I enjoy ultras that take me into the heart of beautiful places such as the Yorkshire Dales and Snowdonia. I have completed fifty mile events in both these areas, and the exhilaration of competition added to the privilege of experiencing nature at such close quarters is just reward for the efforts of any runner.
After the socks dropped through the letter box, the first thing I noticed was the absence of those nasty little plastic ties that hold them as a pair. Removing the tie can easily result in damage to the material, rendering the sock useless.
The socks are of a good mid-calf length, and felt soft, with the exception of three hi-vis grey stripes on the back. These gave no discomfort when wearing the socks. Opening the socks, the insides looked very untidy, with loose threads everywhere. But again, this caused no problem during use. There were also some slight pulls on the outside of the socks. The size range was 8 – 11, my feet are 10 – 10.5, so the socks were never going to be baggy for me. I noticed a light compression effect as I put them on for the first time.
I wore the socks around the house for a few days. and then over the next few weeks went on to walking, cycling and running. They have proven to be generally comfortable and easy to wear. The colour scheme I had was a bright, light affair, with white and green panels suggesting the onset of Spring, the black panels reminding us that Winter is not completely finished just yet.
The fabric is light and soft to the touch, reminiscent of other bamboo clothing I have worn. It is stretchy without being as limp as lycra, yet also sturdy, as in the way that cotton holds its shape.
The socks are easy to wear, and apart from one problem that I experienced, very comfortable for all-day outings.
Comfortable socks are vital for ultra runners, and the fabric is light and soft on my feet. Even during full days of activity they remained comfortable, with the exception of the tops. When the socks were used in wet conditions they did not become heavy with water, and they really did keep my feet warm on cold days, and cool on warm days.
The most common foot problem for ultra runners is friction blisters. After many miles using these socks, I have experienced no friction issues or discomfort and there was never any hint of any sock induced foot problems.
A good indicator of comfort is the level of attention the clothing demands from the wearer. I often forgot I was trialing the socks, and from the very first outing I simply did not need to pay any attention to them, or to my feet.
Most competitors like to be well turned out on race day, with immaculate kit and clothing. The large white panel on the front of the socks is difficult to keep clean. Even the use of powders and wonder formulae that guaranteed whiteness did not keep them race day clean. Perhaps the green and the white panels could exchange places, the white fronts are helpful with visibility for runners on the roads at night, but that is the only benefit I can think they give.
Three broad grey stripes on the back of the socks show up well in car headlights, a very nice touch.
After many hours of quite hard use, the socks have inevitably lost that feeling of newness. This is not helped by the discolouration of the white panels. Soon after their first outing they no longer look new, but more importantly they are still as comfortable as the day I first wore them.
Review by Malcolm Beresford
BAM
Long Technical Bamboo Socks
£22.00
