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Reviews > Clothing > Socks > FITS Light Runner Low-cut Socks > Test Report by Ryan Lane Christensen
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INITIAL REPORTMay 27, 2011
Product Information:
The information below came from the FITS website and product packaging.
The FITS LIGHT RUNNER LOW-CUT socks (hereafter called "socks") are a low-cut and are closer to no-show than quarter socks. The socks have a 0.875 in (2.2 cm) elasticized cuff. There is a formed heel pocket in the socks. In addition, the sock has extra padding in the toe box, ball, and heel areas. The arch area of the foot is slightly elasticized for additional support. FITS utilized a two-color scheme for these socks: the toe box and heel pocket are black, the balance is gray with a green stripe and lettering. Inside the ankle cuff, there is a green "L" indicating the size. The primary material in these socks is merino wools. Therefore, they are soft to the touch. The nylon and polyester should extend the life of these socks. The Lycra Spandex gives the socks their stretch. Another comfort feature is the absence of a bulky seam across the toes.
 
I believe this is the first pair of socks that I have, which came one stuffed inside the other. I like quarter, low-cut, and no-show socks so these fit right in with my personal preference. Being 73% merino wool, these socks are soft against one's skin. One can therefore surmise that I like both the look and feel of these socks.
After removing them from the packaging and pulling one out of the other, I inspected the socks. I found no loose threads, errors in the weave, or faulty seams anywhere on the outside. Turning the socks inside-out, I quickly noticed the longer threads around the padded areas of the ball and heel pocket. I do not consider these flaws, but will nevertheless watch to see whether any issues arise in these areas during testing. After thoroughly inspecting the socks, I pulled them on. With the socks now on my feet, I was impressed by how they fit my feet. FITS guarantees their socks to "fit like no other!" and I must admit they fit very well; no slop anywhere. And they were not overly constrictive either. I also liked their soft, silky feel against my skin.
FIELD REPORTAugust 9, 2011
I wore the socks on six different days to work and walking around my neighborhood and local foot hills. In addition, I wore them nine consecutive days at Island Park Scout Camp which is at approximately 6,500 ft (1,981 m) above sea level. During these nine days, the high temperature was 57 F (14 C) and the low was 32 F (0 C). It rained three consecutive days, and on Monday June 13, we received nearly 0.5 in (1.3 cm) of rain in a very short, but heavy downpour. I was on my feet much of the 18+ hour days while at camp. Each day I wore cotton Boy Scouts of America (BSA) socks when I was required to be in full uniform and the FITS Light Runner merino wool low-cut socks the balance of the time.
As the result of having back surgery in December, I have been quite restricted; no backpacking for a year, and have not been allowed to hike any significant incline. Consequently, the socks have not been up any steep slopes or endured any grueling backpacks. Nevertheless, I believe they were well tested during this phase of the test. I wore the socks on walks around my neighborhood. With just the Light Runners on, I found that my boots fit somewhat loosely. Although I did not experience blisters, I did develop a hot spot on two separate occasions. However, when I wore the socks in my cross-trainers they provided sufficient cushion by themselves without any blisters or hot spots. In Island Park, the socks got a great workout. Although the camp does not have any killer inclines, the ground is uneven with plenty of ups and downs for testing footwear. During the nine days I was there, I wore the socks every day. I was on my feet 18+ hours each day. Much of that time was spent walking the 103 acre (0.42 km2) camp; several times over as I visited the various groups to observe their various learning activities. It therefore did not take me long to determine that the socks did not ride high enough up my ankles or have enough thickness by themselves for my feet to be truly comfortable in my mid-cut hiking boots. Pairing them with another light sock or liner protected the ankle bones from rubbing and provided sufficient cushion and protection from blisters and hot spots. From this, I determined that for me personally, based on their cut and weight, these socks are best worn in cross-trainers or trail runners rather than mid-cut hiking boots. Even after being worn nine consecutive days, the socks were not extremely odorously offensive. But, they did smell. In addition, the socks developed some pilling, primarily on the heel. The socks laundered wonderfully and the offending odors were washed away with no noticeable lingering scent. Aside from the pilling, there are no discernable flaws, defects, or other issues thus far. The socks have plenty of life in them and I look forward to testing them further.
LONG TERM REPORTOctober 4, 2011
Because I was not cleared by the surgeon to resume backpacking, I was left to completing this test series via day hiking. I went on three separate day hikes of 5-8 miles (8-13 km) each in Kelly Canyon, which is located 26 miles (42 km) northeast of Idaho Falls, in the Targhee National Forest. The area known as the Kelly Canyon Nordic Area starts at an elevation of approximately 5,900 ft (1,798 m) and reaches elevations of 6,700 ft (2,042 m). Skies were partly cloudy and temps in the mid 80's F (28+ C). I also got in a day hike in Harriman State Park, which is near Island Park. Harriman is 77 miles (124 km) north of Idaho Falls at an elevation of 6,120 ft (1,865 m) above sea level. There was not a cloud in the sky and the temps were in the upper 80's low 90's F (31 - 33 C). Although not really cleared by my surgeon to do so, while hiking in Kelly Canyon, I did get in some inclines. I also continued to wear them with my cross-trainers on walks through my neighborhood.
On my day hikes in Kelly Canyon and Harriman State Park, I wore the Light Runners with a liner sock in my hiking boots. This pairing continued to protect my ankle bones from rubbing. With or without liners, these socks fit my feet nicely and stay in place. By that I mean they do not bunch up in the toes, slide down the heel, etc. The wool material continues to feel smooth and soft against my skin. Next to the feel of the socks against my skin, the thing I like most is how well these socks fit. For me, they truly fit like no other sock I've worn. The extra padding in the toes and heel continues to provide great comfort. Additionally, the elasticized arch support adds to the overall comfort of the socks.
Having endured numerous launderings, the socks have not shrunk and have maintained their shape very well. There are no loose or fraying threads. However, the socks have some pilling primarily in the toe area. But, but there is also a little on the back of the heel. I must admit, I have forgotten to turn them wrong-side out before laundering which may have contributed some to the pilling. Nevertheless, pilling is not uncommon for me with wool socks. The socks have not retained any funky odors which is nice as well. These are well-made, comfortable socks. I really like how they feel on my feet and how they perform. An added bonus for me is the fact that they are made in the U.S.A. I have been so pleased with these socks that in addition to wearing them out, I intend to purchase additional pairs; most likely the Light Hiker Quarter, or Performance Trail. Both of which extend a little higher up the ankle to protect against rubbing in my hiking boots. The FITS Light Runner Low-Cut socks are great socks in my opinion. They are comfortable and perform well. I will continue to wear them and based on my experience with the Light Runner, I intend to purchase additional FITS socks. I recommend these to anyone interested in a comfortable, great-fitting wool-blend sock.
Thanks to FITS and BackpackGearTest for allowing me to test these great socks. Read more reviews of FITS Sock Company gear Read more gear reviews by Ryan Lane Christensen Reviews > Clothing > Socks > FITS Light Runner Low-cut Socks > Test Report by Ryan Lane Christensen | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
