Socks are socks right? There's not much you can do in the way of adding bells and whistles to socks, so other than those toe socks, you'd think that they're all more or less the same. But anyone who has done any amount of running in socks that don't quite work for them know that's not the case.
As a runner, your shoes are your most important piece of gear for your comfort, but no matter how comfortable your shoes are, if your socks don't work for you, your feet can be a mess, especially if you're running for a long time, or in wet conditions.
A while back the nice folks at Farm to Feet (http://www.farmtofeet.com/) sent me a couple of pairs of their Boulder Crew Traditional Lightweight merino wool socks to test out.
As a runner, your shoes are your most important piece of gear for your comfort, but no matter how comfortable your shoes are, if your socks don't work for you, your feet can be a mess, especially if you're running for a long time, or in wet conditions.
A while back the nice folks at Farm to Feet (http://www.farmtofeet.com/) sent me a couple of pairs of their Boulder Crew Traditional Lightweight merino wool socks to test out.
It's probably worth saying that I'm a big fan of merino, and not just for socks. The Woolx midweight sweater that I got in the fall has been my favourite by far this winter, and my light weight base layer merino shirt is what I almost always reach for first when getting dressed for a run. And for racing, especially ultra distance, I always wear wool socks. This past year I did the Cayuga Trails 50 Mile, which had multiple river and creek crossings, meaning that my feet were wet for about 9 hours, but with the wool socks I was wearing, I had no issues at all.
Now to the Farm to Feet socks- as soon as you touch them, you realize right away that they are probably the softest wool socks you've ever felt. As soon as you slip them on your feet you also realize that they're probably the most comfortable socks you've ever worn. There is almost no seem for the toe, the amount of stretchiness feels just right, and the softness feels so good. They almost feel too comfy and cushy to think that you'd want to put them to the test of a long, wet, muddy trail run.
All winter long these have been my go to socks. We had a pretty mild and slushy winter here in Ontario, so a lot of my runs resulted in having wet feet, and while wet feet in synthetic socks can be a bit nasty, the wool kept things warm and comfortable. My wife felt the same way, and more often than not she'd be digging through my gear looking for these socks to wear on her run.
My only (minor) complaint is that the softness of the wool might make them a touch less durable than some of the other wool socks I have. On one pair, one time when I was pulling them on I put my finger through them where the heel material meets the upper part of the sock.
Pricing of these is in line or maybe a bit higher than most performance socks, but with their materials and manufacturing 100% from the USA that's to be expected.
Who are these socks best for?
If you are a trail runner who spends a lot of time on wet/ muddy trails, I think these are a great option. If you are someone who is very picky about foot comfort, these are definitely worth checking out.
I'll gladly pick up more of these for myself, which pretty much says it all.
Now to the Farm to Feet socks- as soon as you touch them, you realize right away that they are probably the softest wool socks you've ever felt. As soon as you slip them on your feet you also realize that they're probably the most comfortable socks you've ever worn. There is almost no seem for the toe, the amount of stretchiness feels just right, and the softness feels so good. They almost feel too comfy and cushy to think that you'd want to put them to the test of a long, wet, muddy trail run.
All winter long these have been my go to socks. We had a pretty mild and slushy winter here in Ontario, so a lot of my runs resulted in having wet feet, and while wet feet in synthetic socks can be a bit nasty, the wool kept things warm and comfortable. My wife felt the same way, and more often than not she'd be digging through my gear looking for these socks to wear on her run.
My only (minor) complaint is that the softness of the wool might make them a touch less durable than some of the other wool socks I have. On one pair, one time when I was pulling them on I put my finger through them where the heel material meets the upper part of the sock.
Pricing of these is in line or maybe a bit higher than most performance socks, but with their materials and manufacturing 100% from the USA that's to be expected.
Who are these socks best for?
If you are a trail runner who spends a lot of time on wet/ muddy trails, I think these are a great option. If you are someone who is very picky about foot comfort, these are definitely worth checking out.
I'll gladly pick up more of these for myself, which pretty much says it all.