Smartwool PhD Outdoor Mid Crew Walking and Hiking Socks for Men and Women
Product Review & Walking Gear Test

PhD Outdoor Mid Crew Walking and Hiking Socks for Men and Women

Vital Statistics:

Colours:

Women's - Taupe/Leaf, Mid Grey/Coral, Wasabi/Key Lime, Ash/Yellow
Men's - Charcoal/Steel, Ash/Orange, Chestnut/Black, UnionBlue/Silver, Lode/Grey

Sizes:

Women's - shoe sizes 2 - 10.5
Men's - shoe sizes 2-13.5

SRP:
£17.25

Features to Note:

Made from New Zealand Zque Merino wool:
Yarn composition Women's - 64% Merino wool/33% Nylon/3% Elastic
Yarn composition Men's - 79% Merino Wool/20% Nylon/1% Elastic
4 degree fit system
Mesh ventilation zones
Extra cushioning in high impact areas heel and forefoot - Wool on Wool

In-use Test:

I first wore these Smartwool PhD socks on several longish walks around The Manifold trail in the Staffordshire hills during Autumn. The weather was cool but not excessively so.

The socks fitted well and did stay in place - there was really no slippage at all. They have a very soft feel and the extra padding under the front of your foot and at the heels does definitely add to the overall level of comfort.

It's tempting perhaps to imagine that a predominantly wool sock is going to be too hot. However wool does have naturally good wicking characteristics and in these socks that's enhanced by 'mesh' ventilation panels on the top of the foot.

The odour retention is also pretty minimal - but they do wash and dry well anyway.

A minor gripe is that the bottom of the socks (certainly on the first wearing) is a little slippy which meant that I felt my feet moving very slightly inside my boots. However that did not really detract from the overall comfort.

Buying Advice:

Whilst it is perhaps a tad expensive, Smartwool's PhD mid crew is a high performance sock that's ideal for use in a 3 season walking boot in all but the coldest conditions. I'm also looking forward to using it for some multi-day trips for which I think it will be ideal.