Mountain Lodge Merino Wool Outdoor Sport Socks

Mountain Lodge Merino Wool Outdoor Sport Socks are a great option for day hiking and casual wear when your day includes hiking boots/shoes and casual footwear. They may also be good for those who hike with liner socks.

I bought these socks on a lark to see if I could add some personality to my hiking sock collection. Don't get me wrong, function and comfort are more important than fashion on the trail. However, as a long-time lover of socks with personality, I couldn't pass these up. 

Fit and Comfort

The medium size in these socks fit my size 7.5-8, slightly wide feet perfectly. My calves are wider than most women's and I often struggle with getting socks that do not leave uncomfortable impressions on my skin. No such trouble with the Mountain Lodge Outdoor Merino Wool Outdoor Sport socks. These stay pulled up over the calf and are not too tight when worn scrunched around the ankle.   

Temperature Control

Though these haven't been tested in warm temperatures, the design is a good balance of comfortable warmth and breathability for spring. I'll update this review in a few months when I've had them out on longer, warmer hikes.They would be excellent liner socks for those who are like a double sock approach (which I usually don't). I plan to try them as a liner sock to fill space in my too large winter boots. 

Ease of Use

I appreciate that these socks work well in my hiking boots and hiking shoes AND are thin enough to fit in my casual shoes. They are perfect for my lifestyle which includes walking/hiking and errands, kids, shopping, etc. In these socks I can be sure I don't need to change my socks when I move from hiking shoes to other footwear. This may seem a small thing, but as professional woman and a mom, I appreciate having one less thing to do. :)

Features

These socks are lightly cushioned on the bottom and thinner on top. In this picture I tried to capture that one can almost see through the weave on the top of the sock just down from the toe area. The bottom, heel, and toe area are a denser weave, providing all-important cushioning without being too thick. For me, the colors are an important feature of these socks. I love the stripes as well as black/magenta and black/purple mix version.

Conditions

These have become my favorite, all-around socks this spring. I’ve worn them extensively on our morning hikes that are a combination of pavement and well-groomed trail, as well as short hikes on more rugged terrain. They’re comfortable enough I plan to take them on our family backpacking trip to Baxter State Park and see how they compare to the thicker socks I usually wear.