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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, “Thank goodness my backpack has an integrated bottle opener — all that beer would have gone to waste,” but 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 Trail Trax Pro Features
- 49% Wool Dri-release, 35% Nylon, 14% Merino Wool, 2% Spandex
- Cushiony sole
- Foot hugging fit
- FreshGuard eliminates odors
- Seamless toe closure
- Dri-release dries super fast
Wigwam Trail Trax Pro Review
The Trail Trax Pro may be made primarily with runners in mind, but I found it to be a terrific all-around outdoor sock.
Do I think about these socks when doing my thing?
Not even slightly, and that’s a great thing. I should be worried about river levels, marauding hillbillies and truck clearance, not my socks!
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 climbing partners noticing.
Did the socks’ qualities change after a few wash cycles?
I’m not sure, but my impression is that the Trail Trax Pro 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 Trail Trax Pro 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 taupe/brown heather version… <pregnant pause…> I have absolutely no idea what that means, but it’s a color combo I like. It looks outdoorsy.
Bottom Line:
The Wigwam Trail Trax Pro is fantastic compromise between light and feature rich. This is a terrific all-around outdoor sock.
;)
