REI Co-op  Merino Wool Expedition Hiking Crew Socks

Bad, thick stitching on toes hurts your toes.

Badly made. The poor quality stitching across the toes hurts your toes. This app won’t let me add photos.

Not at all like the older version

My older pairs of Expeditions were far superior--in fact, after about 8 years of service they remain in quite good shape. I wanted to add as few more pairs to the collection and I regret that I did. The new model is incredibly tight-fitting. Whereas the claim is that XL fits sizes 12.5-14, it is difficult to get them over my shoe-size 12.5 feet. Further, they are incredibly tight on my ankle and lower calf. Was my purchase mis-labeled? Had I no experience with the earlier generation of Expeditions I'd merely be disappointed, but knowing what the socks used to be like makes the situation much worse! Sorry for the bad report...

Big disappointment

Such a letdown. I bought a pair of this stock number awhile back and they felt great, were warm and comfortable. ..So I thought I'd buy three more pairs. The socks I received were nothing like the pair I had bought that I liked so much. The original pair had a fleece lining that was so comfortable to walk on but this new design is not fleece but some sort of knitted technique that feels spongy and creepy, not at all comfortable like the fleece. What's worse, they charged me shipping to send these disappointing socks back after they changed the design unannounced.. If they ever go back to the original design I'd love to get a pair.

Not as thick/heavy as the original

REIService stated "The only difference between this model and previous models is that we are now ensuring that they are made with wool that has been certified to the Responsible Wool Standard." That statement is inaccurate. My old Expedition Hiking Crew socks are over three years old , they are worn regularly, and they are still thicker/heavier than these new socks which are supposedly the same aside from the Responsible Wool Standard.. These socks are still decent but not as awesome as the original.

Still great socks

So these are the most warm and comfortable socks I've ever owned. I quite like them. I had a pair I bought probably a decade ago and decided to get some more. Glad I did. I like the elastic band around the arch, they don't slide down, the cushioning is comfortable, and they're warm. The old pair I have are hardly showing their age so they last a long time as well. I almost didn't buy them because of the reviewers saying the socks changed, but I went to a store and checked them out and bought the current version and I really can't tell a difference, especially when wearing them. I would not let that hold you back, if there's a difference it's really small and personally I can't tell.

Thick and Warm, Great Winter Socks

These are great. They are super thick and warm. The size chart is exactly correct—I wear a women’s 8.5 and the medium fits perfect and my husband wears a men’s 11 and the large fits perfect. I saw a couple of negative comments about the size, but it was probably someone confused with the size chart that covers both men’s and women’s sizes. We’ve bought these a couple times, wear them a lot (almost every day in the winter around the house) and they usually last a season before we wear them out. They are thick, which you have to keep in mind if you wear them in boots. I love that they are a natural fiber and responbilbly sourced.

No Sore feet, No foot Stink

Must have for backpacking or for people that have foot odor. Wool naturally wicks water out of the boot to keep your feet dry. Dry feet are less prone to blisters and athlete's foot fungus as well as the fungus that causes foot odor. I can't wear regular wool due to itching but merino wool is a must. I am the person that can cause cows to tip over when I take off my shoes, my feet stink that bad. I switched to Merino wool and never had the problem again. Make sure to wear these with silk liners if you're backpacking. The socks rub on each other instead of your feet and your boot. A dry boot with low sock rubbing will last longer and so will your feet! I backpack and weigh over 400 lb. and my feet never bother me. These heavy socks can't be beat.

Bought it probably 2 weeks ago used it this weekend for rainier climb, washed it in warm/cold water and dried in normal heat in the dryer and it’s already unraveling.

Decent but has a problem

I love thick socks, and this is a pretty decent pair, but it could be made significantly better if they did something about the ridiculously large and hard seam that sits over/just behind your toes. Depending on the shoe, or even just how you put the sock on that day, it can rub quite hard and irritatingly. Other than that, it's a decent sock. Takes a while to dry after washing, though. Consider wearing a sock liner, as some people might find the material/stitching on the inside a bit uncomfortable if their skin is sensitive. Other than that, I kind of wish they'd make a version of this sock with finger-toes.

Size does not match sizing guide.

I purchased these socks based on the size guide, which said XL would work for a women's size 10-12.5. When they arrived, the packaging said Women's 12.5+ and were massive. Quality seemed fine, but I had no way of knowing that the sizing would be so off from the size guide.