IO Merino Multi Sport Sock Review

When I think of Merino wool, I think of Australia (sorry, Kiwis!): Australia getting rich on the back of the sheep. (Though with the Kiwi dollar at parity with the AUD, I guess our frunds across the dutch are having the last laugh!)

I think of big Merino rams….just like in the photo above (Goulburn Australia, at the big Merino).

I think of epic snow, and of being warm.

I think of the delightful smell of lanolin (and for the mechanics and farmers amongst you, Lanox).

What I DON’T think of is cycling gear.

I tested my theory by conducting a highly scientific experiment, asking one other cyclist: “when you think of merino socks, do you think of cycling?”

“Not really” was his response. BAM, there you go.

And chances are, at least for the racers amongst you, you don’t either.

Nope, we think of hi-tech, often synthetic, fabrics: “Natural fibres Tim? What the?” (This might not be the case for the Audaxers, retro cyclists and hipster ones amongst you, who wear single colour woollen jerseys.)

But, that might change after reading this review.

Australian company I/O Merino reached out to me recently to have a look at a few of their garments to test over the course of a subtropical Northern Rivers winter (for newcomers to the site, I live in the Byron Bay hinterland in Australia, where mid-winter days are very often around 25C).

I was sent a couple of base layers (which I’ll talk about down the track) and some socks, and it’s the socks I want to talk about in this IO Merino Multi Sport Sock Review.

Billed as a multi sport sock, the tech specs are:

• 80% merino (micro merino) and 20% nylon for stretch and support
• Naturally antimicrobial (anti-odour…”you little ripper” I hear the cycling widows cry)
• Anti-itch
• Thermoregulating
• Thicker heel and toe “comfort zones”
• Slightly longer ankle cuff for use in many shoe and hiking boot options (and also suiting the tastes of the Big Tall Sock crit racers)

Now, dear reader, I am pleased to report that not only do these socks excel in the comfort department, it seems they also excel when mowing, hunting up cattle to send them to cow retirement farm and when performing other assorted farm tasks (that is, if you leave them on by accident).

On the odious topic of odour: good news for those amongst you who battle with feet that threaten to cause people in close proximity to pass out due to lethal fumes. I’m pleased to report that after 3 rides, including 2 pretty hot and humid rides, no stinky feet. Of course, it's purely anecdotal evidence (provided by a highly suspect witness—one Kate Marsh) that seems to indicate this might be an issue for yours truly.

In the comfort stakes, these socks are very darn comfy. Probably as comfy as my favourites (made by another brand) and not at all itchy (some woolen products can be a fraction itchy). Thick where it counts, supporting your feet on long, long rides.

And heat regulation? I wore these socks on a few humid, hot days and my feet were never too hot. I also wore them on a cold morning, again, they were thermoregulating. Just this morning I took off in coolish rainy weather, and my feet didn't feel uncomfortably wet. And when it warmed up and got humid, again, no discomfort. As you can see below they have some nice venting.

And what about the all important sock cuff height? I’ve talked about how tall your cycling socks should be before (in this article). Happily, these socks err on the side of being cyclist-friendly by being a touch longer than I’d expect multi sport socks to be (running socks are typically 1-2 inch cuff heights). Here you can see the sock height displayed in this fashionable semi-action shot, with absolutely no flexing of calf muscles, which, in this day and age, is rare to find.

Sock material: in these days of recycled sock material, synthetics and crazy tech, it’s nice to find a pair of (almost entirely) natural fibre.

What about wear? These arrived all compact and sleek and after a few rides and a wash, expectedly, they have fuzzed up a bit. Here's a close up and a comparison with a top brand (Nylon/Olefin/Spandex) that has had a considerable amount of wear.

So, what to make of the I/O Merino Socks?

They're soft, they're warm when it's cold and keep your feet cool when it's warm. They're comfy. It seems like your feet don't stink even after wearing them 3 times without washing (for test purposes only).

So should you buy them?

Man, there are so many socks on the market. My favourites are Swiftwick, Capo and Assos (Polyamide/Elastane), but I'm happy to add these to my sock quiver and recommend them to you.

Available in 2 colours and one size fits most, buy them here.

More about IO Merino

I/O Merino was founded in 2006 by current owner David Michell. A keen runner, cyclist and skier himself, David's vision for the company was to create high performance Merino thermal base layers that were as comfortable as they were warm.

Existing Merino fabrics enjoyed the natural benefits of Merino wool, but were prone to being itchy and uncomfortable.

Rather than use regular, ‘off the shelf’ fabrics, I/O Merino used generations of know-how and expertise to develop its own range of unique MicroMerino® fabrics. Using nothing but the finest Australian Merino wool, these fabrics set new standards for softness, comfort and performance.

As a company, I/O remains passionate about, and committed to, ethical and sustainable supply and manufacture and the preservation of our environment.

Originally distributed through bricks and mortar stores predominantly across Canada and North America, I/O Merino is currently sold exclusively online from ioMerino.com.