes and often shamed others who did… Then he had his epiphany.
He tried socks on for the 1st time to help a pair of 5.10 anasazi fit better. (They have long since been discontinued after the Adidas acquisition and have never been the same).
While initially foreign, he quickly realized a few things:
- His feet were comfortable
- No more sweaty feet
- No more stinky shoes
- His feet stayed clean
- He still send his projects
I was a non-believer like so many of my generation. Once these myths finally went challenged, my eyes kinda opened and I just realized climbing in socks is better! They didn't hinder my performance or sensitivity like I thought they would, and they kept my foot clean, smell free and my shoes stayed in mint condition! I was hooked.
Brian and Grace
Our project started this year. Co-founders, Brian & Grace, both looking for partners (just for climbing, but woh did we end up with more) roped up for the 1st time in April 2025 at their home gym, Mesa Rim.
GraceWül is a performance rock climbing sock brand, the 1st in the US. Gear designed by climbers and tested at our home crags in Bishop, Joshua Tree & Red rocks. Our focus is to change your climbing experience by focusing on your feet.
Why socks while climbing?
Rock climbing in socks has been frowned upon & misunderstood for years (ironically many of the old school Stone Masters, John Bachar, Tony Yaniromostly supported by unchallenged myths and a mindset, “that's the way we've always done it.” However, the tide is changing. Climbing has grown exponentially with the advent of the climbing gym, and with it, a more open mind. Climbing in socks is gaining traction across the country, but yet there's no tailored climbing sock. Especially one that fits in your climbing shoe and performs like a second skin.
Most people believe they'll sacrifice sensitivity or performance. Most people never tried socks while climbing.
A common misconception is they won't be able to “feel the rock” and many think a sock won't fit in their tight climbing shoes.
The truth is, there isn't a tailored climbing sock and most people have been making do with other performance socks that aren't optimized for rock climbing in mind.
With any disruption of tradition, comes resistance to change, yet people are abandoning these outdated beliefs for comfort, and concepts that make sense.
In comes GraceWül
What makes Gracewüls different from other socks?
GraceWüls are socks are designed to fit in your tight climbing shoe and engineered for optimal performance & sensitivity.
It's all in our unique and specific construction methods.
It starts with the Fiber. The body structure of our socks are created with merino wool. This is the backbone of the sock- it provides the reasons to wear socks in the first place! Naturally moisture wicking wool keeps your feet and shoes dry. Thermal regulation keeps your feet dry on warm days and warm on cold ones. Antimicrobial properties help combat toe fungus, athletes foot, and more. Plus all this together keeps your climbing shoes and feet smelling fresh.
But it can't just be any wool sock. It has to be ultra thin to fit in tight climbing shoes, but also durable enough to hold up to the rigors of climbing. We achieve this through a specialized 200 needle knitting construction. The use of 200 needles allows a construction that is highly dense, forming to your foot and maintaining structure overtime. This knit structure can only be achieved with ultra fine yarn.
But climbing is active! we need more than wool benefits and the functionality of it fitting in our shoes. We need performance based results. That's why we utilize the friction grip properties of our proprietary fiber blend. It creates a textile-based friction system that increases interfacial stability between the foot, sock, and shoe through fiber-level interaction rather than applied surface treatments.
