Buff LW Merino Wool hiking socks review: socks that rock (and roll)

First impressions

Buff (best known for creating innovative and multifunctional tubular headscarves that have become synonymous with the brand), have taken the next step, leaping into the footwear market with a new range of hiking socks and trail-running socks.

I recently reviewed Buff’s CoolNet Crew Running Socks, which are made with a real minty twist to keep them fresh, and I was genuinely impressed with how they performed on the trails, so I was looking forward to testing these ‘merino’ hiking socks. (Well, ‘merino’ is how they are described – when I dug a little deeper I discovered that less than a quarter of the content actually came from sheep, with the rest being derived from fossil resources – some of it recycled).

Such slight sleights of hand by the marketing people aside, my first impression of these socks was good: they are well designed, with a cool pattern, several interesting colorways (both legacy features of the brand’s approach to their head tubes / neck gaiters), and the left/right specificity means the support is in all the right places. The socks are true crew length, and felt comfortable from the very first time I put them on, with nice arch support and flat seams.

Style & materials

Anyone who has been paying any attention at all to outdoor apparel for the last couple of decades (at least) knows full well the benefits and subsequent appeal of merino wool. It’s a magic material that feels lovely, deals with moisture magnificently, breathes beautifully and – crucially – can deal with the bad smells that often accumulate on adventure kit.

All of this makes is perfect for use in socks, except for the fact that it has a tendency to fall apart after a bit, not least because socks get knocked around a lot. So, almost every brand mixes them with fabrics like polyamide and polyester, to ensure you get more than a few months use out of your (relatively expensive) socks.

All of this is fair enough, but the way the material cocktail is mixed varies from brand to brand. Here, Buff’s designers have gone with 22% merino wool (which will continue to bring many of the benefits mentioned above to the party), along with polyamide (comprising almost half of the overall content), plus some recycled polyester (27%), and a splash of elastane. All of these materials have benefits – the poly fabrics are really tough, don’t absorb much water and dry out very quickly, while the elastane helps the socks to keep their shape, to stay in place (instead of bunching up) and provide support to parts of the foot that need it.

Overall it’s a really good mix, supplying a pleasing combination of comfort, performance and enough toughness to ensure many miles of excellent service, making these socks a good buy. I’m just not sure the name tells the real story, and one area where the relatively low amount of merino content might start to have a more negative impact is with long-term odor control.

On the trails

I have been wearing Buff’s LW Merino hiking socks while walking sections of the South West Coast Path, during day hikes exploring woodlands and wild areas, and on multiday backpacking and wild camping adventures on Dartmoor.

I have found these socks to be supremely supportive and extremely comfortable, whether you’re wearing them for an hour or for several days on the trot, and these two factors are easily the most important considerations when rating a hiking sock, so full marks there.

I also really like the true crew length, which reaches to the shin and provides support and protection to your lower leg (especially when wearing hiking shorts), whether you’re pairing them with walking shoes or hiking boots, fending off gnarly undergrowth and unwelcome wildlife encounters with things such as ticks.

The poly content in the material mix means you can tackle stream crossings and walk in the rain, and even if the socks get damp, they don’t hold onto water or become heavy, and they dry out fast.

Nicely designed and robustly made, they haven’t shown any signs of wear and tear yet, and should survive several years of regular rambling activity. My only real concern is that, over time, they will start to accumulate odors due to the relatively low level of merino content.

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