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Brand: SmartWool

Model: PhD Outdoor Medium Crew


Good socks are spendy, so they’d better hold up. We applied sandpaper to the season’s top models, and the PhD’s proved the toughest. Most hiking socks use a nylon skeleton for structure, then weave wool into and around it. The problem is that the wool wears away, leaving behind just the nylon gridding. SmartWool combats this problem with a new construction method that layers thicker, more durable fibers in high-wear areas like the toe and heel. The PhD’s more durable toe and heel are cushy, and gender-specific designs accommodate different feet (women’s versions have shallower heel cups). smartwool.com

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