Minus33 Merino Wool Mountain Heritage Elite Liner Over the Calf Ski Socks - Made in the USA - Warm Knee High Socks

Excellent lightweight, yet warm. wool socks

I have tried 3 versions of Minus33 wool socks. This is the third version after testing and reviewingthe Mountain Heritage Elite all season lightweight snowboard socks and the Mountain Heritage Elite light snowboard socks. My absolute favorite are the all season lightweight snowboard socks. These are my least favorite, which I'll explain down below.I have 10 1/2 EEEE feet that get cold quickly, but they overheat easily. And they get very sweaty and super stinky. The many sport, moisture wicking synthetic material socks I've tried have failed to keep my feet warm, dry, and odor-free. I discovered a few years ago that wool is the way to go, and I have tried several brands and blends, cheap and expensive, and always with over 50% wool content. They've been inconvenient as hand-wash only, disintegrate after only a few uses, sag, too tight, too thick, too itchy, and/or insufficient cushioning.This pair, made in USA, is the the good, probably in the top 5. The top two are definitely the other two Minus33 socks I reviewed; it's just this particular version doesn't handle the sweat and odor issues. Just like the other two, these fit perfectly with the toes and heels in the right places and aren't itchy. They're nice and smooth with a dense weave, but they have no cushioning. They're are almost see through due to their thinness. These are truly liner socks.I did the same acid test by wearing them for 24 hours straight. First, I slept with them on. They aren't nearly as warm, but my feet never got cold. PASS!The second test was to wear my wool lined leather slippers for 4 hours in the morning. Just wearing them bare footed ends up with a hot, sweaty, stinky mess after only half an hour. My feet never got hot, but I did there was definitely sweat and a distinct odor. The best sock was the cushy all season version - the extra thickness increases the ability to wick and dissipate heat and sweat. So, it made wearing my slippers bearable but it didn't pass the sweat and odor test like the other two versions. Not a failure but definitely not a success.The third test was to wear my leather boots for 4 hours, which are heavy and not breathable. Since there's no cushioning, the boots slipped on without any issue without any pinching or squeezing - exactly as designed. At the end of the 4 hours, there was definitely sweat and more odor. So these pass for being slim and minimal as advertised, but it fails the stink test.The next few hours was just walking around the house, a blend of hardwood and area rugs. No worries about slipping. Since there was no cushioning, it was a bit harsh walking on hardwood. My feet never got cold but they're not very warm; the ambient temperature is 68 degrees and I never felt the need to put on my slippers. If I were to choose a lounging sock, I'd choose either of the other two versions.The final test was to wear those slippers again for 4 hours to see if their performance degraded over time. Yeah, they definitely got to the unpleasant, over-ripe stink level. I now need to deodorize my slippers.Pricing is a factor in my reviews, and compared to similarly constructed socks from other big and small name brands this price point is totally fair. These Minus33 socks perform about the same as other big name and similarly priced socks. I wouldn't necessarily choose these socks over them, but I do appreciate that they're made in the USA and I do like this company's other offerings.Bottom line, I would recommend these socks if you need a thin, lightweight, slim and minimal sock. It does offer some warmth and some sweat wicking and odor reduction, but maybe after only several hours and not 24. And for an all year-round sock, these are certainly feasible even in the summer, though not in the 90s. That's flip flop weather.I cannot speak to its long term durability or how it performs after multiple washings - it does claim machine washable. If anything negative happens, then I will update this review. But until then, this gets a 5 stars - I won't knock a star off because of my sweat and odor issue as it can likely handle normal feet in a normal day of usage. I just have exceedingly sweaty and stinky feet and I pushed it 24 hours of the worst case conditions. The other two Minus33 socks just performed exceptionally well.

I have several pairs of socks from this company. They high Merino wool content means they are exceptionally good at temperature control for me. They're not bulky, but are very warm when my feet might be cold, but they don't overheat on warm days. I've even worn them during the summer with no issues. Merino is also awesome for moisture management.You'll find that they'll come out of the wash looking a bit smaller than they went in, but I wouldn't really call it shrinking, per se. They stretch back and fit perfectly when worn. Just don't be surprised when it happens. The socks remain great.This particular pair is meant as liners under thicker socks for skiing and snowboarding because they have some extra padding on the shins, but they're good for use by themselves, for hiking or just regular ol' wearing too.Nice that they're made in the US. Recommended.

A summer sock this is not! Being merino wool, the fabric is smooth and comfortable, not at all scratchy as normal wool products might be. The fabric is pliant, and is not too tight, while fitting snugly against foot, ankle and calf. Size ordered was accurate in accordance with my foot measurements. The quality construction befits a product made locally as opposed to one churned out with inferior components en masse. Working outdoors nightly, particularly with the colder weather now settling in, I've had the chance to take these for a spin. In addition to being cozy on the feet, these quality socks provide warmth in spades. Worn with a pair of work boots and with a second pair of socks, my feet were quite toasty through temperatures at night often dropping 20 to 30 degrees. To my surprise and delight, upon removing the socks after almost 10 hours in the cold, wind and rain, my feet were actually quite dry. So I can safely say that in my experience, the wicking feature of these socks is working famously. When you pair these socks with waterproof work boots, for example, it's great to know that water is prevented from entering without, while perspiration is kept at bay within, even with a different pair of socks worn over the Minus33 socks. Most of the battle with keeping your feet warm in inclement weather is keeping them dry, and simply put, you need the gear for the job. These socks lend themselves well to my arsenal of winter weather gear. $20.00 USD + per pair seems like a steep price upon first look, but you could easily pay that much going through many cheaper, poorly constructed socks, and have nothing lasting to show for it. So even as I add/replace them gradually to my wardrobe at their current price point, I am confident I am making a durable, enduring investment in cold-weather comfort; highly recommended.

I preface this review that I wasn’t sure if the sizes listed were mens or womens. I am a woman and have small size 6 wide feet. It is usually hard for me to find ski socks that fit well and those I do find are often girls extra large. These socks fit me well, I like the white ribbing around the instep that ensures a snug fit. They worked well with my ski boots. Many socks are to thick for my boots but these worked with no problems. There is a cushioned area on the shin which will help with pressure points. So for me and my small feet it worked well. However, I had my husband who wears small ski socks and a 7.5 narrow us size shoe try them on to see if this size would work for him or not. He squeezed his feet in and said although they look good and would probably be thin enough for his ski boots they were just to tight for him.Overall happy with socks just know they are closer to womens small then mens. Since I am a woman with small feet they work great for me!Note- If more information on sizing was displayed I couldn’t find it so may be user error. I would recommend making it really clear.