Not All Socks Are Created Equal.
I have a drawer full of socks just for hiking and backpacking. Winter blends, summer blends, tall, short, wool, synthetic, thick, thin, you name it and they are probably in there if you dig. Despite all the options I find myself going to the same ones time after time and am always a little nervous when trying a new pair.
It only took getting burned once... I headed out for a big day hike excited to wear my new socks from a company I love and came back with sad blistered feet. I hadn't brought a backup pair because it was only a day hike.
I feel like searching for the perfect sock, rivals searching for the holy grail. Something as simple as a sock can make or break a trip. The Swiftwick's Pursuit sock promised to fulfill some of my desired requirements; wicking properties, wool, compression, and seamless toe. I was excited about testing, so I jumped in with both feet... pun intended. :)
“DO WHAT MOVES YOU”
Testing parameters:
- Numerous day hikes and multi-day backpacking trips
- Wear shoes/boots that I know fit and normally result in blister-free feet
- Try and wear them for as long as possible each trip
Outcome: I have a new favorite. The first time I wore the Pursuit Four (the number indicates the cuff height-zero, one, two, four, seven, twelve) was on a multi-day backpacking trip. Of course I brought along my back-up pair just in case the test didn't go well. The first sign things were going well was that I didn't even think about my feel until the end of our day when I took my shoes off. Our day included a hike into camp, rock scrambling, a summit climb, ~3000' of total elevation gain and 12 miles of hiking. The first thing I noticed was that my feet weren't moist and "pruney" like normal from sweating. There were no blisters and the socks were pretty dry. The next morning I was happy to find that the socks maintained their elasticity and were as in good of shape as when I first put them on. The height of the 4 is perfect coming just far enough above the top of my boot without looking like weird. I have worn them numerous times since in various conditions (temps from the 40's up to the 90's) all with the same results.
http://www.swiftwick.com/pursuit-socks-28-ctg.htm
THE VITALS
Pros: They hold their shape after wearing the same pair a few days in a row.
Cons: Wouldn't mind a bit more cushion in the footbed.
Product Highlights: Made in the USA. 67% Merino wool. For more details on the SwiftWick Pursuit go here.
MSRP: $19.99
Full Disclosure: I was given this product for free to test, with no obligations to review.
Summary: I will dig through my sock bin to find these on multi-day trips where I need my feet to stay in good shape... and may need to add some "Ones" to my arsenal for shorter shoes.