After a long, hot day in the saddle it’s a relief to kick back and relax. But when you kick off your riding boots does the offensive odor from your tired, sweaty dogs make it smell like you have one foot in the grave? If so, here’s a possible cure, Roadgear’s Generation 3 Coconut Socks.
Don’t be fooled by the name. You won’t be wearing gutted coconut shells. But the socks are made using natural fibers from discarded coconuts. The extracted coconut-shell fiber is infused with activated carbon that’s commonly used in water filtration systems to create a fabric trademarked as Cocona. And Cocona is the ingredient in the Gen3 socks that helps absorb the moisture from your feet.
The fibers are woven with various other fabrics (Lycra, elastic and nylon) to form the sock itself. Reminds me of the lyrics from the ‘70s song: “Put the lime in the coconut, you drink them both up.” There’s plenty of stretch in the ankle portion, too, for a tight fit on each foot. The socks are machine washable, and so far they’ve held up without shrinking.
The Gen3 socks come in various styles (tall, crew, ankle and no-show), sizes 7-16 (men) and 6-10 (women). Retail prices range from $12.95 (no-show) to $19.95 (tall). I tried the crew style and they reached slightly beyond mid-height on my shins.
The socks fit snugly, and they didn’t creep downward to my ankles in the course of the day. There’s plenty of elastic woven throughout, too, so the Gen3s offer plenty of support to help maintain blood circulation while riding. I wore my Gen3 socks in hot and cold weather, and my feet remained comfortable throughout. My Cruiserworks boots offer good protection from the cold to begin with, but the Gen3 seemed to insulate my feet even more. I liked that.
A trip to the nearby Mojave Desert exposed my test socks to 90-plus temperatures. Again, comfort wasn’t an issue, but—and I say this with modest pride—my feet don’t stink, so I really can’t vouch for the moisture management properties claimed by Roadgear. I’ve spoken with several other motojournalists (who tell me their feet do stink) who have experience with the Coconut Socks and they report that the socks do all that they claim in terms of odor management.
The Gen3 socks might be a little pricey, and indeed you might sniff out a cheaper pair elsewhere. But if comfort and odor are issues, they’re worth considering. –Dain Gingerelli
That was before my time, but I remember that from the Resevoir Dogs soundtrack! Great track: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tbgv8PkO9eo
ReplyDelete