Swiftwick Vibe One Compression Sock Review

Swiftwick Vibe One Compression Sock

Also on Amazon: Swiftwick Men’s One Vibe Pewter Socks

Grade: A
Teacher’s Comments: You won’t even notice the miles.

The subject of exercise came up the other night at the dinner table and I stated the obvious: that I like to walk. Thing Two scoffed and said “Dad, you’d walk to the moon if someone built a path.”

I really do enjoy walking—not just on the course, but also around the neighborhood, and on hiking trails. I’m fast, too. I average about 16 minutes to the mile for up to four to five miles at a stretch.

All of that is a preface to my field testing of the Swiftwick Vibe One socks.

I actually gave the Vibe One an extreme workout—not on a golf course, but on a 16 mile hiking day with the Boy Scouts. Golf courses are generally an easy walk for me, extending to no more than six miles and generally having very reasonable terrain. Hiking around a Scout reservation is another matter entirely. Scout camp paths often tend to be little more than improved animal trails, with treacherous footing, many twists and numerous elevation changes.

Swiftwick passed the Scout trail test with flying colors. After that sixteen mile day, my feet were still in fine fettle. No chafing. No rubbing. No blisters. Not even a hot spot.

The secret behind the Swiftwicks is that they’re compression socks, designed to improve blood flow and circulation. While I normally think of compression socks as knee length apparel for old guys, these Vibe Ones are instead the same design as the short sport socks that I wear every day during the summer. The Swiftwick “targeted” compression acts on the footbed, and not on the calf.

I don’t know about all of that. What I do know is that they feel good.

The Swiftwick Vibe Ones are also cool and dry. I typically wear wool socks (and specifically the new high tech wool socks) because they offer superior moisture management over cotton and acrylic. Moisture is an enemy of feet. Moisture on the foot causes things to rub and create blisters. Blster aside, I’ve found that nothing is more miserable than a damp foot on a hike.

Woven from terry and spandex, the Swiftwick Vibe Ones are made with 46% olefin for its moisture wicking and quick drying properties.

Here’s what we say in Scouts: Cotton is rotten. The stuff gets wet quickly and stays that way.

In terms of fit, the Swiftwick Vibe One is snug without feeling tight, and has no bulging seams to create hot spots. There is also a nice amount of arch support, and in the heel, something Swiftwick calls a Y-Heel Contour. This is billed as “a lateral anchor that moves with your foot.” The end result for me was that the heel doesn’t slide about in the shoe—another measure of blister prevention. Finally, the sock stays put at the ankle, thanks to a spandex cuff.

Recommended.