Swiftwick Four Merino Sock Review
March 27, 2009 by Kevin Shiflett
Filed under Gear, Gear
They say one advantage of wearing wool socks is that they will eliminate foot odor. Wool breathes better than most other materials which means it removes moisture from the skin faster. This reason alone should be enough to make the Swiftwick Four Merino riding socks worthy foot garments. Believe it or not though, there’s more to them that might convince you of this.
The Swiftwick Four socks fit like…well, like something that fits perfectly (I want to say like a glove but a glove probably wouldn’t fit a foot very well). They are a combination of cotton, nylon, and spandex which not only makes your feet smell better (or at least less like sweat), but also form-fits the socks to every contour of your foot. I usually don’t like tight fitting clothes of any kind but the way these things grip your feet is surprisingly comfortable…especially when you’re on the trail and suddenly realize that your sock isn’t slipping off or bunched up in the toe of your shoe.
If you regularly or even occasionally get blisters from riding then you might consider getting yourself a pair of socks like these. In addition to some extra padding underneath the foot that might help correct this problem, the Swiftwick Four has a “no seam” design which means, as you might have guessed, there aren’t any unnecessary pressure points or ridges irritating your feet.
With that said, the one gripe I do have about these socks is that the cuff is particularly tall (it stops about four inches above the ankle). The more I think about it, the more I think that this feature likely does not suggest this is a winter specific riding sock. If that were the case, the whole thing might be a little thicker. This leads me to the conclusion that the tall cuff serves as an anchor; to prevent the rest of it from sliding around inside your shoe. This cuff is mildly uncomfortable and given the way these socks grip the rest of your foot (especially the bear hug they give your arch), this might be a bit of an unnecessary feature. However, this is more of a personal preference thing than a design flaw.
The bottom line is that the Swiftwick Four Merino is my new favorite riding companion. The combination of the ultra-comfortable “no seam” design and breathability has me wanting to use these socks not only every time I ride but also for everything else I do.
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This post was written by:
Kevin Shiflett - who has written 2 posts on Mountain bike product reviews, bike builds, trail reviews, forum, and tips – MTOBikes.com.
Kevin Shiflett lives in Fort Collins, CO where he currently attends Colorado State University’s Journalism and Technical Communication graduate program. He is a long time riding enthusiast who loves to kick up dust, ride into (or away from) the sunset, and other such things.
Thanks for the killer review and glad you like the socks! If you are looking for different heights, we now have a merino seven that’s great for cross season with a smaller cuff up top. And you are correct about the cuff, with it preventing any slippage over the shoes.
If you do a custom sock, you can choose whatever cuff height you want from one inch to twelve:)
Rachel Scott´s last blog ..Interbike Madness 2009