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As part of our support of 1% For The Planet, a portion of our giving is provided in support of the National Forest Foundation.
Don’t all great product reviews start in the Laguardia airport?
It’s August in New York City and heat is rising from every orifice of the great, big, metropolis. I’m traveling with a friend, hopscotching from our hostel to cheap pizza, to Central Park, all while attempting to understand the subway. We’ve Google Mapped ourselves to a small independent (definately hipster) bookstore to take refuge in its airconditioning in the mid-afternoon. There’s a cat in the antique book section named “Pig” that we pet liberally.
Although we’ve really only walked in different iterations of squares and rectangles to get here, my brain is utterly scrambled. I am not (and I guess you could argue that many are not) built for navigating or thriving in such a place. My travel partner and I are from the large, sprawling suburbs of Colorado Springs – the antithesis of high-rise density. Maybe we’re not the best ones to lament about NYC.
We are dressed in long thrifted climbing shorts, quick-dry hiking hats, t-shirts, and pairs of worn approach shoes and Chacos, respectively.
This is all important, you see, because such outfit choices put us in the quirky crossroads of fashion and function, astute style and dorky outside tourism flair. The clerk at the bookstore scans our outfits and says “You all are either really fashionable, or definitely not from here.”
Definitely… Not … From … Here.
Most embarrassingly (or stylishly) I am sporting socks and sandals, more notably, Vision Six socks and sandals.
I’ll admit, it felt weird to start a product test in the airport. Yet, as I’ve argued before, socks are hard to spice up review-wise. Hence, I decided to put these feet huggers through the ringer by wearing them through a full travel and urban exploration day in New York City. Yes, product testing began in the Laguardia airport.
The Vision Six socks by Switftwick come in snazzy National Park designs (including eight new ones added this August). The socks themselves are very thin – they almost resemble what a nice mens dress sock feels like – but look and are built for athletes. The toebox is seamless and the acompression comfortable but not stifling.
I was skeptical that the socks would brave the baking asphalt or city debris, but the socks themselves stayed in place (no hot spots on my heel or foot pad!) and were durable. The Y shape back kept the sock in place at the heel and the arch band was snug but not too tight.
You won’t find much extra cushion in these socks, but their thin profile is admirable and a welcome addition to the hiking sock quiver as a light-weight, thin, all-around companion for the warmer months.
My feet stayed dry and sweat-free even after a full day in the subway underbelly, lots of watching the turtles in Central park, and what I could imagine was several (if not more) miles of – sigh – getting lost.
While not a sock for every occasion (if that even exists) I would bring the Vision Six along for long treks on warm days or, as I did, as your go-to travel sock: from the airport to mid-afternoon runs to winding city streets.
VISION™ Six Impression National Park Collection
Featuring a variety of styles for every personality. Express yourself while feeling confident in the technology that supports your every move. Moderate compression gently hugs and supports your feet while keeping socks in place and medium cushion provides all day comfort so you can make your statement without any compromises. Ideal for Bike, Trail & Road Run, Lifestyle, and Golf
Rep your favorite national park with the VISION™ Six Impression National Park collection. These beautiful socks pay homage to the majestic locations we love to explore. Swiftwick is proud to support the work of the National Park Foundation, the official charity of America’s national parks.
Choose Your Park: Acadia, Glacier, Mt. Rainier, Death Valley, Olympic, Bryce Canyon, Jasper, Banff, Yellowstone, Zion, Great Smoky Mountains, Yosemite, and Grand Canyon, Arches, Rocky Mountains, Joshua Tree, Grand Teton, and Denali.