Feetures Merino 10 Review

Soft and supple, the Feetures Merino 10 is super comfortable and cozy. It's designed strategically to offer a nice balance of cushioning while keeping your feet dry on long days out. This lightweight running sock is fairly durable but has shown signs of wear after 60 miles.

Performance Comparison

Comfort

If you're seeking a cozy and comfortable hug while you run, the Feetures Merino 10 certainly delivers. It is made of a high-density synthetic and Merino wool blend material that earns it a top pick because it feels good on the skin and underfoot. Cushioning is found in all the right places and is light to provide good breathability. Like any well-constructed sock, it is well thought out. They build this sock with high density cushioning in the heel, forefoot, and around the collar at the Achilles heel. The material is tightly woven to enhance comfort whether you're running for 100 miles or simply lounging around the house. Our thoughts? Since the Merino wool-synthetic blend is soft and plush with targeted cushioning in all the right places, it's one of the most comfortable socks out there.

Fit

We tested the women's version on this sock, and it certainly fits specific to a more narrow, slender foot. The material is laced with a stretchy material that ensures a tight fit that doesn't roll down on the run. Starting at the top, the collar is well padded towards the back with a thinner, but comfortable flap on the front. Around the neck of the collar is a hardy elastic band that wraps the circumference of the ankle. This provides a tight fit with a “no-show” sock. It has a designated left and right side for a nice, anatomical fit.

The heel is well-cushioned and quite tight as well. The arch is a thinner band of elastic material that does a great job of wrapping and compressing the arch. The toe box is certainly more narrow than the male design, but not so compressive that you can't spread your toes.

The seamless and elastic design does not bunch or roll while on the run, making the fit comfortable and specific. Overall, this sock feels a little smaller than the rest out of the box and offers a great level of compression. Some might say the fit is “tight”. If you like that, this is a great option.

Wicking & Breathability

With plush cushioning, it's not surprising that this sock isn't as breathable as thinner contenders. The plush material does a great job of grabbing moisture and wicking it away from the skin, but the material does hold sweat a little longer. While we would still use this for warm summer days, it's not our top recommendation if it's bleeding hot outside or if you have especially sweaty feet. During most training runs our feet stayed dry because the Feetures sock wicks incredibly well. However, during super hot days, we noticed moisture building up in areas of high padding. Our feet weren't wet by any means, but they simply didn't release moisture as easily as thinner contenders.

Underneath the arch, there is a bunch of loosely knit threads that actually pull moisture from the arch sufficiently. While this area is much thinner to enable the transport of moisture away from the skin, it's still thicker than other options out there…and more tightly knit. As a result, moisture hangs out a little longer in the fabric (not on your skin). In the areas of the padding, this material has a much tighter knit, meaning that water can't efficiently evaporate away. By the end of a run on a super hot day, we noticed this sock being pretty moist, even though our skin felt dry. Overall, not the best at breathability, but it does wick effectively to keep your feet dry on the run.

Slip Prevention

The high-density fabric ensures that your foot stays in place in your show. The thicker fabric is composed of Merino Wool fibers that do a better job at grabbing than most slippery synthetic options. Whether you are charging down a super steep hill or simply going for the gold on the flats, you can find solace in the fact that your foot won't be slipping around in your shoe.

We tested this sock for over thirty miles in a variety of different types of terrain. We ran up and down steep hills and trotted away on straightaways. We wore different types of shoes, wide and sloppy to tight and fitted. While some offered more room for slippage, we found that this sock offered resistance and traction in the shoe. The cushioning in the heel and forefoot provides enough grip that it won't move around too much. Even though it is tightly knit, when it compresses during high impact it holds in place. Great for avoiding foot slippage!

Durability

This sock showed some wear and tear after about 30 miles of use. The Merino wool-synthetic blend will pill, even when laundering the socks to the company's specifications. That said, it doesn't affect performance.

While 30 miles is a great first look at the durability of this sock, it's not enough to say where its limits are. The wear and tear we observed after our testing period including some compaction of the high-density fibers in both the forefoot and heel. However, the rest of the sock stayed intact and didn't deform after washing. The elasticity of the sock is strong and over time, it seemed to ball up and bunch after coming out of the wash. That said, we simply tugged it and it went back into its normal shape. We are happy to report this running sock is fairly durable during our testing period.

Value

While the Feetures is super comfortable, we aren't too impressed with the price. This price tag is a lot of money to spend on a simple pair of running socks. This sock really is unique for its soft fabrics and ultra-plush cushioning in the forefoot and heel. So if you're willing to throw down cash for that, then it may be worth it. But the masses, there are better options for the price.

Conclusion