Lisa OwenEvery avid hiker knows the value of good socks. They’re just as important as good shoes, you’ve gotta have the right ones or your nature fix will quickly turn into a blistery, smelly affair. Lisa put the new Lé Bent hiking socks to the test.
We’ve all had socks that creep down, make you itchy, or smell after a couple of hours of walking.
The Merino Bamboo Blend Lé Bent socks promise a lot – no itch, dry with its wicking fibre, no stink and temperature control. Then there’s all the features: elastic cuffs, achilles support and an impact cushioning zone. Who knew a sock could have so many features?!
I put all of those flash sounding features to the test – taking them up not one, but three mountains for a test run. And it wasn’t all maintained trails, there was some rock scrambling and bush bashing thrown in there for good measure.
The first test was a sunrise hike up Mt Cordeaux. I pulled on the socks and was pretty chuffed with how soft they felt, just like pulling on a fleece jumper. Every now and then I get a merino product that itches but I was pleasantly surprised the socks weren’t one of them.
My feet were toasty in the dawn and super comfortable. Next test, a bit of bush bashing around the foothills of Mt Lindesay. Most of the time I get snagged on all kinds of plants and you’ll find the remains on my socks. Nope, not this time.
Surprisingly after two mountains and some sweat, the socks didn’t smell. As gross as it sounds, I’m actually pretty impressed when anything I own doesn’t stink after one of my hikes.
Third test, hiking one of South-East Queensland’s most epic mountains, Mt Barney.
Loaded with a 15kg pack on my back, I hiked and rock scrambled for 6 hours to the night’s campsite. The socks were still feeling pretty comfortable. They stayed in place the whole time, and even after such a sweaty climb, my feet were dry.
To keep the weight down in my pack, these were the only socks I had so I slept in them too.
And they kept me going back up Barney’s East Peak for sunrise, and back down the mountain. Another five hours of hiking and they were still tight around my ankles with no slippage.
While the socks definitely needed a wash after three mountains, they were nowhere near as foul as some socks I’ve owned. Which is definitely a bonus when I’m travelling lots and don’t always have easy access to a washing machine.
So the verdict? If you’re looking for comfortable, hard working socks that are easy on the stink, the Lé Bent socks will put a spring in your step on your next hike.
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