Le Bent Socks Review — Le Bent Trail Ultra Light Bike Socks

Growing up racing downhill and working in bike shops means Jon knows his way around a mountain bike. So when he was planning his first backcountry bikepacking mission we knew he was the perfect guy to test out Le Bent’s new bike socks.

I remember when I bought my first pair of Le Bent socks. I was on the way to the snow and needed some new snowboard socks. I asked the guy in the shop what he recommended, and without hesitation, he handed me a pair of Le Bents.

‘Dude, these merino Le Bent’s are the bomb; I wore them for a whole season riding in Japan without washing and they still didn’t smell!’

I can’t endorse this fella’s questionable hygiene practices, but I can certainly vouch for the quality of the Le Bent socks he recommended. So I was keen to see whether these new Le Bent Trail Ultra Light bike socks have what it takes to get me through a winter bikepacking expedition in the Jagungal Wilderness

Size and Weight

There’s nothing like the feeling of pulling on a snug, brand new pair of socks. The Le Bent Trail Ultra Light bike socks I received were a medium, and I’m usually a medium size in just about everything.

They fit perfectly, although it’s interesting to note the shoe size guide is from an EU 38-41 (US 6-8.5), and I’m an EU 43 shoe size; so they may run a little bigger than the shoe size equivalent.

Being an ultralight model, they’re a snug fit with no cushioning, so as far as socks go, they feel lightweight and performance driven.

@jonharris_photography

Performance and Usability

Honestly, I was a little unsure that the Le Bent Trail Ultra Light socks would keep me warm enough on this particular trip. We were expecting snow and 0-degree temperatures (and we got both), so I wouldn’t have blamed the socks if my toes got a little numb. I even packed a nice thick pair of winter socks just in case.

But wow! Despite having to wade across the Eucumbene River right at the start of the ride (socks and shoes off) my feet stayed toasty throughout the entire trip.

This amazing winter performance does have me wondering how these socks will handle the heat, but given the Ultra Light model and merino blend material, I’m fairly confident they’ll keep your feet cool when paired with a pair of well-ventilated bike shoes.

I was also impressed with how the snug fit kept the socks pulled up for the duration of the ride. After nearly 70km of pedalling, dismounting, and creek crossing, the low-mid calf-length sock stayed put.

@mattiejgould

Durability and Quality

The build quality on these Le Bent Trail Ultra Light bike socks didn’t disappoint after the high expectations I had from my snowboard socks.

I own quite a bit of quality merino apparel and I love the durability of the material. I’ve only used these socks for a weekend so far, but I’m expecting them to last many rides before needing to replace them.

Price

These socks run at $34.99 a pop. Having put these through the wringer on my overnight expedition, I’d gladly grab another pair to keep me on the bike while this pair is in the wash (like I said, I don’t endorse questionable hygiene practices even if the merino blend keeps the stink at bay).

And if you think this is pushing your budget a bit far, then keep in mind that Le Bent offers a 100 day, 100% guarantee – allowing you to return the socks, worn or unworn, if you’re not happy.

@mattiejgould

Final Thoughts

In some ways, there’s not much to a pair of socks. But we’ve all worn bad socks before and know that bad fit, poor temperature control, or stinky materials can be annoying and uncomfortable.

These Le Bent Bike socks lived up to my already high expectations without a flaw, and I’m strongly considering picking up another pair – especially as the styling is pretty wicked too.

Jon was given the new Le Bent Trail Ultra Light Bike Socks for the review and was allowed to keep them afterward. He was allowed to say whatever the heck he wanted about them in this review.