Product Review - Seal Skinz Mid Weight Knee Length Sock

• Anatomically designed knee length fit
• Close fitting knitted construction
• Merino wool pile lining for warmth and moisture control
• Poodle padding on the toe, sole and Achilles panel for extra comfort
• Elasticated instep and Achilles ankle panel provide support and ensure a close, comfortable fit

I''m a fairly hardy soul when it comes to being out and about in all weathers fishing but cold/damp feet is something that can really give me the homing instinct quick time. Coupled with the fact my feet seem to eat boots/wellies etc and create leaks in my footwear relatively quickly is not a great situation for me. So when my friend who is a hardcore cyclist suggested I check out Sealskinz products I took his recommendation as I knew he was regularly out in cold wet conditions.

Now with a recommended retail price of £34.95 for a pair of socks and being tight by nature you can guess I initially wasn't super keen to fork out that on socks (cheapest I've found is £25ish online). But on researching more there were a lot of positive comments to be found online from a very diverse range of sports, but all being mostly conducted in cold and wet conditions; rowing, fishing, cycling, hiking etc. 

In the hand they feel slightly odd to touch, mainly due to the triple layered construction with the middle one being a waterproof membrane. But once on they are extremely comfortable due to them being designed to fit the foot/ankle/calf snugly rather than just a traditional sock 'tube'. 

On the comfort side I've worn these on long rambling 8 hour fishing sessions covering a good distance several times now and they are superb, padding round the feet takes a lot of the impact (of my) plodding steps and I have noticed a reduction in how sore my feet are after long walks/sessions (which I generally suffer due to having fallen arches). The snug elasticated outer layer adds to this without being over tight, almost making it feel like an extra layer of skin rather than a product or piece of clothing being worn. 

The waterproof nature of these socks is the most remarkable and one I only really trialed due to an error on my part. I was going out and had brought the wrong boots (not waterproof ones) and decided to test the socks out. Before setting off across the rocks to the low tide point I had a bit of a walk through some rock-pools about ankle deep in water. I was pleasantly surprised that I felt absolutely no water or even slight dampness. Baring in mind all I had on was an old battered pair of hiking boots this was an unexpectedly good result in my opinion. 

After a few hours on the rocks and having to wade shallow stretches (no more than ankle to calf deep) a few times I was intrigued to take of my now soaking boots and see what the socks them selves were like. I knew my feet were dry and warm. On removing the boots the outer layer of the socks was as soaking as the boots themselves and on turning them inside out bone dry as I knew they would be. 

Since then I've worn them a few times on dryer sessions and with hot sweaty feet they work well in reverse taking moisture away from the skin. I can't speak highly enough about these socks and I'm already eyeing a shorter pair for the summer and some of their hats and gloves.