Gear Check -- Eco Sox

We're foot—slog—slog—slog—sloggin' over Africa —
Foot—foot—foot—foot—sloggin' over Africa —
(Boots—boots—boots—boots—movin' up an' down again!)
                There's no discharge in the war!

Seven—six—eleven—five—nine-an'-twenty mile to-day —
Four—eleven—seventeen—thirty-two the day before —
(Boots—boots—boots—boots—movin' up an' down again!)
                There's no discharge in the war!

--Rudyard Kipling

Socks may be mundane, but are critical for maintaining the health of your feet. Dr. Bryan C. Satterwhite explains:

Socks are an important aspect of foot health. Your feet are the only part of your body that is in constant contact with the ground. Your feet endure tremendous stresses throughout the day. For this reason, your feet need extra attention and care. Socks can provide a vital part of protection as they are the primary interface between your foot and the ground. 

Socks provide padding, moisture absorption, and a reduction in friction. Socks also provide warmth in cold, and in some cases anti-microbial protection (socks that resist bacteria). Due to the significant stresses that your feet undergo throughout the day a good pair of socks can mean the difference between feet that function well and feet that encounter multiple problems. 

There are many different types of socks from cotton to polyester to anti-microbial. Socks are improving with technology and the point is clear, socks are important not only to foot health, but your health.

(Source).


One brand of socks that came to my attention about 1-1/2 years ago were Eco Sox. What caught my attention initially was that they were made from bamboo viscose fibers. What got me to buy a pair was that they were very soft to the touch, especially compared to other hiking socks that I had purchased from REI and Big 5.

While I probably should care more about how bamboo fabric is "environmentally friendly," the truth is that what was important to me was the superior wicking and odor control. The Eco Sox web-site claims:

Soft, warm, and odorless are three adjectives commonly used to describe viscose bamboo. Viscose is the derivative of hard bamboo stalks that are manufactured into a cozy fiber. It has a soft and buttery feel and can absorb 3-4 times as much moisture as cotton. It is also great at helping to fight odors. When compared to cotton, viscose bamboo material is much softer, much more absorbent which makes it warmer, and helps fight against odors, rather than harboring odors like cotton

My experience over the last year and a half confirms the claims stated above. While I haven't had the opportunity to try them out on long hikes, I have used them for short hikes (including deer hunting last fall) and walks, and plenty of daily wear over the last year.

Most of the pairs that I have bought have been Eco Sox standard hiking socks. I have also tried their lightweight hikers, and athletic socks.

The standard hiking socks have stood up very well. They are soft and cushioning enough that I only need to wear one set of socks and have had no trouble with blisters. These are the style I wore while hunting. The weight is about that of a standard cotton athletic sock or heavy dress sock, but they seem to be about as warm and cushioning as a moderate to heavy hiking sock. And, as claimed, they seem to better at absorbing odors than standard hiking socks.

I started trying the lightweight hikers later, and while I haven't put them to as much use in hiking, they have held up very well for daily wear. I expect for hiking in warmer weather, or day hikes, these would perform very well. They are certainly lighter weight and would probably be cooler when hiking or walking in hot weather.

I had also purchased some white athletic style socks for wearing with walking shoes, cycling, etc. These, however, have been a disappointment. Although reasonably comfortable, I've had problems with the fabric pulling apart on the toes where the Eco Sox name has been knit or dyed into the fabric, after only limited use. Accordingly, I cannot recommend the white athletic style socks.

I found Eco Sox for sale at Big 5, although they may be available at other stores. I have not seen them at REI or Cabelas. They generally run about $7 per pair, which is certainly comparable to other hiking socks.

In sum, I would recommend the hiking and lightweight hiking socks. I cannot recommend the athletic socks because of durability issues. The fabric lives up to the manufacturers description of superior warmth, moisture and odor absorption.