Brasher introduced new range of socks, which are short socks designed to wear with walking shoes to look after your feet when out for miles and miles.
I have always been advised that when walking distances, especially when wearing walking boots, you should wear two pairs of socks. The first layer (closest to your feet) should be a thin liner that wicks away moisture and prevents blisters. Then the second layer should be thicker, with some wool, to keep feet warm, dry and comfortable. When I walk something like the Spires and Steeples I will absolutely wear two pairs of socks, as I know it works.
But these Dual Trail socks remove the need for that second pair of socks – because they are exactly as the name suggests – “dual”. They have both pairs of socks in one. The inner layer is the one that wicks away moisture and keeps your feet free from blisters, and the outer layer is all about regulating heat and keeping you comfy in your shoes.
What can I say about a pair of socks? How about these are the most comfortable socks I have ever put on my feet. How’s that for a recommendation? It’s true. My usual combination of my Bridgedale liners and socks comes close, but these are really lovely. The inside is soft and stays with your feet as you walk, and the outside layer moves as you walk and keeps things padded.
You can see from the photo above that the outer layer is designed with the toe stitching on the outside, which prevents the socks rubbing and causing blisters on your toes, and shapes in the materials for grip inside your shoe and also where the most wear is normally. There are two little spots on my feet that can get sensitive if I walk for long distances, and I have to say those areas felt very nicely padded inside these socks.
Since I had these socks I’ve washed them three or four times and they come up fine – I wondered if they might be less soft but they’re not, they’ve washed very well and I can see them lasting for many more washes to come.
These are short socks and therefore designed to wear with walking shoes (not boots). I wore them with my Brasher Kuga GTX walking shoes as well as with my old Karrimor walking shoes and they really made a difference. I think I’ve just become a sock snob!
They are £12 a pair which in my experience is pretty good for decent walking socks (especially bearing in mind you might want two pairs – and the price I paid for the socks I normally wear for hiking), and are available in Navy and Black for men and Sky and Pink for women. See the Brasher website for the full range.
You can read my review of Brasher Kuga GTX Shoes here.