Smartwool Run Mid Crew Pattern Socks are outstanding for everyday use and for field wear. They are comfortable, durable, attractive, resist odor, wick moisture away from the skin, and remain pleasant to wear even under extended use. They are also good for running in.
At the time of this writing a pair of these USA-made socks cost $22 .
This pair of socks has become one of my favorites, along with the other Smartwool socks in my drawer. I highly recommend them.
Backstory
My wife, “Kari”, had purchased several pair of Smartwool socks for me at local thrift stores over the course of the last year. I found them to be exceptionally comfortable and durable. That made me want to try out one of Smartwool’s current offerings. I went to smartwool.com to see what they had in stock. Their Run Mid Crew Pattern Socks looked especially interesting. I asked Smartwool if they could provide me with a pair of those socks for testing and evaluation. They were kind enough to agree. Four days later, a box was delivered to my porch via FedEx.
The box was shipped from VF Outdoor LLC, 50 Service Lane, Danville, KY 40422. It turns out that VF Outdoor is a subsidiary of VF Corporation. VF Corporation, in turn, owns a large number of clothing brands including The North Face, Timberland, Dickies, Eastpak, Jansport, and Smartwool, among others.
First Impressions
The shipping box contained a packing list and the socks. The socks were secured to a pressed paper store display rack hanger with a multi-color fabric/elastic band.
The hanger was imprinted with a wealth of interesting information. For example, it mentioned that Smartwool has a 100% satisfaction guarantee. I went to the website to get the details of the warranty. Basically, if you buy Smartwool products from their website or an authorized retailer and you are not satisfied with the product for any reason within two years, then they will issue you a digital gift card to replace the product. The hanger also mentioned that the socks are made of 51% Merino wool, 30% recycled nylon, 15% nylon, and 4% elastane. I approve of the fact that most of the fiber in the socks is actually Merino. I have seen socks from other makers labeled as “Merino wool socks” although they contained as little as 10% Merino wool.
Specifically, the Merino wool in this pair of socks is ZQ Merino Fibre. ZQ Merino Fibre claims to take animal welfare, environmental sustainability, fibre quality, traceability to the source, and social responsibility into account in sourcing its wool. Those all sound like worthy goals. I find that some people have dramatically different definitions of those concepts than I do. I have not done enough research to express an informed opinion the accuracy of ZQ’s claims.
The socks are made in the USA, of imported fibers.
There are several features of the socks that help to enhance their comfort and durability. First, the socks incorporate a virtually seamless toe. The smoothness of the fabric over the toes helps to reduce friction and reduce the risk of blister formation.
Second, the socks incorporate mesh zones for greater breathability. This helps to keep the feet drier.
A third feature that enhances the comfort of this particular pair of socks is somewhat counterintuitive. That feature is that the sole is not cushioned. Cushioned soles are generally more comfortable for short-term wear. But for extended wear, non-cushioned soles actually seem to be more comfortable. During extended wear, cushioned soles may collect more moisture and dirt than non-cushioned soles. This extra moisture and dirt may cause the cushioning to become matted. Socks with matted soles tend to be less comfortable than socks with non-matted soles. So for typical settings where you can change your socks every day or two, cushioned soles may be more comfortable. But for extended wear during field use, non-cushioned soles may be more comfortable.
Testing
I slipped the socks on. I found them to be extremely comfortable with excellent fit.
I started off by wearing the socks for five days in a row. This was to determine how comfortable they were under extended wear. During field use, it is not unusual to wear socks for longer periods of time than might be common when laundry facilities are readily available.
I was surprised that the socks remained comfortable for five days in a row right out of the box. Brand new socks tend to be less comfortable during extended wear than socks that have already been laundered a few times. That is why quality used socks from thrift stores are such a valuable find. Socks are in many ways like good cheese. They often improve with age.
Finally, after five days of wear, the socks became slightly less comfortable. I decided that it was time to launder them.
One thing that impressed me about the socks during the initial testing period was that they shed sawdust better than any other wool socks that I have ever worn. I typically try to wear cotton socks while using a chainsaw. Wool socks often have a tendency to attract and retain sawdust more than cotton socks. Sawing is the only task for which I prefer to wear cotton socks. But the Smartwool Run socks shed sawdust even better than cotton socks. I was very impressed.
After five days of wear, the socks were washed according to the directions on the hanger: “Machine wash warm gentle cycle. Do not bleach. Tumble dry low. Do not iron. Do not dry clean.”
After washing, I wore the socks for another five days in a row. They were still comfortable after five days, but I threw them in the laundry just on general principles. I had shoveled a trailer load of manure onto the garden on the fifth day. After shoveling a load of manure, I tend to throw everything into the wash whether it needs washing or not.
After that second washing, I wore the socks for six days in a row. I wore them to the office. I wore them while splitting wood. I wore them while running errands. I wore them while clearing leaves from the yard.
I also wore the socks while walking the dog on a mild but rainy pre-dawn morning. The dog and I were startled when the early morning silence was shattered by the thumping rush of many large wings. A flock of turkeys had been roosting overnight unseen in the branches over our heads. The whole flock suddenly took flight.
The socks were still comfortable after six days of wear, but I decided to put them in the laundry anyway. Kari and I were leaving for out-of-state the next day to visit the grandkids, and I wanted to wear a fresh pair of socks on that journey.
I subsequently wore the socks every day for an entire week. They remained comfortable throughout that time. I finally threw them in the wash on the principle that I am not some barbarian. I don’t wear the same pair of socks every day for more than a week even for testing purposes unless it is an emergency.
During the course of the testing, I wore the socks under low hiking shoes, steel-toe mid work boots, mid hiking boots, and slippers, among other footwear. I found them to be comfortable with each of these types of footwear.
Odor Resistance
Merino wool is naturally odor-resistant. By wicking moisture away from skin, it tends to inhibit the growth of odor causing bacteria. It also tends to trap any stray odors that are created within the fibers. These odors are then released during washing, where they can’t offend anyone.
Some Smartwool History
Smartwool was founded in 1994. Steamboat Springs ski instructors Peter and Patty Duke wanted to keep their toes comfortable for longer periods of time while on the ski slopes. They developed a chlorine based treatment for Merino wool that made the wool more itch-free and resistant to shrinking.
Their new company, Smartwool, was eventually acquired by the Timberland Company in 2005. Timberland was acquired in turn by VF Corporation in 2011.
Conclusions
Smartwool Run Mid Crew Pattern Socks did an outstanding job throughout the testing period. They were comfortable, durable, odor-resistant, moisture-wicking, and pleasant to wear during extended use. They would work well for everyday wear or for field use. They are made in the USA. I highly recommend them.
By the way, if you run across any Smartwool socks in thrift stores, snatch them up. To some extent, wool garments improve with age right up until they reach the point when they are totally worn out. Smartwool recognizes this long service life, and partners with ThredUp in order to offer Smartwool Second Cut Resale ( https://smartwool.thredup.com ). As Smartwool explained on their website, “ We teamed up with ThredUp to help you find tons of gently used Smartwool styles that are ready for a second life in the great outdoors. You can also send in your old gear to Thredup through the Second Cut Resale program, and when it sells we’ll send you a Smartwool gift card.”
Unfortunately for us guys, at the time of this writing ThredUp Second Cut only seemed to offer garments for women and children. I guess children grow out of their wool garments, and women get sick of theirs, but guys just hang on to their wool garments forever.
Disclaimer
Smartwool provided me with a sample of their Run Mid Crew Pattern Socks for testing and evaluation. I tried not to allow their kindness to interfere with my objectivity, and I believe that I have succeeded. I did not receive any other financial or other inducement to mention any vendor, product, or service in this article.
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