MERIWOOL Merino Wool Hiking Socks for Men and Women – 3 Pairs Midweight Cushioned – Warm n Breathable

I live and work in Hawaii where my daily footwear is generally hiking or utility boots. I also travel often to Japan, where summers can be terribly hot and humid and my daily footwear is generally hiking or tactical boots. In these conditions, SOCKS MATTER. Even for someone like myself, who doesn't have much of any body odor and I'm certainly not prone to foot odor, if you play with low-quality poly-cotton blend socks in these kinds of boots, your feet WILL STINK.I know that for most it seems counter-intuitive that these kinds of thick, merino wool socks would be a great fit in humid, tropical environments, but believe me: If you live/work in a humid environment and particularly in a country like Japan (where you're often removing your shoes) then socks like these are the difference between having a great dinner date on tatami mats at a nice restaurant and stinking up the whole booth with your foot odor.Being that this is Amazon and the Amazon standard for merino wool hiking socks seems to be People Socks, that's what I've been using for several years with fabulous results. They're comfortable, keep my feet dry and last forever. However, they can also run almost $10/pair, and for daily work socks that take a beating and often get lost in the haze of international travel, I thought I might experiment with something cheaper.Then I came across these Meriwool socks, at $16.99 for three pairs. I ordered six pairs, received them today, have been toying with them for an hour and these are my initial thoughts.1) These are serious socks. By that, I mean these things are THICK. If anyone has worn People Socks, Meriwool socks are even thicker. When I roll them into a ball, they're the size of a softball. And being that they're 75% merino (PS are 71%) that's some serious additional material. That speaks volumes as to what you receive for the price, but for those who wear pre-laced zip boots, keep in mind that you may have to loosen your laces a bit.2) They appear to be very, very well made. If I'm just going by feel, Meriwool seems sturdier than PS. Granted, a lot depends on stitching but from what I can see and feel, there is nothing about Meriwool socks to suggest they'll break down faster than PS. Quite the opposite, to be honest.3) Here's what a really love. I have quite thick calves, as I'm a weight-lifter, daily runner and weekend sprinter and perhaps just genetically...I have very athletic calves. One of the hardest thing to find is good socks that come up past the top of my calf bulge and can stay up there. My PS actually fall just a couple inches short, and if I'm not wearing my 8-inch tactical boots that hold the socks up, they will roll down within an hour. My Meriwool socks are JUST high, tight and secure enough to stay up on their own. MAJOR POINTS for me.4) Value. Naturally, I've just begun experimenting with these but if they hold up as my PS have then I would say they are a phenomenal deal for the money. Again, they come out to nearly half the cost of my PS. Obviously, good socks are worth their weight in gold and nobody should be pinching pennies with something so important, but if Meriwool socks last and perform as I expect them to then I can't see any reason NOT to stay with them as a repeat customer.5) The only downside I can see right now is that they're so thick and large, they actually might take up too much space in my suitcase. I travel light, generally take only four or five pairs of socks on international travel (utilize coin laundry, makes things easy) but packing four or five softballs in your medium suitcase can make a big difference.I'm very, very pleased with these socks and will follow up later on how they're performing. But at this moment, I think People Socks has some very serious competition and I'm glad to see a new company offering a great product at a competitive price. Very happy with this purchase and plan to buy more.EDITED 7/7/2018: I've been wearing these socks for a couple of weeks so I thought I'd add my observations.One, the thickness of these socks feels great. When you walk on hardwood floors you really can tell the difference. They're plush, very comfortable, and even in this 90-degree, humid week we've been having, they don't feel hot at all.INSIDE the shoes, however, I'm noticing that they can get a LITTLE bit hot during the days. I generally wear them about twelve hours per day, and I do notice that by the afternoon, my feet are getting a little damp. Granted, I'm wearing these inside steel-toe utility boots, so you have to factor that in.The major difference between these and my old poly-blend hiking socks is that even if my feet feel a little hot, when I get home they DO NOT STINK like with poly-blend socks. That's good enough for me.I haven't gotten to use them in comparison with my People Socks but being that I have used PS in the ridiculously hot and humid Japanese summers in 8-inch hot-weather tactical boots, I can tell you now that I believe the thinner People Socks are a little cooler. I was stunned by how well they worked during my travels last summer. And I was similarly surprised and very pleased by their performance in the blustery cold late winters of Northern Japan a few months ago.That said, I still have to give Meriwool five stars because their socks are thicker, more comfortable and a major bargain. For the time being, they will remain my daily work sock and I'm very happy.EDITED 6/26/2019 TO ADD:I was going over my reviews and realized it has been EXACTLY a year since I wrote this review, so I felt a follow-up might be in order.For the last year, I have worn these socks (three pairs blue, three pairs brown) five days a week in rotating pairs of hiking boots. There is basically no discernable sign of wear on them. No pilling, no stretching, no holes. My predictions about these very, very thick socks were correct.What also hasn't changed is the level of heat. It's officially summer here in Honolulu, and I'm using them daily with my mid-height Merrell Moab Ventilators, and while my feet don't stink at the end of the day they are definitely damp. Again, I'm not prone to foot odor but those living in hotter climates may want to search for thinner options. These socks are also not "soft" socks, like my People Socks are, and to the touch still feel as prickly as they did when new (like all tough wools) but these are socks, not gloves, and that doesn't bother me.They are still slightly hotter than my People Socks, but at the same time, my People Socks--which I only use when traveling overseas a few times per year--ARE showing a little bit of wear. PS are thinner, more comfortable and my preferred sock, but they're still double the price and won't stand up to as much abuse. These socks would be phenomenal for those in very cold climates who need a very, very tough and thick sock for long winters or hikes.Overall I'm very happy and they were a great value. I'm assuming I'll still be wearing these same six pairs this time next year, but to be honest, if comfort were my only concern and not price, I'd probably use PS on a daily basis. If I ever go looking for new work socks, and who knows when that will be, I'll probably experiment with something a little thinner. Hawaii isn't getting any cooler, that's for sure.

great working boot socks, thick and padded and warm. Keeps my feet warm without sweating.

I have ordered the pink socks for last 2 years. I ordered the pink socks last year and again this year. I wear them in cold season. I have also given the pink socks as gifts. The pink socks wash well. I wash the socks in the machine in cold water. Because they are wool I hang to dry. I have not put the socks in the dryer. The pink socks are thick, warm and hold their shape. They keep my feet extra warm in the cold months.

I've have several other name brands of wool socks and these are performing on par with the others.

As described

My personal review is based on my experiences during two deployments and one training exercise.I am a first responder and work in emergency medical services therefore regions (environments) I work in are frequently changing.In this case, I took up a volunteer position to serve in Puerto Rico, high humidity and temperatures exceeding upper 80s meant traveling LIGHT especially through the rural/mountainous areas. My feet were bound to take a heavy beating on 12-16hr shiftsThere were times when I didn't have access to a laundry facility and literally wore one pair straight (airing out at night) by day 5 the socks only started to vaguely smell. I could have switched to a fresh pair but I wanted to push and see how well these socks would last under extreme conditions. SOmetimes basic necessities like laundry and water aren't always readily available. I am thankful I had these socks...I ordered the Size: Large ( I wear a Men's 8W / EU 41 Boot) These fit me well.Style Name: Style KL Mix ColorPros:Well padded and comfy. I felt like I was walking on clouds inside my boots.Enough support and compression in all the right spots.Wicked the sweat well. Kept my feet dry during sweaty days and warm during colder evenings. While flying these were amazing, my feet normally go numb, these socks helped to regulate the temperature while in the air. When I landed, no sore feet or discomfort. I literally hit the ground running HAHAHA ;)I received my item in less than 48hrs after placing my order.A big selling point for me was the price and great value of receiving 3 pairs. Other brands, normally cost the same and you only get one pair!!!Overall the quality,size and performance far exceeded my expectations.Cons:This isn't really a CON. More a recommendation. These socks are better washed by hand and air dried. I did wash them in the tub on gentle, they got a little fuzzy. I reckon to prolong the life of these socks, just hand wash them and air dry :)Conclusion:Other volunteers and first responders commented on my socks and while others were showing off their 5.11 and UA socks etc, here I am, no blisters, cool as a cucumber with my bargain unknown brand quality socks. Just goes to show, sometimes the "underdog" brand comes out on top.As a first responder I am always trying out new gear in the field. Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't NO Bullsh**. Given that feet are normally the first to fatigue during an operation. Having a good pair of boots and socks makes all the difference, not only in personal performance/wellness but also public service delivery. I had a really good experience using these socks for the first time, therefore I highly recommend Meriwool socks...for the hiker, the outdoors person, the first responder... or just someone who wants to get a quality pair (3 Pairs in fact) at a reasonable cost.UPDATE 07/09 - After redeployment to Weslaco, TX (Flood Response)High humidity and temperatures exceeding 100F+ these socks paired with my SWAT Boots protected my feet. No blisters, no raw feet nor sores. Thick enough to deter the mosquitos. (We were located in a Zika region) Provided enough cushioning and wicked away the sweat very well during 12hr days of mucking out. Socks have faded slights after a few wash cycles, no holes or tears. They passed the sniff test on a few occasions. I added another two photos...So far so good.Please note; Meriwool is not sponsoring me nor am I getting any incentives for posting feedback here.I am sharing my feedback because not all of us can afford fancy brands especially since I am a volunteer, it’s great to try out products that work in the field that don’t cost an arm and a leg...