Care Remote boot sock review

Don’t look at your feet to see if you are doing it right. Just dance.

Anne Lamott 

Everything starts at the feet.

If you want to have a pleasant hiking experience, it’s imperative that you wear the right hiking shoes – whether boots or trail runners – ones that fit well, have good support, and are built to handle uneven surfaces. But even the best footwear will let you down if you’re not wearing the right sock.

I have been wearing Balega socks for the past two years, but became curious about compression socks after suffering a minor bout with shin splints on the Pacific Crest Trail.

So it was one of those “the trail will provide” sort of moments when Victor Phillips, founder of Care Remote, contacted me to ask if I might give their socks a try.

What are Care Remote socks?

The branding comes from Phillips’ origins working in the healthcare and technology fields. Traveling the world, he worked with people in textiles and design as well as the medical professionals to come up with a solution to the problems of socks – namely, that they fit badly, get soggy and smell.

Through a proprietary weave of an anti-microbial mix of nylon, polyester and lycra, the intention is to check all the boxes for a sock’s use whether in the outdoors, as therapy or to just to look snazzy in a casual setting.

In addition, these socks are meant to stay consistent even after multiple washes, reduce blisters with fibers placed in strategic “hot spots,” and slip in and out of boots easily.

So, how did it go?

Victor sent me a variety of socks to try – no show, ankle-length and full-length. I started using them by simply walking around my neighborhood, but it was when I got on trail, walking the Kekekabic in Northern Minnesota, that I put them through their paces, choosing the 12-inch, mid knit compression sock for this remote 41 miles in the Boundary Waters Wilderness

pros:

1. I had very damp conditions last October and the socks wicked moisture, staying surprisingly dry and keeping their shape.
2. I wore the same pair for four days and the odor was well managed.
3. My calf felt comfortably swaddled in the soft, form-fitting and massaging fabric which still managed to breathe.

cons:

1. The sock did not fit well. I recommend choosing a smaller size than your shoe size since the heel will stretch and ride up.
2. The toe-box did not offer enough protection for an all-day hiker and I suffered wear on the skin as well as the loss of toenails. To be fair, the sock is much thinner than my Balegas and my foot may have slipped more.
3. The sock sprung a leak on Day 4.
4. Other notes: they’re expensive. These socks were given to me for review, but they seem a bit on the high side.
5. and there are just too many choices on the website and I found it all a bit confusing.

Conclusion…

For the most part, I liked the socks I wore and will find uses for them on day hikes, when climbing, skiing (especially since they feel like a second skin and will be very easy to slip in and out of boots) and when biking.

Since I got a hole after only three days of backpacking, I think these socks might not have the durability required of a thru-hike, though they may act as a nice second when I need the compression or will be walking in a lot of wet terrain.

Specs at a glance

• available in hidden, mid or full-length (3, 6, 9 and 12-inches)
• regular sock – 5% Lycra, 45% Nylon, 50% Polyester mix
• compression sock – PTFE 8%, 2% Lycra, 40% Wool, 17% Nylon, 33% Polyester mix in two gradients
• seamless with padded heel
• antimicrobial and free of metals
• colors: pink, blue and green camo, black/gray and off-white
• mid and heavy knit available
• machine washable

Disclosure

alison young was given socks for testing from Care Remote