Socks, really? Who gets excited about socks? I can’t say I get as excited for socks as I do for shoes, but I do love my socks. I have searched through laundry baskets for up to a half hour looking for the best pair for a run. I save certain socks for my big weekend miles. I have even done a load of laundry the night before a race making sure I had the perfect pair for gun time. I don’t wear my running socks for anything other than running. I have a gear illness and socks are gear, and I love them. I am reviewing two pairs of socks in this post along with a different style of shorts than you may have tried. Hopefully after reading the review you will want to throw out your old socks that have worn thin and treat your feet to a new pair of socks that make your feet super comfy and happy.
Ashmei is quickly becoming the luxury high performance brand for running. Ashmei sent me trail socks to check out. In true Ashmei style they are the Range Rover of trail socks. Taking an approach to gear that appears to be made up of three mandates, style, performance, and quality. The socks feel luxurious when you slip them on. They are made up of a dense weave of Marino wool. There is elastication around the arch and the heel, this keeps the sock securely in place around your foot. That is important in the fight against blisters. Besides looking and feeling great the Ashmei sock hits the right spot on non-slip, anti-blister, temperature regulation, moisture wicking, easy care, and anti microbial.
The retail price for the Ashmei Trail socks I tested is $21 US or £13 in the UK Three pack for $49 or £30. Purchase the socks from Ashmei
Vermont seems to produce great products. Some of my favorites are Ben & Jerry’s, Magic Hat Micro Brews, Cabot Cheese, maple syrup, and new to me Darn Tough socks.
“The Cabot (no relation to the cheese) Hosiery Mill was founded in 1978, and has been a privately held US business that’s been around for three decades, and three generations. In 2004, Executive Vice President Ric Cabot wanted to create a line of quality socks that could withstand both frigid winters and humid summers. The Darn Tough brand now manufactures over 20 different types of socks, for everyone from Nordic skiers to summer cyclists. Darn Tough prides itself on quality, so its socks come with an unconditional lifetime guarantee” The unconditional lifetime guarantee caught my attention. Between the name and the guarantee, these socks had better be good.
The Darn Tough “True Seamless” Run/Bike 1/4 sock I tested out is made of 62% Merino wool and the rest of the materials (Spandex and Lycra) give the sock its shape and fit. If you haven’t tried wool for running, it isn’t like wearing an itchy sweater your grandmother knit for you. Merino wool feels great against the skin, it naturally regulates temperature, and by nature it is antimicrobial. Depending on what type of running (trail vs. road) and the fit of the shoe I am wearing, I like to have a variety of thicknesses in my sock collection.The Run/Bike Darn Tough socks I wore were 1/4 sock mesh ultra light non cushion. It is a thinner light weight no frills sock. When I started running the more cushion the better. As I have evolved my choice in socks has evolved too. I like a thinner sock and light weight shoes. I have friends that run sockless, but I can’t bring myself to do it. I like a barrier between me and the shoe. The Darn Tough Run/Bike are a good sock that fits well and you can’t beat the guarantee, in this case the Tommy Boy sales pitch doesn’t apply. I’ll take the guarantee and sleep well knowing I will never have to use it. The toughest part of the Darn Tough socks will be finding them right now. The Darn Tough site has a Where can I get ’em store finder. In Maryland there was only one store. I recommend searching them out. They are made of an eco friendly material that is renewable, and they are made in Vermont. Name one crappy product that ever came out of Vermont.
I have been putting a lot of miles in lately and have been looking for ways keep my legs feeling fresher. I have been foam rolling, messaging, icing, and compressing a whole bunch. Compression seems to be an effective active and recovery method in the fight against fatigue. I decided to give these a shot. When you first put them on you really notice the springy elasticity in the targeted zones. They quite possibly provide a little help in recoiling and reloading the muscles. I really like the shorts with one exception. There is a meeting of seams right in the center of the… well I don’t know how to say it better than, center of the taint. Definition of “taint” This caused quite a bit of chaffing and discomfort after the first run. I tried Under Armour compression under wear and Ruez underwear with them. The Ruez did the best job of alleviating the issue. Once that was taken care of Bob’s your uncle and everything was aces. These may be my new favorite running shorts, that is until the fix the seam issue and then they will be may favorite running short. Here is what they say about the shorts… “The CW-X Pro Tights offer optimum muscular support for activities with linear movement, such as running. CW-X’s patented CW-X Support Web™ provides a suspension system for the hamstrings, reducing workload in the pull phase of the running motion. Combined with targeted variable compression to increase circulation and reduce fatigue, your muscles don’t have to work as hard over time and your legs will feel fresher.”
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