Rapha Women's Souplesse Socks

I'll admit to being oddly obsessed by socks - specifically cycling socks - and this Rapha Souplesse pair fully deserve the attention. It's probably the fact that a good (or bad) pair can make almost as much difference to long-ride comfort as the shoes you wear around them. Get the wrong socks and even the most spangly and high performance shoes are going to feel wrong.

For those who feel that Rapha's prices are just too high, it's worth bearing in mind that most performance technical socks are a similar price to the Souplesses. Yes, you can buy a half dozen pairs of cotton socks from M&S for that, but once you venture into technical yarns and seam-locked toes and the like, this is a fairly standard price.

Buy these online here

The Souplesse socks look the business too. I'm fond of stripes or spots in a sock (Velominati be damned) and these are just the ticket in my book. They're also a a pleasingly obvious long ankle length; from a tan lines perspective sub-ankle socklets are great, but I find they can and do sometimes creep down into the shoe making it uncomfortable. If you're going to wear visible socks, celebrate them! It would be nice if there were a Souplesse mini, though, to fulfil this role and give a choice of lengths for those committed to their tan.

The fit is sleek and contoured nicely around my foot with no bunching up or intrusive seams. The fabric wicks moisture away from the foot quickly, leaving it comfortable and a good temperature, and the smoothness of the fabric means nothing interferes with how well your shoes fit. It's quite a lightweight sock, so best suited to warmer conditions unless worn with oversocks in spring and autumn, and the length of the ankle means this is a perfectly acceptable option.

Nice socks, I'd like a pair in every colour please.

Verdict

Sleek and sexy special stripey socks