Having uncomfortable feet can ruin your day quickly. When socks work well, you often forget they are there, and when they don’t you find yourself having a miserable day. This becomes even more apparent during athletic events like hiking, trail running, skiing, fishing, or snowshoeing. We got the chance to try on multiple styles of Fox River socks and put them to the test. Here is our review:
About Fox River | About The Socks | Our Review | Summary
You can purchase Fox River Socks on their website or on Amazon:
View On Fox River Site | View On Amazon
About Fox River
Fox River is a privately owned, U.S. manufacturer of socks that has been around since 1900. Out of Osage, Iowa, Fox River has been committed to remaining U.S. made, which is certainly unusual for just about any clothing or apparel nowadays.
Fox River claims to be an innovative leader in the space, and has a track record of just that. Introducing moisture wicking technology before it was popular, introducing socks specifically designed for female feet, and creating styles suited for specific outdoor activities are just a few ways that Fox River is proving to be innovative.
With a commitment to reduce environmental impact as much as possible, and a willingness to stay within the U.S. and continue to employ hundreds in Iowa, we certainly align with Fox River’s values.
You can read more about Fox River here.
About The Socks
Materials, Technology & Process
| Wick Dry Technology | Simply put, Fox River has some great wicking technology comparable to other brands with top quality wicking materials. We were definitely impressed by the Wick Dry® technology. |
| Scentry™ technology | Depending on the style, Scentry™ utilizes either a silver embedded fiber that provides odor resistance or a micropolymer silane technology which slows wear and reduces odors in the sock. |
| Merino Wool | The merino wool fibers are extremely comfortable, warm, and soft. You can read about Fox River’s merino wool here. |
The Fox River Process
Free Shipping On Orders Over $35
Fox River offers free shipping on orders over $35, which is a reasonable order value that most
Returns & Satisfaction & Guarantee
Fox River has a satisfaction guarantee for customers that you can read in more detail here.
Our Review
In our review of Fox River Socks, we tried out several different styles meant for running, hiking, and snowy conditions. We took them on several Colorado 14er hikes, took them trail running, road running, snowshoeing, skiing, fishing, and even waded in the water with them to give them an adequate test.
We even took them on a backpacking trip through Yosemite National Park.
We didn’t try every style of Fox River socks, but our testing gave us some good insights into how we expect a large portion of the product line to perform.
Fit & Comfort
These are some extremely comfortable socks. The merino wool is soft, and holds up well to a long day on the trails, even when getting dirty and wet. These socks fit just slightly tighter than most socks we have tried, and therefore, we would recommend if you are on the small end of a size range, to go up a size.
Overally, both the lightweight socks, and the heavier socks were extremely comfortable, and comparable comfort to some of the most comfortable socks we have every tried.
Overall Quality & Materials
These are the absolute top quality. You won’t find higher quality socks in our opinion and the Merino wool is equivalent or better to any sock we have worn.
These socks have already gone through a lot of miles with us and show little signs of wear. We expect these to be durable when compared to other socks.
Warmth & Breathability
The lightweight socks were great for warmer temperatures, and even dried well after getting wet. The heavier socks were warm in colder weather, and comfortable to wear in thicker boots. Overall, Fox River offers socks of all warmth and breathability levels.
Versatility
Fox river has tons of sock selections. Whether you want short socks, long socks, thick socks or thin socks, there is an option at just about any end of the spectrum. Fox river has socks specifically designed for certain activities, making specialty socks available for athletes and outdoorsman as well.
Looks
Fox river has tons of sock colors and designs, enabling users to find socks that fit just about every situation or desire. We love the simple earthy colors, but most socks available have various color options.
Pricing
In terms of pricing, Fox River is very reasonably priced for the quality. When shopping for high end merino wool, if is difficult to find socks that have price points similar to Fox River. While having non sale retail prices that are already reasonable, Fox River also consistently has certain socks on sale, making it pretty easy to find a really great deal.
Obviously these socks are a bit more expensive than you’d get from a basic white cotton sock, but the value get out of upgraded materials, is well worth the increased price tag.
Recommendation and Overall Thoughts:
These socks have quickly become our favorite socks in the drawer. We will be using them on just about every hiking trip, trail running trip or backpacking trip due to the increased comfort compared to other socks.
We were able to test these wet wading in rivers while fishing, putting wet feet into socks, backpacking for 3 days in Yosemite National park, trail running in the hot sun, and in the rain, and even in snowshoes climbing a CO 14er. Through each of these situations, we basically forgot about our feet. That’s a sign of a quality sock.
Additional Photos
Max DesMarais is the founder of hikingandfishing.com. He has a passion for the outdoors and making outdoor education and adventure more accessible. Max is a published author for various outdoor adventure, travel, and marketing websites. He is an experienced hiker, backpacker, fly fisherman, backcountry skier, trail runner, and spends his free time in the outdoors. These adventures allow him to test gear, learn new skills, and experience new places so that he can educate others. Max grew up hiking all around New Hampshire and New England. He became obsessed with the New Hampshire mountains, and the NH 48, where he guided hikes and trail runs in the White Mountains. Since moving out west, Max has continued climbed all of the Colorado 14ers, is always testing gear, learning skills, gaining experience, and building his endurance for outdoor sports. You can read more about his experience here: hikingandfishing/about