Gear Review: Lorpen Trekking/Expedition Polartec & Primaloft Sock

[extreme warmth]

Consider these the sock equivalent of heat-molded boots: expensive, and totally worth it for perfect fit and great performance. These thick, knee-high socks are right- and left-foot specific, and they hug every instep and heel contour. Result: You get maximum insulation from a layer of PrimaLoft fill stitched between layers of Polartec Power Stretch—in the sole and toe areas—without even the hint of a blister-causing wrinkle.

Our testers’ feet and calves stayed warm and dry while they broke trail in two feet of powder on a multiday snowshoe trip in New Hampshire, with temps ranging from a high of -8°F to lows of -20°F. The fabric wicks well, but—like many socks of this thickness—they’re slow to dry. $60; 4 oz. (unisex L); lorpen.com