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review
Socks
Pearl Izumi Elite Tall SockPearl izumi ELITE Tall Sock

Pearl Izumi Elite Tall Sock

7
by Mat Brett
UPDATED Thu, Oct 15, 2015 04:24

First Published Aug 12, 2013

0
£9.99

VERDICT:

7
10
Medium-weight socks that transfer moisture well, suitable for most UK summer conditions.
Weight: 
50g
Contact: 
www.pearlizumi.co.uk
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These Pearl Izumi Unisex Elite Tall Socks are a midweight summer option with the ability to transfer moisture well to keep your feet fresh in hot weather.

These are made from a mix of polyester and nylon with a little Lycra in there for added stretch.

There are certainly skinnier socks out there, if that’s what you’re after, but these come with a mesh top to the foot so you get plenty of ventilation if your shoes have breathable uppers.

Pearl Izumi say they’re for ‘cool and dry’ conditions and a temperature of around 15°C. I’d say they’re suitable for most UK summer conditions unless you tend to get hot feet, in which case you might want something lighter.

There’s an elasticated section around the arch area to hold everything comfortably in place, and the toe seam is smooth so there’s no compromise to your comfort there. There’s no rubbing around the heel area either.

The leg section is single thickness and fairly cool – quite a bit of air gets through the weave there.

Some cyclists get terribly anxious about rules and ‘correct’ sock length and these certainly fall into the tall category. The cuff height here is 19.5cm, if you’re the sort of person who cares about such things, and there’s enough elasticity in the cuff to hold them wherever you position them.

Pearl Izumi also do Elite socks in standard and low lengths at the same price, if you’d prefer.

Verdict

Medium-weight socks that transfer moisture well, suitable for most UK summer conditions.

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road.cc test report

Make and model: Pearl Izumi Elite Tall Sock

Size tested: White Size: L

Tell us what the product is for, and who it's aimed at. What do the manufacturers say about it? How does that compare to your own feelings about it?

Here's what Pearl Izumi say:

- A favorite in the peloton particularly among the Project 1T4i team, the Elite Tall Sock is a above-the-ankle-height sock

- The Elite Tall Sock provides a smooth toe construction, zoned ventilation channels and anatomic arch compression for superior performance and comfort

- The ELITE Transfer yarns provide superior moisture transfer

- The Ultra-smooth toe and Y heel designs offer articulated comfort

- Anatomic arch compression and asymmetrical left/right specific design for a performance fit

- Mesh ventilation over top of foot

- Tall cuff or crew height

- Weather forecast: Cool and dry

- Temperature rating: +/- 15 degrees

- Fabrics: 69% Polyester 27% nylon 4% spandex

I take it that '+/- 15 degrees' means they're designed for temperatures around 15°C. I've been wearing them at about that temperature, but I've never noticed my feet getting hot with these on when riding in 25°C+ heat, so I'd say they're fine for all-round summer use.

Rate the product for quality of construction:
 
8/10
Rate the product for performance:
 
7/10

They're doing fine so far although, like any white socks, after a few wet rides they'll start looking old.

Rate the product for comfort, if applicable:
 
8/10
Rate the product for value:
 
6/10

Did you enjoy using the product? Yes.

Would you consider buying the product? Possibly.

Would you recommend the product to a friend? Yes.

Overall rating: 7/10

About the tester

Age: 41  Height: 190cm  Weight: 75kg

I usually ride:   My best bike is:

I've been riding for: Over 20 years  I ride: Most days  I would class myself as: Expert

I regularly do the following types of riding: time trialling, commuting, club rides, sportives, general fitness riding,

 

Pearl Izumi Elite Tall Sock
Mat Brett

Mat has been in cycling media since 1996, on titles including BikeRadar, Total Bike, Total Mountain Bike, What Mountain Bike and Mountain Biking UK, and he has been editor of 220 Triathlon and Cycling Plus. Mat has been road.cc technical editor for over a decade, testing bikes, fettling the latest kit, and trying out the most up-to-the-minute clothing. We send him off around the world to get all the news from launches and shows too. He has won his category in Ironman UK 70.3 and finished on the podium in both marathons he has run. Mat is a Cambridge graduate who did a post-grad in magazine journalism, and he is a winner of the Cycling Media Award for Specialist Online Writer. Now over 50, he's riding road and gravel bikes most days for fun and fitness rather than training for competitions.

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