Rockay is a new running company out of Denmark, whose self-stated mission is to “produce the best running products the world has ever seen while helping to save our planet.” They currently only have a lineup of socks, all made in Europe. This review is for the Accelerate, a high-quality and thoughtfully-designed sock backed by a 100% lifetime guarantee. For those who are willing to pay a higher premium for superior goods that support a cause, these may be a solid option for you. I wore these over the course of two weeks during marathon training, with varying run distances of 6-22 miles.
I’m going to lead with this because it’s both a very good thing and a very bad thing: I am absolutely in love with Rockay’s range of sizes. I have a small foot (7.5 US), and I’m always forced to fit a range that is almost always just a little too big. Rockay has a range of XS to XL, accompanying men’s sizes 4-16 and women’s 3-15.5 (US). However, the problem with this sizing structure is that I instinctively chose size small since literally everything I wear is size small, and I was sent a pair made for men’s sizes 4-6. This may be a lost-in-translation thing between Europe and the US because men’s 4-6 isn’t an actual size range here. That said, they immediately sent me a medium that fit perfectly.
The Accelerate felt perfect on first wear. It’s made of 66% Polyamide, 30% Organic Merino Wool, and 4% Elastane. The wool comprises the toe and the heel, while an area of compression material spans the arch of the foot, making for a unique design addressing the needs of each area of the foot. I can’t honestly say a couple square inches of compression made any noticeable difference whatsoever in my running, but I’m sure it didn’t hurt.
The socks are thin enough that I could wear them with my Nike Epic Reacts without feeling tight, while still providing above-average comfort. They also have a perfect ankle height— just the right amount to come up and over the heel collar of my shoe and give me peace of mind about Achilles rub, while still looking great. I really enjoyed the wool on the heel and toe— I ran a few runs in a row without washing them and they didn’t lose shape and still smelled okay (my wife may differ on this).
Overall, I thought the sock provided solid comfort and kept my feet as dry as I could ask for. The moisture-wicking properties helped a lot in the never-ending humidity that has followed from summer to fall in the mid-Atlantic.
Lastly— it’s a great looking sock. I thought the blue colorway was well done.
I, unfortunately, began wearing these at the same time I bought a brand new pair of shoes, and on my first few runs noticed I was getting a hot spot at the same part of both my feet. I never had a problem with hotspots in any shoe or sock before, but I don’t want to 100% say it was the socks, because I was breaking in a shoe on longer mileage. That said, it did seem there was a tiny nub of a thread where the toe seam was stitched (right where my hot spot was), and it may have contributed to the problem. On shorter runs (~6 miles), it wasn’t an issue.
It also doesn’t sit right with me that the company has a mission of saving the planet, but doesn’t outline in any capacity how it’s currently doing that. On their site, they note they are “currently in the process of sourcing fabrics made from collected plastic in our oceans” and that they “strive to keep the promise of producing products in the most eco-friendly methods.” All well and good, but that tells me nothing about what you are doing right now. If a defining part of your business model is being an environmental advocate in your production, I’d like to know the materials are sourced right now for the socks I’m about to purchase, otherwise it’s meaningless to me.
If you’re looking for a well-constructed sock with a mission to better the world (and are willing to pay $15.95 a pair for it), then I think the Rockay Accelerate is a great sock to try out. They also offer a 40-day return policy, so you can do it risk-free.
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