by Lars Hundley
I’ve tried a lot of high performance athletic socks over the years for cycling, running and hiking. But I’d never run into a high performance sock made of 100 percent recycled materials until recently, when someone from Rockay contacted me and sent a pair for review.
You might be thinking, “Can someone really make good socks out of 100 percent recycled materials?” After trying out mine, I can confidently tell you that they can.
The Razer crew socks I tested are made out of 51 percent Econyl regenerated nylon, recycled polyamide, and 4 percent recycled elastane.
Econyl is derived from plastic waste such as as fishing nets, fabric scraps, carpet flooring and plastic, from landfills and oceans from all over the world.
The threads are also coated with a permanent odor killing material called Polygiene, which means that you can wear them longer without washing. The treatment uses low concentrations of silver salt (silver chloride), which has antimicrobial properties. The treatment is applied at the finishing stages of textile production and is claimed to have a high level of odor control beyond the usual lifespan of a garment. The silver salt technology is only active on the textiles itself, and is not nanosilver.
I washed mine after I rode with them each time, because my feet sweat a lot when I ride. But I did wear them for multiple days in a row as regular socks, and they were indeed stink free — even after three days wearing them to work without washing.
The fabric Rockay uses has a very smooth, almost silky feel to it. I don’t do much running, but I can see how their claim of blister free would be a very reasonable one. Rockay uses a seamless toe, with breathable mesh zones and slightly more cushioning on the bottom. I’d describe them as thin socks, so they’ll work well with cycling shoes.
My socks came in a slightly gray color called “ecowhite,” but they also have a high viz yellow and orange sock too.
Rockay offers a lifetime guarantee on their socks, along with a 40 day return policy.
I really like these socks, and will probably end up adding more of them to my sock drawer the next time I need cycling socks.
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