Posts Tagged travel socks
Happy Feet in Dahlgren Socks
Socks are probably one of the most under-rated articles of travel gear. They’re so… functional. And it seems like they can’t possibly be that different between brands. But when you’ve had your feet in good socks, you feel the difference right away. Your feet are dry, for starters, and they stay warm in cold places. I packed a couple of different brands of high quality socks for my trip to Antarctica (including some by Darn Tough, reviewed here) and the alpaca winter socks from Dahlgren came out as my favorites.
Just because they’re made from alpaca doesn’t mean they’re tourist souvenirs from the Andes. These are serious sport socks for serious outdoors types — though Dahlgren does make lighter street wear socks too. I wore the Expedition and the Backpacking socks — both felt, well, fluffy, almost. They felt really great on my feet after walking all day — I wore them with rubber boots — and my feet stayed warm and dry.
Dahlgren uses an alpaca/merino wool blend in their socks. They claim that alpaca is more durable and has better insulation qualities than wool. I’ve not spent enough time in these socks to confirm or deny the claims about durability. But I did really like the fit — the socks have a very good shape — and my feet were never damp even after hours of hiking. Because my feet stayed dry, they stayed warm too, and I suffer from cold feet. The socks are cushy in the right places and I was very comfortable in them.
Dahlgren makes their sport socks in a variety of weights to accommodate different activities or conditions. My feet were happy enough in the heavy duty styles that I tried — I wouldn’t hesitate to pick up the lighter weight version for hiking and biking — the Ultra Light Trail line looks especially attractive for playing outdoors in the summer.
Search the whole range of Dahlgren socks at PlanetShoes.com, or follow these links to the Expedition or Backpacking pairs.
Posted by Pam in Adventure Gear, General Gear on May 20th, 2011
Your Toes Will Like Injinji Socks
I’ve talked before about the dizzying array of socks out there aimed at hikers, runners, skiers, and active travelers. Most of them have a hard time standing out no matter how well they are made, but these Injinji socks have a leg up on everyone—or maybe ten toes up on everyone.
Yes, these are toe socks, so the first thing they make me think about is bad TV commercials and ugly Parade ads featuring housewives with bad circulation. Put that out of your mind when looking at these though as they are performance socks, not just something to keep your toes warm. They have seamless toes, wicking blends, a compression arch support, and features that keep everything in place.
The idea behind these is that you’ll have less friction and chafing between your toes. If you’ve ever had a friend talk about all the nasty results of friction when running a marathon or competing in a triathlon, you know these could avoid some blisters and maybe save a toenail or two. They could also avoid a lot of problems on a long hike. In my using them, they fit to my toes really well and are sized to fit, with a left foot and right foot version in each package.
I’ve been using the original weight Outdoor Trail version for hikes and walking abound my hilly city. These are made with 70% Merino wool. I have liked these Injinjis a lot more than I expected I would. It’s more work putting them on than a regular pair and the feel takes some getting used to, but they are very comfortable and supportive once they’re on. No matter what shoes I’m wearing, I don’t have to worry about anything close to a blister. 
My in-house exercise nut has also been trying out the midweight Performance series socks, which are made with Coolmax (60%), nylon, and Lycra. Like me, she was skeptical but was surprised at how comfortable and supportive these were in a heavy workout. We’ve put both pairs through a dozen washing machine cycles and they are still looking like they’re new—important when the fit needs to stay consistent.
These Injinji toe socks come in multiple heights, colors (including these fun striped ones), and thicknesses, for multiple climates and levels of activity. Pick up a pair at by checking this store locator or at REI.
See more travel socks reviews.
Posted by Tim L. in Travel Light on May 12th, 2011
Under Armour Socks for When Your Feet Heat Up
Are we done with winter yet? Date-wise anyway it’s spring, so hopefully more people are able to venture into the outdoors for hiking, biking, or long walks. So it’s time for me to talk about these Under Armour performance socks I’ve been trying out.
I’ve written about the lesser-known side of Under Armour’s line-up before, in this review about good socks for travel. I tend to always carry a few pairs of running socks with me on the road because they’re durable, cushioned, compact, and quick to dry after a sink washing.
For my last few trips to warm places, I’ve been bringing along a pair of HeatGear Draft men’s running socks, as pictured at the top. I like the way they look and they’ve got strategic cushioning in all the right places. They’ve got a seamless toe area and “accelerated moisture release technology” to keep the sweat moving away from your skin. And here’s something you don’t see very often: they’re fitted to have a left foot sock and a right foot sock. These retail for $12.99 on the company site or at Amazon. You may occasionally find them on sale at your favorite sporting goods store.
These over-the-calf HeatGear Elevate socks are really designed for team sport athletes that are sweating hard, but I’ve been wearing them for hikes and for everyday walking with long pants. Their slip-resistance technology has kept them in place when I’ve worn leather orthodics and the built-in ArmourBlock keeps them from getting stinky, even though they’re a blend of three synthetics. They’ve got seamless toes, embedded arch supports, and wicking technology. I’ve worn and washed them about 20 times and they still look new.
The Elevate socks come in five colors—some far more flashy than this pair pictured here—and have a list price of $16. They’re usually a few bucks less at Amazon.
They also make some cute but high-quality socks for kids, including a pink-patterned Cube Sock model that my daughter has been thrilled to wear.
See more on the whole Under Armour sock line here, including some entry-level two- and three-pack ones that are a great value. Or check out all their gear here:
Under Armour Store
See more travel socks reviews
Posted by Tim L. in Adventure Gear, General Gear on March 24th, 2011
Darn Tough Socks Live up to Their Name
In this Made in the USA Performance Socks round-up I did last year, I talked about how I kept gravitating to my pair of Darn Tough Vermont socks.
I kept on wearing them until the weather got warm. They were perfect for battling the elements when I went sledding with my daughter, or when I was just walking around the house with no shoes on in winter. I expect I’ll still be wearing them five winters from now.
When I visited the company’s booth at the Outdoor Retailer show in January and showed the rep how a hole had just worn through another company’s pair of socks I was wearing he sighed and said, “That would just never happen with ours.” He hooked me up with a new pair I changed into right then and there: a spanking new pair of Cushion Boot Socks made with Merino wool. (Plus a side order of Nylon and spandex to make them stretchy.)
And you know what? I believe him. Darn Tough Vermont is not just a catchy company name. They’ve been making socks for three generations and they still own the mill that’s cranking them out today. No Chinese factories staffed by $1-an-hour workers and a cargo ship trip across the Pacific for these guys. Despite all that, and the 100 or so American workers they employ, their prices are in line with the Asian-made competitors.
This Hike/Trek Boot Cushion sock model is at the high end of their range for around $20 and is the top dog in a line varied socks for trekking and hiking. The features setting these apart from many lesser brands include more stitches per inch, abrasion resistant yarn, and terry loops that stay lofted instead of getting compressed. This all adds up to socks that are super-comfortable, have lots of cushioning, and—using the best Merino wool—they’re temperature regulating and odor-resistant.
These guys aren’t just making utilitarian workhorse socks for skiing and hiking though. They hired a designer who founded Isis and are rolling out lots of colorful styles and patterns for running and biking. So now the lifetime guarantee and dependability will come with some extra pizazz as well. I like Merino wool a lot when it’s cold, but you can also get their cushioned socks in a Coolmax version, also with an unconditional lifetime guarantee.
As one retail buyer I overheard at the conference say, “It’s hard to get excited about socks, but these guys make really good ones.”
The Darn Tough Vermont Merino Wool Cushion socks come in boot, 1/4, and crew versions and retail between $12 and $20. There’s also a version for kids.
Check prices on the Merino Wool Boot Sock Cushion at RockCreek.com or at Amazon.
Posted by Tim L. in Adventure Gear, General Gear on March 2nd, 2011
Warm Accessories from Icebreaker
I’m a sucker for merino wool just about anything. It washes up nicely, wears for a very long time, doesn’t itch, and doesn’t get the weird smell that synthetics and synthetic blends can have after a good sweaty workout. I was psyched to pick up a couple of little extras for an upcoming trip to Antarctica (I’m blogging for TravelWild) — a headband, some glove liners, and a pair of super fluffy socks.
A headband takes up hardly any space in your luggage (or on your head, for that matter. I suffer from cold extremities — my ears complain a lot when I’m cycling on even slightly chilled days. The Icebreaker Quantum Headband fits well under a bike helmet, a baseball cap, a knit cap that doesn’t cover quiet enough, or a perfectly ridiculous exhibition hat. Essentially, it’s a base layer for your head.
The Glove Liners have fast become a favorite piece of gear. They keep the chill from getting at my fingertips right away, but — and this is a key benefit for me — they’re cut tight enough and light enough that I can work all of my camera controls without taking them off. (No, you can’t work your touch screen gadgets with them on.) They take up next to no space either — they fit in the wallet pocket of my jacket. My biggest fear is that I’m going to lose them because they’re so small, but I’ll be keeping an eagle eye out — they’ve become an essential piece of gear in my cold weather kit.
I like a big fluffy boot sock as much as the next person. The Mountaineer Mid Calf is a cushy, warm, well designed sock with thicker padding where you’d expect to want it, a bit lighter material where you don’t. While they’re a bit bulky in the bag, they felt great inside my wellies on a cold day — definitely worth giving up space for if you’re heading somewhere cold.
New Zealand based Icebreaker makes other high quality outdoor gear out of merino wool. Get yours on Amazon: headband, 19.99, glove liners, 25.00, socks, 18.95.
Posted by Pam in Adventure Gear, General Gear on February 4th, 2011
