I wonder how many readers of this Footwear section are aware that several combat boot manufacturers also do their own brand of socks, ponders Bob Morrison.
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While Mike quite often features hiking and trekking socks in his Gormley’s Gear review section, it is almost four years since I last penned an article on the LOWA 4-Season Pro Boot Socks and over six years since I looked at the HAIX Multifunctional Stockings, and I have not yet mentioned the YDS boot sock range in this Footwear section. A recent quick root through my sock drawer turned out several well-worn pairs from all three manufacturers, so a brief update is well overdue and I will devote a slightly longer article to the YDS range a little further down the line.
It is no great secret that I travel a fair bit to different countries while I am covering defence expos and military exercises etc., and inevitably I end up dining at least some of the time in small and often ‘off the beaten tourist trail’ restaurants. Many years ago I took late chef Keith Floyd’s advice to “always go for the house wine if you don’t recognise what’s on offer on the wine list”, because most restaurateurs take pride in their choice and won’t serve diners a bad wine. I reckon the same goes for good combat boot manufacturers and the boot socks they offer.
Of technical design, with reinforced heel and toe areas plus cuffing to prevent them slipping, all three of the following combat sock types are manufactured with longevity in mind. In alphabetic order:-
- HAIX Multifunctional Socks: Other than being shorter than the Multifunctional Stockings I first started wearing way back in 2012, these are the same specification. Claimed by the manufacturer to support vapour transportation through a combination of synthetic and natural fibres, and with rubber-free seams to avoid pressure points, they are made from 33% polypropylene, 33% polyamide, 32% virgin Merino wool and 2% elastane.
- LOWA 4-Season Pro Socks: These socks also appear to be unchanged in basic specification since I started wearing them over four years ago, though on the current packaging it does not specifically state that the wool content is Merino but the website does. A little more complex in design than the HAIX socks, these ones are made from 25% polyamide, 22% poly-acrylic, 20% wool, 19% polypropylene, 12% polyester and 2% elastane. They are available in Black, Coyote and Beige base colours.
- YDS Military Socks: These are one of three slightly different designs (the Turkish manufacturer also offers Law Enforcement Socks and Outdoor Socks which I will look at in a follow-on article) and the latest version of combat sock has done away with the non-tactical yellow and white branding seen on the older socks in my sock drawer. The current military version, available in Black or Coyote, is made of 67% cotton, 32% polyamide and 1% elastane.
If you are serving military or police and you are fortunate in having the opportunity to visit one of the main European or UK defence &/or security expos where the above three boot manufacturers usually exhibit, I suggest you not only look at their combat boots but also ask to see their boot socks. You could be surprised.
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Footnote: Alt-Berg do not offer their own range of military or police boot socks but suggest SmartWool and Falke brands on their main website.
