Review: Wildly Good Lightweight Merino Socks
Table of Contents
Disclaimer: This is a sponsored article. A pair of Wildly Good Merino Socks was sent to Hike the Planet! World headquarters, to be reviewed by our discerning gear testers. You, the reader, deserve an unbiased, accurate review. We have done our best to bring you a fair, unbiased review.
Perhaps the most underrated wardrobe component, a pair of socks serves many purposes. Of course, they cushion the foot, supporting it through rain or shine. But many neglect some other pragmatic uses.
For example, a sock is a good place to hide your rent money. In a survival situation, you can probably use it to filter water (maybe). We all remember childhood, when you’d peel off a smelly sock, taunting a sibling with a limp, bacterial, wet one.
But uh, I’m not sure where I’m going with this tangent. To the point, I’m reviewing a pair of Wildly Good Lightweight Merino Wool Socks. Our testers did not use these socks as an ad hoc wallet, nor did we use them for any familial hijinks. Instead, we hiked, ran, and chilled out in these socks. Our findings: a very comfortable pair of merino wool socks, ideal for multisport pursuits.
Check Out Wildly Good Crew Length Socks
Wildly Good
It’s been well documented that we dig the small, spunky, mom and pop companies. We empathize with the small businesses that pour a lot of time, effort, and heart into crafting a high quality product. Wildy Good, one such shop, saw their chance to make a mark on the casual/outdoor/performance sock game.
Based out of the quaint New England town of Rutland, Massachusetts (the geographic center of the state!), Wildly Good has been designing better socks since 2018. Legend has it that the idea for a comfortable, versatile sock was hatched over a campfire.
Christian, the visionary sock god behind Wildly good, sought to design socks that could be used anywhere. The people demanded socks that could be used to slide across hardwood floors ala Risky Business, hike up a mountain, and make the monday morning office commute. Wildly Good answered with a well crafted pair of Merino stockings.
Hike the Planet! was approached by Wildly Good to give it’s socks a test run. As of this writing, Lightweight Merino socks are Wildly’s sole product offering. Some may call it a micro operation, focusing on quality over quantity.
Never in our long history as a respected hiking rag have we been offered a free product. We’re used to cheap, fast fashion department store socks. An 8 pack of these socks gets worn through in a year of light use, and never fit quite right. So we jumped at the chance to test out Merino Wool socks, if only as proof that we have achieved Influencer status.
A few days later, a tidy package of Lime Green/Gray lightweight hiking socks was delivered to our doorstep. Arriving unscathed, these socks made a safe journey across the Mad Max-ian hellscape of COVID-19 era America. From Massachusetts, to an undisclosed location on the continental fringe, Wildly Good’s socks have already shown that they’re up for big adventures.
Check Out Wildly Good Crew Length Socks
First Impressions
These socks came in a padded envelope, neatly folded, and bound by a cardboard label. As advertised on the back, Wildly Good promises that it’s socks are comfortable, lightweight, blister free, durable, and possess anti-stink qualities. Included was a cool little sticker. Great! We love stickers.
Catching my eye were colored highlights. The main sock is a mottled grey color, but my pair had bright green toes, and heels. It’s an eye catching combo, and if this copy is to be believed, seems to be the intent. Along with green, these socks can be found with red, blue, pink, and purple highlights. Next time, I might get the pink pair.
These crew length socks both felt soft, and stretched well. Promising. Trying them on, they imparted a feeling of welcome. I was impressed. Out of the box, these socks seem both capable, and comfortable.
Comfort
Clothing, mattresses, cars and shoes. If you’re buying anything that you’ll be spending a lot of time in, it is important to consider comfort. Why on earth would you want to be uncomfortable? Maybe if you’re into whips, leather, and chains, but that’s the subject of a different website.
When it comes to socks, comfort is extra important. Half the reason to even wear socks is for comfort. A good pair will be soft, keep you warm, and won’t give you blisters. Wildly Good Socks, I’m happy to announce, do all three.
No matter the activity, I found these socks to be mighty comfy. They hug the skin without constricting, breathe well, and dry out quickly enough. With about 100 miles of multisport use, they have yet to give me a blister. Granted, I haven’t used them in every sort of condition, but I wouldn’t hesitate to wear Wildly Goods when it’s rainy, or snowing.
Hiking
Maybe I don’t know socks, but Wildly Goods seems to be built for hiking, through and through. Most Merino socks are, I suppose, but the build quality suggests that they will hold up on long trails.
Thus far, I haven’t tested them out on any big trips. On shorter, sub 10 mile day hikes, they’ve performed as well as any hiking sock needs to.
True to their word, Wildly Good has designed these socks to be truly odor free. After hours of hiking and running in my dirty, sweaty shoes, I’ve barely smelt them. Many other clothing brands only promise to be odor free, but fall short. Apparently, the breathable qualities of merino wool help to deter odor causing bacteria.
Where I live, there are enough mountains to keep any hiker busy. I spent hard miles in my Wildly Goods, hiking to the top of local peaks. Though these socks collected sweat, dust, and sand, they maintained a level of utility that could keep me hiking for hours. I have yet to get any blisters. They ball up small, and the Merino is light enough to store in a pack for storage.
Their true test will come later this summer, when I have a chance to plunge them in icy cold mountain streams. Until then, the Wildly Goods have proven their worth on day hikes, and I feel that they are comparable to Darn Tough, REI, or any other Merino wool hiking sock.
Running
I don’t know if these socks are explicitly designed as running socks. However, I’m not picky. When it comes to choosing running wear, whatever I have on at that moment generally does the trick. So, if these slightly too thick, crew length socks keep me blister free, then I’m running in Wildly Goods, dang it.
As the world’s most okay-est Trail Runner, I found these socks to be just right. They are probably a little too thick for most runners, and crew length is not the right choice for a warm, summer jogs, but I’m not most runners.
In cooler conditions, these would be good running socks. They’re warm, but not too warm, and they breathe well enough. My shoe of choice is the Lone Peak Altra, a lightweight trail runner that promotes a barefoot running style. In these shoes, the toes splay out.
With cheaper socks, I’ve found that holes would quickly wear into the sides of the forefoot. Thus far, the Wildly Goods have held up very well, showing no real signs of wear.
To my pleasant surprise, these socks cushion better than most others. This was nice when running downhill, when my toes would be shoved to the front of the shoe. They minimized the impact, and helped to protect the balls of my feet.
Wildly Goods probably aren’t the best sock for running, but they’ll do in a pinch. These socks are much more adept for hiking, and casual use.
Durability
Over the course of 100+ miles, and two months of use, my Wildly Good Socks have held up well. Most of their use has been in dry, desert conditions, where sand, dust, and plant material works itself into socks. For the purposes of testing, I have taken care to avoid washing these socks more than necessary. I let them accrue sweat and dirt, just to see how they’d fare.
Where cheap, department store socks might develop holes, and become threadbare, my Wildly Goods have yet to show any cosmetic flaws. The long time Gold Standard of outdoor sock durability is Darn Tough, a brand trusted for long lasting foot sleeves. I’ve never worn a pair, but I’d hazard that Wildly Good socks are a fair competitor. Time will tell, but I have a good feeling.
Conclusion
I’m biased towards smaller, US based companies (also, I like companies that send me free stuff). I’ve reviewed plenty of gear in the past made by these small shops, and I’m always impressed by the build quality, and care taken when assembling the product.
Wildly Good, a small, yet growing shop out of New England, certainly shows that quality beats quantity. By hyperfocusing on a single product offering, the world now has a durable, comfortable sock that can go “toe to toe” with any other.
If folks like these socks as much as I do, then I anticipate that Wildly Good will become a force to be reckoned with. In the meantime, I’m enjoying the heck out of my pair, as it has proven to be a trusty part of my kit. When the time for new socks comes, I will surely look to Wildly Good.
Check Out Wildly Good Crew Length Socks
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