Velocio Signature Eco Socks

Velocio's Signature Eco Socks are my 'most comfortable socks of 2023' (so far) thanks to a mixture of the material used and the near seamless construction. They aren't the cheapest around, but for an irritation-free and cool-feeling-feet ride, they are hard to beat.

For more options, check out our guide to the best cycling socks.

> Buy now: Velocio Signature Eco Socks for £20 from Velocio

These socks are a pleasure to wear as the material is very soft indeed, and it's breathable too.

Through the hot temperatures of June, I wore the Velocios for many rides (and when running) and found them lovely. My key factors for socks are that I want my feet to feel cool and fresh while I'm riding (if I focus on that), but on the whole I don't want to notice them at all – and that is exactly what the Velocios deliver.

With no seams in a position to irritate, you can get away with wearing some very close-fitting shoes, and there'll be no pressure points when using very stiff soles. So these are socks that you can use for all kinds of riding, whether touring or racing.

The snug fit of the Signature Eco socks means they stay in position on your feet – you'll get no bunching of material, or rubbing caused by your foot and the sock moving in opposite directions.

How fresh your feet remain obviously comes down to the airflow offered by your shoes, but when using what I'd consider to be fairly standard road race shoes the Suplest Edge+ with venting on the toe box and flowing through the sole, I found that my feet and the socks remained very dry and very cool even on the hottest days.

So, comfort and breathability-wise the Velocios are excellent, and when it comes to sizing and fit there's also nothing to fault. They are available in three sizes, XS, S/M and L/XL, which cover UK 4-12, or 35-46 in EUR sizing.

I'm a UK 10 and found the L/XL very easy to get on and off, which is impressive considering the close fit.

The quality is also very good. These are some really well-made socks with no stray ends or threads to be found, and while this white colour will pick up some grime and dirt from the roads or trails, they always come up clean after a cool wash in the machine. I could also wear them multiple times without them smelling, so it isn't like they need to be chucked in the machine after every ride.

That's handy, as the price isn't exactly what you'd class as good value for money.

The standard Signature socks are £16 a pair, but what you are paying a bit extra for here is (probably) the material. It's called Amni Soul Eco (an enhanced polyamide 6.6 formula, apparently) which is biodegradable – 'its unique composition allows bacteria to gain access to and digest the waste materials' according to Fulgar (which manufactures it), with claims that if you were to dispose of them in landfill, they would be gone in five years.

That said, looking at others we've tested recently, the £26 Castelli Premio 18s almost make them look a bargain (though I did find them very comfortable), and the Giro Hrc+ Grip socks are more, too, at £23.99; George was impressed with their performance and comfort, although there are no biodegradable materials in their construction.

The trouble is, you can get really good socks for a lot less: Assos' Poker 3 socks scored 9/10 and they'll set you back £16, while the GripGrab Lightweight SL Summer socks are £15.95 and they scored 8/10.

Even better, Orro's Sportive socks are just a tenner a pair, and Neil thought those were excellent – in fact the blue ones are, at the time of writing, £8.99.

And of course there's the road.cc Argyle socks for £6.99, though we only have size S/M available at the moment.

Conclusion

Overall, the Signature Ecos are at the pricier end of the scale, but if you want to do a little bit extra for the environment then paying a bit more isn't really an issue. And if you buy them you are going to be very impressed with the comfort and the performance.

Verdict

Hugely comfortable with great breathability and wicking from their eco material