Italian clothes and shoes are known for their high quality… how about Italian hiking socks? I heard about Vitalsox trekking socks, Italian-made socks with several unique features, and have tested them out.
How they work:
- Made with “silver”. Vitalsox Trekking socks are made with Silver Drystat. I learned that the Ancient Greeks and Romans used silver for its anti-bacterial qualities. These socks have a patented fiber that helps eliminate bacteria and makes them wick well. I did notice the sock have a distinct yet neutral smell when clean…perhaps it is the silver fabric? It didn’t bother me, and it is similar to the smell of wool. The socks definitely wick well and don’t retain sweaty odors.
- Toe area expands while walking. I can’t say that I noticed this directly, but the toe box of the socks were very comfortable on both uphill and downhill slopes.
- Mild compression technology. When I wore these socks I definitely noticed the subtle compression around the calf. This does help with muscle recovery. I often wear compression socks after a long day on the trail, such as the UnderArmour Recovery sock. VitalSox also has their own compression sock – I haven’t tried it so can’t compared it to the UnderArmour one.
These socks retail for $17, so inline with the price for comparable SmartWool socks. I found them to be more comfortable than SmartWool, with equal wicking ability. Thumbs up from Hiking Lady!
Treat Your Feet Right! Hiking Lady’s Tips:
Merino socks are best for sweaty feet and for comfort.
Thank you hiking lady:) Someone mentioned it maybe the boots that are making me sweaty as opposed to the socks I am wearing but I will try your tip. Thank you!
Hi Kelly! I highly recommend wearing a sock liner underneath a wool hiking sock…that will wick sweat away from your skin and onto the wool sock. Most brands of wool socks are good…some of the best in my opinion are SmartWool and Icebreaker if you tend to have particularly sweaty feet.
I noticed with most socks they make my feet sweaty and generally I do not suffer from sweaty feet. I have yet to find a really good pair. Which would you recommend?