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review

Le Col Cycling Socks

8
£14.00

VERDICT:

8
10
Very comfortable and breathable socks that are well worth the money
Weight: 
45g
Contact: 

At road.cc every product is thoroughly tested for as long as it takes to get a proper insight into how well it works. Our reviewers are experienced cyclists that we trust to be objective. While we strive to ensure that opinions expressed are backed up by facts, reviews are by their nature an informed opinion, not a definitive verdict. We don't intentionally try to break anything (except locks) but we do try to look for weak points in any design. The overall score is not just an average of the other scores: it reflects both a product's function and value – with value determined by how a product compares with items of similar spec, quality, and price.

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The fabric used for the Le Col Cycling Socks is very soft and has excellent wicking properties. These feel great against the skin, mile after mile.

  • Pros: Excellent comfort, material and knit pattern feels supportive
  • Cons: A fair bit pricier than some of the other excellent socks we've tested

Le Col uses a nylon yarn for the socks and when you put them on they feel absolutely lovely. The fabric is soft but because of the knit weave they're also quite supportive – not in a compressive way, just secure. The sock moves with your foot rather than allowing your foot to move around within it.

The ribbed cuff sits at a medium height below the calf and above the ankle and I never had any issues with them not staying up.

Le_Col_Socks_1.jpg

Le Col has used a honeycomb style pattern for the knit on the main part of the sock which makes sure they are breathable, even the part inside the shoes.

For the sole the material is slightly thicker for added comfort plus resistance to wear and tear. It's here that you'll find a terry towelling finish and it really adds to the softness of the sock.

I wore these socks on some quite long rides and they really did keep my feet feeling fresh and comfortable throughout, no matter how stiff the shoes were that I was wearing.

> Find more road.cc reviews of cycling socks here

On the whole I'm very impressed, but as with most things it comes down to money. At £14 these Le Col socks are a few quid more than most, such as the excellent Kalf Tall Socks at £11.99 or the Sweet Protection Crossfire models at £12.99.

We are talking just a few pounds here and there, though, and even at full RRP the Le Cols offer great performance and build quality for the money.

Verdict

Very comfortable and breathable socks that are well worth the money

road.cc test report

Make and model: Le Col Cycling Socks

Size tested: L/XL

Tell us what the product is for

Le Col says, "The new and improved Le Col sock features a beautifully soft and highly wicking nylon yarn for a durable lightweight cycling sock. The unique honeycomb structure of the sock allows for a increased airflow on the foot for breathable comfort in both hot weather and mid-range temperatures. The light terry padding on the underfoot and heel provides a snug comforting fit for longest rides. Reinforced seams on the toe and heel prevent chafing providing a sock that's near unnoticeable on the bike."

Tell us some more about the technical aspects of the product?

Le Col lists:

Fabric

100% Polyamide

Construction:

Honeycomb construction

Terry padding on the underfoot and heel

Ribbed cuff for grip

Reinforced toe and heel seams

Care instructions:

Cool wash

Dry flat

Do not bleach

Rate the product for quality of construction:
 
8/10
Rate the product for performance:
 
9/10
Rate the product for durability:
 
8/10
Rate the product for fit:
 
9/10
Rate the product for sizing:
 
8/10

They come in two sizes and the L/XL fit me fine.

Rate the product for weight:
 
7/10
Rate the product for comfort:
 
10/10
Rate the product for value:
 
5/10

How easy is the product to care for? How did it respond to being washed?

I was worried about the white staining but even on a cool wash so far there haven't been any issues. They come in other colours too.

Tell us how the product performed overall when used for its designed purpose

They are comfortable and highly breathable.

Tell us what you particularly liked about the product

Great fit.

Tell us what you particularly disliked about the product

Nothing really to dislike.

How does the price compare to that of similar products in the market, including ones recently tested on road.cc?

A little pricier than a lot on the market but they back it up with their quality.

Did you enjoy using the product? Yes

Would you consider buying the product? Yes

Would you recommend the product to a friend? Yes

Use this box to explain your overall score

A great pair of socks, offering pretty much faultless performance, comfort and build quality.

Overall rating: 8/10

About the tester

Age: 40  Height: 180cm  Weight: 76kg

I usually ride: This month's test bike  My best bike is: B'Twin Ultra CF draped in the latest bling test components

I've been riding for: Over 20 years  I ride: Every day  I would class myself as: Expert

I regularly do the following types of riding: time trialling, commuting, club rides, sportives, fixed/singlespeed

As part of the tech team here at F-At Digital, senior product reviewer Stu spends the majority of his time writing in-depth reviews for road.cc, off-road.cc and ebiketips using the knowledge gained from testing over 1,500 pieces of kit (plus 100's of bikes) since starting out as a freelancer back in 2009. After first throwing his leg over a race bike back in 2000, Stu's ridden more than 170,000 miles on road, time-trial, track, and gravel bikes, and while he's put his racing days behind him, he still likes to smash the pedals rather than take things easy. With a background in design and engineering, he has an obsession with how things are developed and manufactured, has a borderline fetish for handbuilt metal frames and finds a rim braked road bike very aesthetically pleasing!

Add new comment

3 comments

Avatar
Chris Hayes | 4 years ago
2 likes

If you can afford to spend GBP 14 on socks, you may as well buy Falke cycling socks, they're comfortable, well designed, hard-wearing and made by a company that specialises in socks - makes them at its own factory in Germany - rather than in Vietnam.  

Avatar
KoenM replied to Chris Hayes | 4 years ago
0 likes
Chris Hayes wrote:

If you can afford to spend GBP 14 on socks, you may as well buy Falke cycling socks, they're comfortable, well designed, hard-wearing and made by a company that specialises in socks - makes them at its own factory in Germany - rather than in Vietnam.  

Well I bought them because I had to have a certain amount to get free shipping. 
My shimano Sphyre socks that came with my shoes have been used for about 6000km and they only have a few marks but no holes! So although they are kinda expensive (I got them with the shoes), they are totally worth it! 

Avatar
KoenM | 4 years ago
0 likes

I have used these for a few rides and while they were VERY comfortable they aren't very durable after 3 rides my pair had 2 holes in them! Maybe I've abused them to much or maybe the material isn't strong enough but because of the price I can't really recommend them! 

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