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A few weeks back, we introduced you to Swiftwick socks (seen here), and their joining in with the #HikeUnited initiative. Since that article was published, we’ve been able to spend some time with a pair of the Swiftwick Pursuit Hike Midweight socks, and are here to give you our thoughts.
As I mentioned in that prior article, I’m a big fan of wool socks. I’ve got thin low-cut ones for jogging, lightweight pairs for with dress shoes, midweight ones for every day, and heavier ones for when the cold weather comes in. In other words, I’ve all but eliminated cotton socks from my drawer, in favor of the long-lasting and smell-resistant wool ones. I mean, they’re great – if you let them completely air out, you can even wear a single pair two or three times before needing to wash them (which is great for travel or camping, trust me), with no noticeable odor being picked up.
I’ve got my own personal favorite brand, given the lifetime warranty that they carry. These Swiftwick Pursuit Hike Midweight socks do carry a guarantee (details here) but I can’t tell if it’s as robust as the other brand I’m familiar with. So, anyways, back to these socks. As you can tell, we went for the grey pair, as it’s got some very Bob Ross-style mountains showing up on the cuff, and I’m a big fan of that man (and have even done my own oil paintings as a result, but I digress). These come up to my calf, so it’s not that you’d see the mountains under a pant cuff, so that’s more for you.
We also opted for the medium weight version of the Swiftwick Pursuit Hike Midweight socks, which brings more padding to the bottom of the sock. This gives you some extra cushion as you go down the trail (and some extra moisture absorption), or even as you’re just strolling around your WFH setup. I’m down in the basement, so I appreciated the extra cushion, as well as the extra insulation.
I found the Swiftwick Pursuit Hike Midweight socks to be very soft and comfortable, and not itchy in the least. That’s the main thing that I think folks worry about, is the socks being itchy. These modern merino (and merino blend) socks aren’t itchy in the least (in my experience) so you shouldn’t need to worry about that. Pricing for wool socks is a bit more than you’re used to if you’re picking up 6-packs of cotton socks, but they last so much longer – and are better for your feet – that I think they’re quite worth it. The Swiftwick Pursuit Hike Midweight socks come in at $21.99 for the lightweight, or $23.99 for the midweight version we reviewed. This is quite in line with what I’ve paid for other brands, so no worries there on the pricing. You can check these socks out, as well as their other options, over at swiftwick.com
Details from Swiftwick
- Medium weight: 69% Merino Wool / 15% Nylon / 13% Olefin / 3% Spandex
- Light weight: 63% Merino Wool / 18% Nylon / 15% Olefin / 4% Spandex
