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Yesterday, we talked to you about a pair of convertible mittens that I’ve been using to keep warm in my cold-weather morning jogs. Well, my toes also get cold, so socks are just as important. Actually, my feet are always cold, so I’ve switched to wool socks for everything (especially since they’re not itchy these days). While I’ve got my favorite brand, I’m not averse to checking out what else is out there. Enter the Swiftwick Pursuit Zero socks.
Now, you might remember Swiftwick, as we reviewed a pair of their crew socks earlier in the year (seen here). Running socks aren’t tremendously different, other than that they tend to be thinner. One is because your feet get hot running, so you don’t need all the insulation, while letting the wool wick the sweat away. Second – especially for winter – is that shoes with waterproof linings tend to be a bit tighter (even in the same size and brand), so you want a thinner sock. And with that waterproof liner, your feet will sweat more anyways, so a thinner sock helps.
For me, I definitely use a wool no-show sock when I’m running in warmer temps (well, jog/fast walk). In colder temps? I hadn’t really used a no-show sock; I’d been more partial to a crew sock, just for the overall coverage. Still, these arrived when they did, so I used them with a pair of compression leggings, and headed out.
Above 40 degrees, the Swiftwick Pursuit Zero socks were great. Below 40, I could definitely feel that cold air coming through the mesh of my running shoes (to be fair, I’ve not tried them with my new water-resistant running shoes). When you get down to 30-35, you really feel that cold air coming through the mesh, at least until you get going.
Still, they gave me the comfort I needed in my shoes, and I did not have any hotspots develop while I was out and about. The great thing about wool socks is that – even when used for exercise – you can wear them multiple days between washes. For regular wear, I’ll alternate pairs; for running, given the smaller timeframe I wear them, I’ll get at least two days between washes. How can you do that? Well, wool is anti-microbial, so so long as you give them time to dry out, they don’t get smelly, while still retaining their performance.
While I tend towards a particular brand that offers a lifetime warranty, they do run a bit higher in terms of pricing. With the Swiftwick Pursuit Zero socks coming in at $16.99, they’re a bit more affordable. And if you’ve got two or three pairs that you alternate and replace once a year, that’s not that much of an investment in workout gear for something that will keep your feet warm, dry, and with healthy skin over the course of the year. You can get these in black or grey direct from swiftwick.com
Details from Swiftwick
- Natural Merino wool moves moisture away from your feet, keeping them dry, odorless, and blister-free.
- Year-round temperature control keeps you warm in winter and cool in summer.
- Medium cushion absorbs impact while contoured arch support gently hugs feet and keeps socks in place.
- 66% Merino wool / 32% Nylon / 2% Spandex
- Cushion: medium
- Compression: moderate
