Of all the gear in the world to review, nothing — nothing, I tell you — is more difficult than socks. I mean really, how much can you say about socks? I hear tales of gear glory all the time, like, “It snowed so hard that yetis stayed indoors, but we were high and dry in that tent… for all 12 days of it,” however, I can’t think of a single time socks were the obvious hero. I suppose there was one time when I forgot to bring coffee-making paraphernalia on a two week trip and ended up with a designated coffee sock for filtering grounds, but really, cowboy coffee would have sufficed.

Of course the opposite is also true. It turns out that, if you have nothing much to say about socks, it means they work as advertised. That doesn’t mean I have literally nothing to say, though. Far from it. In fact, I have brought to bear my full scientific thinking powers to bring a sock-reviewing method to the madness.

Wigwam Merino/Silk Scout Features

• 45% Coolmax, 25% Merino Wool, 22% Nylon, 6% Silk, 2% Spandex
• Cushiony sole
• Foot hugging fit
• Breathable mesh air vents
• Virtually seamless toe closure

Wigwam Merino/Silk Scout Review

Be still my beating dorsalis pedis pulse! The Merino/Silk Scout may be my favorite Wigwam sock of all time. If there’s a combo as dreamy Coolmax, Merino wool and silk, I haven’t yet touched it with my feet.

Do I think about these socks when doing my thing?
I actually do think about these socks a little bit, which means they either suck or they’re exceptional. In this case, I assure you it’s the latter.

Are my feet uncomfortable in shoes that were previously comfortable?
The thought hasn’t even crossed my mind. The cushiony sole is more than adequate for my wimpy feet, and they wick moisture with aplomb. Add FreshGuard to the mix and wear them multiple days in a row without your climbing partners noticing.

Did the socks’ qualities change after a few wash cycles?
I’m not sure, but my impression is that the Merino/Silk Scout shrunk slightly over a couple wash cycles. This may have something to do with the wool content. If they did shrink, the difference is slight.

How long did the socks last under heavy use?
This is hard to answer, since it sort of depends on how many pairs of socks are in my rotation. For me, a non-backpacker-occasional-runner with something in the neighborhood of twelve pairs of socks I wear regularly, I had better damned well see at least a year out of my socks before the elastic weakens and I start to see my foot through them. Something in the neighborhood of two+ years is average. Three+ years is awesome. (If you only have five pairs of socks, adjust your perspective appropriately.)

Unfortunately, I haven’t had these socks long enough to say how well they held up over time. I’ll revisit this review every six months or so to update. Bookmark it now!

How do these socks look?
This is perhaps the least important attribute of a sock, but still, the Merino/Silk Scout can have a little of that I’m-wearing-suit-socks-with-my-sneakers effect, if you’re not careful which color you buy. I have the charcoal version, which walks the line a little bit, but comes down, I think, in the non-nerdy category. Beware black.

Bottom Line:

The Wigwam Merino/Silk Scout is, in my opinion, the perfect combination of materials and features. With vents and foot hugging ribs in all the right places, a thick, cushiony sole and just a touch of silk — oh, baby — this is the sock for me.

Buy Now: Slip into a pair of Wigwam Merino/Silk Scout socks.

Yup, me and socks… we have a love/hate relationship. Too thick and they make my feet sweat, not tight or supportive enough and they slip all around on my feet. I heart thin socks, but sometimes in the Winter, I do admit that I can endure trail running in a little thicker sock but when the weather is above 40 degrees and I’ve got a reasonable pair of trail running shoes, me and thin socks are a duo.

While I’m quite fond of the Lorpen Multisport socks, the light weight and function of the Wigwam Ironman Triathlete Pro socks is similar to the Lorpen’s to some extent. I’ve now used these socks both trail running and mountain biking and while the Lorpen’s are still my #1 choice, these are a comparable sock for less money.

The Ironman socks are thin, light and comfortable in trail runners or bike shoes. I really appreciated the moisture management capabilities and the thin feel. I like thin socks because it improves trail feel when running and keeps my tootsies cool. In the summer, I do all I can to avoid wearing socks, but if I must wear socks, they have to be ultrathin.

Another nice thing about these socks is the toe stitching is reversed so the bulky part of the seam is on the outside instead of causing chaffing on your foot–nice.

Not all is honky dory with the Wigwam Ironman Triathlete socks though. Yeah, they’re ultralight, but ultralight doesn’t have to mean unsupportive. When compared to the Lorpen Multisport, these socks completely lack any cross-support–they are a straight, no-nonsense thin sock. With feet as flat as mine, I can appreciate some support in the midfoot from a snug-fitting sock. These remain loose and really provide no support.

The Good

• Ultralight and breathable
• Stays stink-free even after multiple bike rides
• Perfect height for trail running or cycling
• Excellent pricepoint (REI has 2 pair for $15)
• Reverse stitched toebox

The Bad

• No built-in support

Buy Now: Search for Wigwam Triathlete Socks

Wisconsin is more famous for their cheese than their socks, but Sheboygan has been home to Wigwam Mills for over 100 years. This mill has turned out millions of pairs of socks over the years, but it wasn’t until the past few months that I’ve had the pleasure of wearing a pair. The new Wigwam Ironman Tail Wind Pro has been a comfortable and functional pair of socks from the get-go.

I hate socks that stretch out and/or don’t support your feet. There’s something to be said for a nice, supportive pair of socks and these are just that. The supportive materials and ribs cradle every part of your feet to provide excellent support and enable improved moisture management–not to mention blister-prevention.

The thickness of the Tail Wind Pro socks is just perfect for trail running, but still a teeny bit too thick for my cycling shoes. On the trail, I can really feel the extra cushion and support provided by these socks. They are also very durable and backed by a 2-year Comfort Guarantee.

A great pair of socks for trail running or around town… the Wigwam Ironman Tail Wind Pro.

Buy Now: Wigwam Ironman Tail Wind Pro Socks

Over the years I’ve been real particular about which ski socks end up on my feet whether it be for backcountry skiing or resort skiing there is a certain type and often times brand of ski sock that will end up on my feet time after time. For backcountry skiing I like a more thin sock and almost always go strictly merino wool. For resort skiing, my ski sock of choice is a synthetic sock that’s medium thickness with padding on the shin and a good heel cup.

So it was when I recently donned the Wigwam Snow Xenon Pro ski sock, that I was particularly interested to see how my feet responded. To give it the full review I spend a couple of days backcountry skiing with them and then a couple of resort days. I lucked out by skiing in cold stormy temps, warm spring temps and a day of standard Utah bluebird powder.

Backcountry Skiing

My first outing with the socks was a long one – a 9 hour tour that took me up and over Timpanogos (click link for video), skiing from the summit and down the front side. Our hike out was a little over a mile on a dirt trail and then an hour of riding in the car back to Aspen Grove where we started. When we got back to the car I realized that my feet were comfortable enough that I chose to wear the socks home, another hour drive. Despite all the skinning, bootpacking and climbing with crampons I didn’t have any hot spots.

The socks were a little thick for my likes while backcountry skiing/touring, but they were comfortable. The only complaint is that they were warm, which on this particular day when it warmed up to solid spring temps it was a bit much.

My next backcountry ski day in these socks was a very cold and stormy day touring in Big Cottonwood Canyon. Once again, comfortable feel, no sliding of the socks which happens a lot with socks and they kept my feet warm. I had a meeting to get to after my tour so the socks were on my feet for nearly 9 hours and almost as cozy as my Wigwam Mountain High hiking socks.

Resort Skiing

I skied the Wigwams on a day of skiing Alta with my son so we were sticking to groomers in the blue to light black range. With my alpine boots which are a bit more roomy (read: older) than my touring boots, the socks were a perfect fit. Not too thick, not too thin – medium thickness in spots, thin in others, just like I like it.

My most recent chance to ski with these socks came Saturday when I was at The Canyons once again with my son. We skied 5 hours in all types of terrain. Afterward we went to Old Town Park City for some eats and then home. I ended up wearing the socks all day and the coolest part, aside from the comfort, was the fact that my feet weren’t sweaty. The Snow Xenon Pro’s pulled the moisture away from my feet and dried out very fast.

Aside from the surprisingly great comfort of this ski sock, I was also quite impressed by the fact that the sock didn’t slide down my leg as so often happens at the end of a long day.  They stayed in place during skiing, hiking, climbing and kicking it around the house.

Features of the Wigwam Snow Xenon Pro Ski Sock

• Stay put leg and top that won’t slide down
• Lightweight design
• 32% stretch nylon, 30% merino, 21% olefin, 12% X20 acrylic and 5% spandex.
• Cushion sole and shin
• Snug yet comfortable heel cup
• Virtually seamless toe closure
• Foot hugging fit

Bottom Line: I’ve got to say, I’m very impressed with the Wigwam Snow Xenon Pro ski sock. So comfortable they don’t feel like ski socks and the performance for backcountry or resort skiing is one of the best I’ve used. I’m certain that I’ll be reaching in my sock drawer for the Wigwam’s quite often.

Buy Now: As of now these socks are new enough that they are not found online in any of our affiliate websites, although I suspect that REI will have them soon.   Check the Wigwam site for a retailer near you.

It was during the last day of the Outdoor Retailer Show last month that I ventured into the Wigwam booth and met Chuck Toal, a very genuine and enthusiastic Director of Sales for Wigwam. After spending a few minutes talking to him about everything Wigwam, I discovered there was much more to the story of Wigwam besides keeping ones feet warm

Wigwam the Company

In 1905, just five years into a new century. In Sheboygan, Wisconsin, Herbert Chesebro and the Hand Knit Hosiery Company manufactured heavy woolen work socks and liner mittens for lumbermen.

The world took part in its first war, Americans went to their first movie, and Wigwam, which was then called the Hand Knit Hosiery Company, manufactured a full line of wool products. Socks, sweaters, caps, hoods, mittens, booties and they even made what was then a popular woolen swimming suit.  Try that for speed Mr. Phelps.

After World War II had ended Hand Knit switched from wartime manufacture to lines that included athletic socks, hunting socks and socks that clearly defied categorization.

In the 40′s, Hand Knit received notoriety for stitching in a line of colored thread at the toes, so family members could easily match up athletic socks after laundering. This innovation would lead to the induction of Robert Chesebro, Sr. into the Sporting Goods Industry’s Hall of Fame.

On January 1, 1957, the name finally stuck. The Hand Knit Hosiery Company officially became Wigwam Mills, Inc.

Today the company is still family owned and the factory is well into the 21st century with solar power, a factory so clean you could eat from the floor, a vacuum system that gathers lint from the air and resells the lint back to the thread factory for a profit and more things that have taken the 100+ year old company well beyond its roots.

Wigwam Socks – the Mountain Air

After getting the historical run down on Wigwam from Chuck, he sent me away with a pair of the Mountain Air socks, touting their combination wool and silk make up. He said that they would be the softest sock I’ve ever worn and he was right.

From the get go they felt like heaven on my feet. I wore them for 3 days in a row, testing to see if they would break down a bit or cease to feel comfy. They were bomber. I then washed them a couple of times and the outer did pill up a bit, just like Chuck had said so I, along with Wigwam, recommend that you wash them turned inside out.

After multiple uses and washes they are still feeling soft as ever, the silk evident to the touch. The merino wool maintains the soft as well as the warmth factor.

Features of the Wigwam Mountain High Hiking Socks

• Cushiony all over
• Silk and Merino Wool blend
• Fortified heel and toe areas
• Virtually seamless toe closure
• Stay put leg and top prevents the sock from creeping down the leg

Buy Now: Unfortunately none of our partner retailers have gotten on the stick and picked up this sock, not REI, not Backcountry.com, not Altrec….but you can check the Wigwam website for a retailer near you.