People's Merino Wool Review

The People's Wool Sock is a 71% merino-wool sock blend with an ankle-length cut and excellent performance. It's a great option for those on a tight budget because it cashes in for the low price of roughly $9 per sock!

Performance Comparison

Comfort

The People's Wool Sock provides a decent level of comfort. The 71% wool blend is mid-weight and provides underfoot cushioning that left our testers' feet feeling happy after miles of hiking trails. While this sock doesn't offer the same level of compression paneling as seen with other merino sock blends, the fit is tight, and the sock doesn't bunch in the toe or around the ankle. Stretch materials (like spandex) are concentrated around the arch and heel of the foot that doesn't allow slipping or stretching over time. Its unisex fit made both our female and male testers happy. The cut just above the ankle makes it a great sock to pair with hiking shoes, but not a great option to wear with hiking boots.

If you're in the market for an even more comfortable and cozy sock, take a look at the SmartWool PhD Outdoor Medium Crew Sock, a notable mention for comfort and versatility. This sock is super fitted with lots of excellent compression fitting both male and female testers well. Or take a gander at Editor's Choice winner, the Darn Tough Hiker Full Cushion. If you prefer a sock with a lower cut, be sure to look at the Darn Tough Light Hiker for men and the Darn Tough Hiker Micro Crew for women.

Warmth

While this sock is smaller and high value, it sure is warm!!! Featuring a 71% merino wool blend, our testers are surprised to learn how warm this sock is in both wet and cold conditions. While it's not the warmest sock out there, like our Editors' Choice winner Darn Tough Full Cushion (for men) or the Smartwool Hike Medium Crew (for women), it can keep toes warm in temperatures just above freezing.

In our wet tests, we found that it insulated pretty well, keeping our feet warm while standing and moving. In comparison, this sock provided a similar level of warmth as the Danish Unisex Merino Wool Sock, but not as warm as the Smartwool PhD Outdoor Medium Crew. Because of its ankle-height design, it doesn't keep as much heat in as boot-length hikers, though it's more breathable for warm weather. As a result, we'd recommend this sock for three seasons of use - Spring, Fall, and Summer, but we'd trade it in for a warmer contender like our Editors' Choice winners on the coldest of days.

Wicking and Breathability

Utilizing 21% nylon in its merino wool blend, this product did an excellent job at wicking away moisture. The sock itself has a looser fabric that also allows moisture to diffuse through the material easily. Its ankle-length design also makes it a much better option to wear on warm days because there is more airflow to the legs. Of all the contenders tested, this is one of the most breathable, with mighty wicking power.

Durability

After wearing this sock for roughly 60 miles of hiking, biking, and running we are happy to report that this sock is quite durable. The fabric composition (71% Merino Wool, 21% Nylon, 7% Polyamide, 1% Spandex) showed litter wear and tear after the testing period. It didn't stretch or shrink during the testing period. We noticed some pilling after the first wash throughout the body of the sock and some of the stitching exhibited fly-aways. As a result, it's not the best-crafted sock in this review and earns an average durability score.

If you're in the market for the most durable model tested, be sure to check out the Wigwam Hiking Outdoor Pro. This synthetic sock showed little to no wear after 60 miles of use. If you're more interested in a sock that comes with a lifetime guarantee that is super well constructed, be sure to look at the ultra-burly Darn Tough sock options. All showcases their durability during our testing periods, and we are happy to say that Darn Tough makes some of the most durable hiking socks out there.

Drying Speed

This sock is quick to dry on the line and while wearing on the trail. In our dryer tests, it only took 110 minutes before completely drying out. While it hosts a high concentration of wool, the shorter cut (ankle-length) and the integrates nylon allowing it to dry faster than most of the socks tested in this review. It also wicks well and doesn't absorb a lot of water like the Darn Tough Full Cushion sock.

Best Application

Our favorite use for the People's Wool Sock is as a day hiker for warm to cool days. We would recommend it for day hiking, backpacking, running, and other high activities that are both low and high intensity. Given its great performance, we'd also recommend it for any condition that doesn't get below freezing. Enjoy it out on the trail!

Value

As one of our best options for those on a tight budget, we are blown away by the great performance of this super affordable hiking sock. Coming in a package of four (with different colors), this unisex sock cashes in around $9 per sock ($37 for the pack). This is one of the cheapest Merino wool options out there aside from the Danish Unisex Wool Sock that has a similar price ($9 per sock).

Conclusion