May We Make A Gift Suggestion? Fox River Socks!

by Murray Selleck

Fox River Socks may be the best Christmas stocking stuffer gift you can choose. Of course, the gift receiver may think, “Bah humbug” the moment the socks are unwrapped. However, once they pull the new socks on their feet the feeling of being underwhelmed is replaced with the comfort of a warm Christmas hug! So, so, good!

These past few months I’ve been testing a few pairs of Fox River socks in my hiking and backcountry ski boots. The comfort is excellent. The durability is great. They show no signs of thinning or premature wear after using them and washing them consistently for months.

The two socks I’ve been wearing are the Matterhorn LW Crew and Ramble LW Crew. While they are both pretty similar in fit and performance there is a difference. The Matterhorn is primarily made up with merino wool and the Ramble is knitted up with majority Coolmax®. One is made with more natural fibers and the other is synthetic.

The Fox River Matterhorn LW Crew

The Matterhorn LW Crew:
The Matterhorn uses 35% merino wool. Merino is incredibly popular because it is a natural fiber, renewable, anti-microbial, biodegradable, and feels great next to your skin. It also has the ability to self regulate temperature.

With the addition of silk (13%), polyester (6%), and spandex (2%), the sock has increased durability compared to a sock using 100% wool. And with the silk you’ll notice a nice smooth and soft feel to the sock. Shall we say silky? Yes, the smoothness with the silk is noticeable. The spandex adds a touch of snugness to the sock and stay-in-place performance. They won’t shift on you inside your footwear or slip down your shins.

The Fox River Ramble LW Crew

The Ramble LW Crew:
The Ramble is a synthetic sock but that is no reason to shy away from its performance, comfort, and fit. The majority fiber is Coolmax®. Coolmax is made up of 60% recycled fibers. It  is also a hollow fiber that allows it to wick moisture away from your skin, trap heat to keep you warm when you need it, expels heat and moisture when you need it, and dries quickly. The rest of the sock is made with nylon, polyester, and spandex. Same with the Matterhorn, these additional fibers help create a snug fit around your foot that won’t shift, bundle around your toes, or slip down your calf.

Shared Features:
Both models of socks share a left and right design, memory fit construction, hold their shape nicely, add foot support around the arch, absorb shock through the heel and toe protection with additional padding, and offer a nice, smooth, flat toe seam. This all adds up to both of these models of socks performing well and fitting and feeling nice on your skin.  

It may be a toss up between these two socks as to which one becomes your favorite.

I like everything there is to like about using Merino wool not only for socks but for clothing, too. My only (slight) personal concern is how quickly it dries. This comment probably pertains more to next-to-skin base layers (torso and legs) rather than socks but if you accidentally dunk your feet into a creek...

Wool does insulate when wet but it does take time to dry. And if it is next to your skin it may feel clammy until then. This consideration is really only important when you know your day will be filled with lots of climbing, breaking a deep snow trail, winter camping... Times you know you will be working hard and breaking a sweat. The key to staying warm in the winter is staying dry! 

Synthetics, however, dry quickly even while you’re wearing them. Synthetics are oil derived and it is good to seek out recycled synthetic products whenever possible. Good for Fox River for doing exactly that… 

A LIttle About Fox River:
Fox River is USA company and they do all their knitting/manufacturing in Osage, Iowa. They have been around since 1900 and their longevity proves they know quite a bit about design, production, and offering great value with their products. You get a lot of value with their socks because they fit and perform excellently and they last a long time.

Final Thoughts:
Socks are every bit as important of an outdoor gear selection as any big ticket item. They are our first perception of comfort before we lace up our shoes or buckle our boots. They provide trail pounding cushioning. They keep the cold at bay in the winter and expel heat and sweat in the summer keeping us comfortable. Great socks provide all day comfort. If you haven’t considered Fox River in the past you’ll be happy when you do in the future!

Where to Buy:
Colorado Front Range Stores offering Fox River are Jax Goods (Fort Collins, Loveland), Whiteside's Boots (Greeley and Loveland), and the YMCA of the Rockies (Estes Park). Fox River socks are also sold through their website foxsocks.com.

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