Bridgedale Socks

Kate Dzienis 01.07.2024

REVIEW BY:  Alexis Oosterhoff

TRAIL GEARS/Pure Sports Nutrition

Every little thing counts when you’re out running, and that includes the socks you protect your feet with. 

Good…no, in fact great socks can make all the difference when you’re out there slogging it on complex and technical trails. Yes, shoes are also a deciding factor and that’s what most people tend to focus on, however socks are there to prevent blisters, reduce fatigue and protect the skin by reducing friction and helping keep your feet dry from either sweat or outside factors like mud and water. 

I was given the opportunity to test run two pairs of the Bridgedale brand – well known for keeping toes warm and comfortable direct from the vast and glorious outdoors that is Northern Ireland since the early 1980s – and they didn’t disappoint. Because the company continually invests in the latest knitting and finishing machinery, it enables them to develop new designs and constantly improve performance. 

First off was testing the Men’s Ultra Light T2 Coolmax Sport Lows (in red, mind you, to go faster) which straight away gave me a comfortable fit and very noticeable cushioning thanks to resilient padding. It’s so great to see products like this being vegan friendly, and this particular sock is made of a non-wool fabric (built on a structure on LYCRA and set by Bridgedale’s Thermo Fit processes to ensure it always returns to its original shape). Despite the elasticity of the said fabrics, they never felt restrictive or uncomfortable, and have found the moisture-wicking technology to live up to the hype.

The Lows are a sports fit, sitting just above the ankle bone, and have a flat toe seam that didn’t bother me in the slightest – in fact, my toes could splay out in the socks’ natural toe box. 

The other pair I got an opportunity to test were the Men’s Lightweight T2 Merino Sport ¾ Crews (in gunmetal), which have a different fabric type – a combination of merino and lycra makes these socks feel very soft, and yet they conform well to your foot shape. I found there was no falling down or bunching up with the crew length, and I wore them comfortably all day. 

The lycra ensured that no dirt or small rocks found their way in from the top, and after several washes, the socks still felt soft while holding their original form. Like with the Coolmax Sport Lows, the Merino Sport ¾ Crews have ventilation, resilient padding, odour control and insane durability for trail running. This pair was light, cool and very breathable – it was a shame to take them off before bed, to be honest. 

Both the Men’s Ultra Light T2 Coolmax Sport Lows and the Men’s Lightweight T2 Merino Sport ¾ Crews are a part of Bridgedale’s Trail Run range, which amazingly enough have actually been tested by trail runners over a two-year period. When in development, Bridgedale met and worked closely with a team of enthusiastic trail runners in the Lake District UK to better understand trail running and a trail runner’s needs.

They know what we want, and they know how to make it.

The Men’s Ultra Light T2 Coolmax Sport Lows are available in Yellow, Blue, Navy and Red whilst the Women’s come in Purple, Pink and Blue; the Men’s Lightweight T2 Merino Sport ¾ Crews are available in Black, Blue, Red and Gunmetal, and for the Women they come in Teal, Damsen and Charcoal/Purple. 

VITALS

RRP: Ultra Light T2 Coolmax Sport Lows $35.99 AUD

RRP: Lightweight T2 Merino Sport ¾ Crews $37.99 AUD

Available at all good independent outdoor retailers and running shops