Rapha, nice but a bit pricey?

good question - the thick, solid colour merino ones? Giro have a similar winter merino style, or Defeet Woolie Boolie are extremely durable. Love this type of all-rounder sock, that you can wear all day, work, walking, riding, multi-day if needed.

I've said it before and I'll say it again; Madison Isoler merino socks. They've reduced thiccness but I've heard they're just as warm as the previous iterations (comfy, full 6", wooly, winter socks at a reasonable price).

Main fabric: 55% Cotton / 25% Elastane / 15% Merino wool / 5% Polyamide

Socks look/sound good but not exactly woolly?

Planet x are better
Merino wool = 69%, Spandex = 11%, Elastic = 10%, Nylon = 10%
and only £3.99. I like the material and fit better than the Rapha socks.

Well that's a shame, they must have been updated / cheapened since I bought them last. Ugh.

Edit::: Could I ask where you got that info from? I can't seem to find any product materials information for them, and I would think that being called 'Merino' that they would legally need to be at least 50% merino wool.

I like endura baa baa socks fwiw.

The lightweight ones are superb for adding extra warmth to regular / waterproof socks.

I would think that being called 'Merino' that they would legally need to be at least 50% merino wool.

Don't think so, eg "cashmere socks" that are 5-10%

I just googled the name - are these the right socks?
https://www.madison.cc/shop/isoler-merino-3-season-sock/VARCLA928/MCL21W8204

They also do Merino deep winter socks but I can't see any composition info at that page.

I have them from several years ago, found them too tight on the cuff and the fabric a bit hard. My go to socks are actually vulpine merino. Not the super long super tight ones, but the kind of slightly fluffy looser shorter ones. I have loads of them.

Interesting, my gripe with the Rapha ones is the hard fabric and tight around the front of the foot.

tight around the front of the foot

This, aggravates Mortons Neuroma if I spend too long in them.

(Middle age thread >>>>>>>>>)

Yup my combo for long days hiking/running is baa baa with sealskinz hikers.

I'm not wild about the rapha ones either! Although I do like the merino ones... I don't know from a while back, stripey, came in two lengths. The deep winter ones (black, no stripes, pink highlights) are ridiculously tight on the cuff, I don't wear them for fear of cutting off circulation. Anyone (with skinny calves) want them?

That’s the ones. Originally came in black with a pink detail on the heel and cuff. I also have them in blue with white accents. Bought loads years ago and they are just all wearing out. Thicker sole but not too thick means they have been my general go to socks for cold weather cycling, gardening, dog walking etc. Really decent wool content but enough elastane to make them durable and keep their shape.

I don’t think there are any standards for what constitutes “merino” where do you get the 50% from?

Prendas winter socks are the best I have tried. No sheep though which means they actually keep their shape.

https://www.prendas.co.uk/products/prendas-ciclismo-thermolite-winter-socks

I get on well with the Pro Team Winter socks. Decent merino content.

https://www.rapha.cc/gb/en/shop/pro-team-winter-socks/product/PTK02XXSMC

Also, another vote for Woolie Boolie. Loved mine but moths loved them more.

Simply that I was under the impression (as a result of being in product meetings and discussing product names) that it is against trading standards to include in a product name a sole material if it contains less than half of that material in the final composition. However, I have found this:

What is lacking from the legislation and does require a healthy clean up, are the misleading titles retailers use for textiles. It is legal to call a jumper a Wool jumper even when wool accounts for only 30% of the textile. I feel the title of a textile should only be called by a fibre type if the fibre percentage is 50% or more of the finished textile. What strikes me as the worst culprit in this laxness around percentages is that manufacturers can put a completely pointless 5-10% of a fibre into the textile just so that it can be called by that fibre name. 7% Alpaca doesn’t make an Alpaca Jumper!

From here

Which is sad I guess.

@hoefla yeah I meant the deep winter versions. I forgot to specify as I didn't realise there was a 3 season version.

Afaik it doesn’t work like that. But you must be really disappointed when you order a cheeseburger that isn’t 50% cheese

#canihaz50%cheezburger

The 3 season ones look quite attractive (for a mostly cotton sock)

I'm disappointed it's not 100% cheese.

Afaik it doesn’t work like that. But you must be really disappointed when you order a cheeseburger that isn’t 50% cheese

But what if it's 100% cheeseburger?

Like a burger made of cheese?

Got some darn tough socks, they're amazing.

Saw one of the Explore Down jackets in a shop today, was really taken with how poor quality/thin it was, especially for the money - compared unfavourably with the £40 one I have from Decathlon