Product Review: Under Armour ColdGear Outdoor Boot Socks

Winter is approaching, people, and it’s coming  in fast. Some days, there’s even that distant smell of snow in the air, just as another reminder in case the cold and the morning frost wasn’t enough.

When winter comes around, it’s in your best interest to be ready – and that means gearing up for winter. While there’s a wealth of stuff out there claiming to be the best of the best of the best when it comes to shutting out the more uncomfortable temperature ranges, there’s only a few that actually are up for the job, and in the end, the differences between the stuff that measures up and the stuff that doesn’t can add up to save, or take, life and / or limb. It’s that

serious folks, when you’re either stuck outside for hours upon hours on end, or your vehicle breaks down and you have to walk the ten miles back to the station.

We’re going to start off a series of cold weather reviews with one of the most basic things we all wear, every day; socks.

Anyone who’s been out on a winter’s day (or night) before, either on the job or not, will tell you that the two things that will distract you most, and indeed hurt the most, are cold fingers and cold toes. Those two things can be painful to the point of agony, and will be equally crippling if not amended or prevented. On the other hand, no one is more capable in cold weather than someone who manages to keep his toes and feet warm.

“ColdGear” is cold gear…

Unfortunately, Under Armour’s “ColdGear” socks are just that – cold gear. They’re made of a wool/poly blend, with some Spandex (1%) weaved in there for some reason, and a wool percentage of 41, something that is way below the recommended percentage of at least 70% (yes, yes – it’s our own recommendation). Under Armour has decided to call its polypropylene fibers “Olefin”, which is only a more obscure name for the poly fibers used in a wide variety of clothing.

Poly blends and wool:

Using poly fibers and/or an elastic material in clothing is nothing new, and blending them with natural fibers like cotton or wool has long been a successful recipe when it comes to comfortable, durable and good looking clothes, but when it comes to cold weather, we need to be a little more selective than just looks or immediate feel.

The ColdGear socks are comfortable, there’s no question about that, and on a chilly but warming spring day, for example, these are a good choice. The wool percentage makes sure that you never get too sweaty, even after running or walking for a long time, and it keeps moderate (very moderate) low temperatures out and your feet in the comfort zone.

This poly/wool/Spandex mix is just not enough wool for extreme temperatures. 41% wool is good, but not good enough for temperatures coming down to 0 degrees F (-17 degrees C) or below, something that is not too rare in areas closing in on the arctic circle or above.

Conclusion:

There’s a lot of positive things to say about Under Armour and ColdGear, and though extremely comfortable and providing good support, these socks just doesn’t cut it when it comes to SnallaBolaget’s cold weather standards.

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