Rating: | 8.5 / 10 |
Value for Money | 1.5 / 2 |
Comfort | 1.8 / 2 |
Warmth | 1.8 / 2 |
Durability | 1.8 / 2 |
Breathability | 1.6 / 2 |
Recently I reviewed the Wilderness Wear Fusion Light Sock and finally the weather in my local area is cooling down enough so I can start testing out some of the warmer socks. On my list was the Wilderness Wear Fusion Max Sock.
First up ignoring any colour variations, the main difference between this sock and the ‘light’ version is the amount of material with the Fusion Max being a warmer and thicker version, hence the ‘max’ name.
I’m usually a big fan of socks that are mainly constructed from a nice fine merino wool but with improved materials and construction technologies available, the hybrid merino socks now available on the market provide a great option. These Wilderness Wear Fusion Max socks are one of the newly released hybrids that contain 80% Climayarn™ (wool polypropylene mix) along with 15% lycra and 5% nylon. Climayarn is a material designed to regulate heat keeping you warm in the cooler months but not letting you overheat in the hotter weather. Given this sock is definitely a warmer version, I won’t be wearing these socks past early spring or before late autumn.
The nylon and lycra components allow for stretch as well as keeping the socks snug in all the right places when wet. The padding on the bottom is very comfortable and plush as you would expect with a thicker, heavier grade sock and like the lighter version, the top of the sock is lighter in construction so allows the sock to breathe nicely (to a point).
The sock length is classed as 1/2 length which is longer than my preferred quarter length sock and around about 4-5 cm shorter. This sock comes in a range of very lairy colours but if you prefer your clothing on the conservative side then there are a few options with more muted patterns.
With the exception of snow hiking, I will usually prefer to wear one sock the entire year as warmth on my feet is something I try to contain – I don’t need to add extra warmth. Over the past month I have been wearing these socks for up to seven days at time without washing and they are still smelling reasonably fresh. I have worm this sock with both breathable and non breathable footwear down to temperatures around -5° Celcius and my feet have been very happy. I do find with the non breathable footwear that my feet do sweat slightly even in the colder temperatures while fine in mid winter, isn’t going to work for me in warmer months.
For me at least, this sock isn’t likely to become a regular part of my hiking kit but I will seek it out for those occasional snow trips as they are a very nice sock for those very cold periods. If however keeping your feet warm is a high priority, then this sock is well worth considering.
I’m being really picky here:
You can purchase the Wilderness Wear Fusion Max Sock from Wilderness Wear
Disclosure: We may earn a small commission, at no additional expense to you, if you click through and make a purchase. Please note that our affiliations do not influence, in any way, the independence of our reviews. If we don’t like a product, you’ll hear about it from us!
AUD $45.00 RRP
Wilderness Wear produces a wide range of socks and garments for hiking and other outdoor activities. There is a Fusion Light version of this sock for those hikers who prefer a cooler lighter weight sock
Cool Grey Chrystal colour
Wilderness Wear Fusion Max Socks – Tribal Pattern
Wilderness Wear Fusion Max Socks – bottom view
Wilderness Wear Fusion Max as purchased
Wilderness Wear Fusion Max – heel view
This review was done with product provided by Wilderness Wear
5/12/2023