After I started running more regularly a few years back, my sock drawer has slowly been filling with new, colorful running socks of different styles and thickness. I’ve been buying whatever socks were on the shelf at my local running shop, which meant I wasn’t familiar with Lorpen (a Spanish company that specializes in technical socks) until they sent us a few pair to try out. Lorpen is no one-trick pony. They make specific socks for just about any outdoor pursuit you can imagine: running, hiking, biking, winter sports, hunting and multi-sports. I gave the T2 Men’s Light Hiker hell on a fast-paced 30-mile walk in Hells Canyon that often felt like a trail run, and the Merino wool with 10% Lycra construction with enough cushioning and mesh venting for breathability meant that I didn’t think about my socks on the trip at all, which to me is about the best endorsement your feet can give a pair of hiking socks.
I also tried the T2 Multisport Ultralight that features a Coolmax, Nylon and Lycra construction on several cold, wet runs and had a similar experience. My feet always stayed warm and dry enough that I could focus on other things (like not slipping on icy sections of the Centennial Trail). Finally, it’s been warm enough this spring that I was able to slip into the T3 Ultra-Light Trail Running Sock that features three separate layers of fibers meant to work together for comfort, support, and moisture management (Tencel, Coolmax and Nylon/Lycra). These short, thin socks are feather light yet durable and don’t slip down your foot or bunch up. Probably the best praise I can heap on Lorpen’s finely-crafted socks is the fact that not a single sock has gone MIA, which in our house says a lot about how much a pair of technical socks are loved. Lorpennorthamerica.com //
