As always this will be a down and dirty type of review. It will be based in real world terms, not fancy marketing hype. Ready or not, here we go.

 

Disclaimer: These socks were provided to my free of charge, as a product ambassador for XOSKIN.

 

Common background information: I work-out and run a lot, I sweat profusely, and I have pretty large, pretty flat feet. How big you ask, US size 14 big. There is a reason This blog is called The Urban Squatch.

If you are unfamiliar XOSKIN products, read on and maybe find a new must have. If you’re already a XOSKIN fan, I hope you like my review.

I came across XOSKIN products through a few of their ambassadors, who also happen to be my fellow Orange Mud ambassadors. They came highly recommended from people whose opinion I have come to value and trust, so I gave them a chance. Long story short, I loved their gear and got to talking to Kroy and Rick at the company and they offered me the chance to become a product ambassador, which I decided was probably a good idea. Flash forward a few months and a few rumors of upcoming toe socks and we land where we are right now…

OK Enough chit chat, let’s dive in.

Good:

 

Comfort: These socks are pretty much completely seamless, which makes them comfortable. No seems, means no hot spots to rub on your foot. XOSKIN uses a proprietary material to make their clothing and some trippy 3D knitting techniques to make not only cool looking but really wearable socks.

Fit: OK, technically speaking these socks are designed for feet that realistically end at size 12, that being said, they don’t seem to be any worse for the wear having stretched over my big feet for the last few months. The material is weaved in such a way that they have plenty of give, and although stretched thinner than they would be for small footed individuals, still provide more than adequate performance and protection for your feet.

 

Wicking: The truest test of any performance sock (or material) for me is wicking. When you sweat as much as I do having the material you’re wearing move moisture away from your skin as quickly as possible for as long as possible is a big deal. These socks pass the muster. They have done a great job of keeping my feet as dry as possible and as comfortable as can be while in the midst of some pretty grueling conditions.

Durability: These socks are tough. I have worn them 4-5 days a week, washing and drying them in machines, not by hand and air drying, and they show no real signs of visible wear. I’ve run somewhere in the neighborhood of 250 mile in them, worn them to the gym a few dozen times, walked around the yard in them, around the house and generally treated them like they deserved a good beating.

 

Neutral:

 

Breathability: I know I just said that they wicked really well, and you would think that wicking and breathing go hand in hand; and they do. Don’t get me wrong they let you feet breath just fine. They allow air to flow right on in and help keep your feet cool and dry… when you’re moving.

When you are just lounging about in them, they seem to run a bit warm. Meaning that my feet always feel a bit warmer than I think they should when I’m wearing them and not actively moving around. You might wear them and think, that guy is crazy, or you might agree with me. It’s a personal thing.

 

Price: I’m putting this as neutral item for a couple of reasons. Firstly, I don’t know what the actual price will be when they are set loose upon the world, but going by their other socks, I expect them to be in the range of 20-30 bucks a pair; which is steep if you’re short on cash. Secondly, I believe that you get what you pay for and if you want the highest quality and best performance, well you must pay for it. So pricing gets a middle of the road score.

 

BAD:

I really tried to find something I could put here, but honestly there isn’t anything. If hard pressed I’d say sizing, because they only make their socks in 3 sizes (1, 2, or 3) which are designed to fit a multitude of sizes; but even that is a hard press because like I said, even though these are designed for smaller feet they have held up just fine.

 

 

Conclusion:

 

Conclusion: The XOSKIN XOTOES are a good buy, even if you have to pay full retail price (whatever that will be). They have performed well for me so far and have been my go-to socks for working out and running. If you are in the market for toe socks or running socks for that matter, (and you really should be because protected feet are happier feet) give these a try. If the price point is outside your budget, keep your eye on their website, their Facebook page or my Facebook/Twitter/Instagram feeds for sales and discount codes. I believe that once you try their gear, you’ll be convinced that are setting the bar higher. You can check their gear out at http://www.xoskin.us