X Socks Trekking Expedition Short
Price: £17.99/pair
Country of manufacture: Italy
Weight: 56g/pair (size 42-44)
Colour: grey/black
Material: 33 per cent nylon; 28 per cent merino wool; 14 per cent Robur; 12 per cent Mythlan; 9 per cent silk; 4 per cent Elastene
Wash: 40C, wash inside out, no fabric conditioner
Socks: the least glamorous and possibly the most overlooked piece of outdoor gear.
They can’t make that much difference, surely? They just keep your feet warm inside your boots and end up smelly and damp.
Wrong. A good pair of walking socks can make the difference between a thoroughly pleasant outing and one plagued by discomfort.
They are the bridge between your feet and the boots or shoes pounding the trails and rocks on your expedition. And surely they’re all the same…
Well, patently not. X Socks come with a list of features longer than some technical kit, along with packaging explaining how they all work in dazzling graphics. The Swiss-designed, Italian-made Trekking Expedition Short socks are approved by the Swiss Army and have various patents.
The socks are asymmetrical and are marked with R and L, so the first thing is to make sure they go on the correct feet.
The socks have an anatomically shaped footbed, with cushioning increased at the heel and ball of the foot. Integrated into this is the Traverse AirFlow Channel which, as the name suggests, help keep cooling air circulating under the foot.
The toe areas have separate protection zones for both the tips of the toes and the body of the toe, cushioning and protecting within the boot.
The Air Guide is effective at keeping moisture levels down
There is also the brand’s X-Cross Bandage, a pair of elasticated ankle bands that cross over the foot, holding the socks in place and supporting tendons, muscles and joints.
The X Socks also have an instep protector, an Achilles’ tendon protector and a self-adjusting cuff which holds the sock up without constricting, and the Air Guide, which provides a spacer to allow air to circulate, lessening the build-up of sweat.
If all of these sound a little over the top in a pair of socks, turning the X Socks inside-out reveals the complex pattern of different weaves that incorporates all these features.
That’s all well and good, but do they make any difference? In a word: yes. On our regular test circuit, using boots with a waterproof membrane, our feet were completely dry at the end of the day. And the following day, too, with a distinct lack of traditional sock odour.
The cushioning works well, and even more surprisingly, the air-circulation channels and areas really did keep our feet much drier. At the end of our test day, conventional socks, whether merino wool, synthetic, or a mix, are usually showing distinct signs of dampness due to sweat. This was completely absent with the X Socks.
They are very comfortable in use, too, with just the right amount of protection without being overthick.
X Socks Trekking Expedition Socks are a good investment that will enhance your outings on to the hills.
More details are on the X Socks website.
Performance 33/35
Comfort 33/35
Quality 8/10
Value for money 15/20
Total score: 89/100
Our test pair was provided by X Socks.
