Testing Duration
For an ultra-running maniac who loves to run, testing running-specific socks is easy! After fortifying our sock drawer with many pairs of the best running socks available, we set out to test them. The only way we knew how was by running. As more and more projects kept coming up, the testing period was extended, and we had even more time to run in each pair, further cementing our love of running and our belief that every one of these socks was top quality. We spent the second half of summer, all of fall, and even the early part of winter testing these socks on runs short and long on the trails of the San Juan Mountains of Colorado and the canyon country of eastern Utah. While our testing preference was trail-centric, we weren't above getting out for our daily runs on the local bike paths once the snow started flying.
Slip Testing
With our extended field testing revealing a generally high quality among all the socks in the lineup, we decided to take our socks to the “lab” to dive more deeply into our field performance results and help us differentiate across the lineup. Although metrics like comfort and fit didn't lend themselves to anything but anecdotal and experiential grading, we performed more controlled testing for slip prevention and wicking ability. For slip prevention, we tackled a local hill wearing purposefully loose shoes to exaggerate a sock's performance or lack thereof. Jogging both up and down this steep hill with loose shoes helped us understand the socks that gripped both shoes and feet, and the ones that easily slipped off.
Wicking & Breathability
We found it hard to assess wicking ability based simply on our mountain running experiences, since so many other factors came into play, like the number of streams we would stomp through, the temperature, and the type of shoe we were wearing that day. So we devised a couple of tests. In the first one, we soaked each sock inside and out and then wore them on our dry feet, without shoes, for 15 minutes, recording what we felt inside and outside the socks once the time was up. We wore different socks on each foot to help with the comparative process. This test gave us a good idea of which socks were most absorptive, which breathed best, and which had superior wicking fibers.
To further substantiate these findings, we performed another test where we soaked every sock, then laid them out together, one sock normal and one inside out, for one hour. We then independently compared how each did with moisture management, without a foot's heat. This highlighted the socks that sport superior technology versus those with less wicking ability. These tests, paired with our extensive field testing, allowed us to collect the data and opinions.
Durability
To measure durability, we simply look at the wear and tear of each sock after about 30+ miles of use. We note areas of compaction and pilling, and look to see which show potential signs of failure after this period. We also look at online reviews from other sites to determine if there are any consistently reported product issues so that we can confirm or retest such issues.
