The fabric used for the Le Col Cycling Socks is very soft and has excellent wicking properties. These feel great against the skin, mile after mile.
- Pros: Excellent comfort, material and knit pattern feels supportive
- Cons: A fair bit pricier than some of the other excellent socks we've tested
Le Col uses a nylon yarn for the socks and when you put them on they feel absolutely lovely. The fabric is soft but because of the knit weave they're also quite supportive – not in a compressive way, just secure. The sock moves with your foot rather than allowing your foot to move around within it.
The ribbed cuff sits at a medium height below the calf and above the ankle and I never had any issues with them not staying up.
Le Col has used a honeycomb style pattern for the knit on the main part of the sock which makes sure they are breathable, even the part inside the shoes.
For the sole the material is slightly thicker for added comfort plus resistance to wear and tear. It's here that you'll find a terry towelling finish and it really adds to the softness of the sock.
I wore these socks on some quite long rides and they really did keep my feet feeling fresh and comfortable throughout, no matter how stiff the shoes were that I was wearing.
> Find more road.cc reviews of cycling socks here
On the whole I'm very impressed, but as with most things it comes down to money. At £14 these Le Col socks are a few quid more than most, such as the excellent Kalf Tall Socks at £11.99 or the Sweet Protection Crossfire models at £12.99.
We are talking just a few pounds here and there, though, and even at full RRP the Le Cols offer great performance and build quality for the money.
Verdict
Very comfortable and breathable socks that are well worth the money
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road.cc test report
Make and model: Le Col Cycling Socks
Size tested: L/XL
Tell us what the product is for
Le Col says, "The new and improved Le Col sock features a beautifully soft and highly wicking nylon yarn for a durable lightweight cycling sock. The unique honeycomb structure of the sock allows for a increased airflow on the foot for breathable comfort in both hot weather and mid-range temperatures. The light terry padding on the underfoot and heel provides a snug comforting fit for longest rides. Reinforced seams on the toe and heel prevent chafing providing a sock that's near unnoticeable on the bike."
Tell us some more about the technical aspects of the product?
Le Col lists:
Fabric
100% Polyamide
Construction:
Honeycomb construction
Terry padding on the underfoot and heel
Ribbed cuff for grip
Reinforced toe and heel seams
Care instructions:
Cool wash
Dry flat
Do not bleach
They come in two sizes and the L/XL fit me fine.
How easy is the product to care for? How did it respond to being washed?
I was worried about the white staining but even on a cool wash so far there haven't been any issues. They come in other colours too.
Tell us how the product performed overall when used for its designed purpose
They are comfortable and highly breathable.
Tell us what you particularly liked about the product
Great fit.
Tell us what you particularly disliked about the product
Nothing really to dislike.
How does the price compare to that of similar products in the market, including ones recently tested on road.cc?
A little pricier than a lot on the market but they back it up with their quality.
Did you enjoy using the product? Yes
Would you consider buying the product? Yes
Would you recommend the product to a friend? Yes
Use this box to explain your overall score
A great pair of socks, offering pretty much faultless performance, comfort and build quality.
About the tester
Age: 40
I usually ride: This month's test bike My best bike is: B'Twin Ultra CF draped in the latest bling test components
I've been riding for: Over 20 years I ride: Every day I would class myself as: Expert
I regularly do the following types of riding: time trialling, commuting, club rides, sportives, fixed/singlespeed
Stu knocked out his first road.cc review back in 2009 and since then he's chucked the best part of seventy test bikes around the West Country, a couple of them quite literally! With three alloy and two steel bikes in his fleet he's definitely a metal man (that'll be the engineering background) but is slowly warming to that modern carbon fibre stuff along with fat tyres & disc brakes.
It's not all nostalgia though, after spending the last few years in product design Stu keeps banging on about how 3D printing is going to be the next big thing and he's a sucker for a beautiful paint job too.
3 comments
I have used these for a few rides and while they were VERY comfortable they aren't very durable after 3 rides my pair had 2 holes in them! Maybe I've abused them to much or maybe the material isn't strong enough but because of the price I can't really recommend them!
If you can afford to spend GBP 14 on socks, you may as well buy Falke cycling socks, they're comfortable, well designed, hard-wearing and made by a company that specialises in socks - makes them at its own factory in Germany - rather than in Vietnam.
Well I bought them because I had to have a certain amount to get free shipping.
My shimano Sphyre socks that came with my shoes have been used for about 6000km and they only have a few marks but no holes! So although they are kinda expensive (I got them with the shoes), they are totally worth it!