The Assos Trail Evo socks are robust socks that endure trailside shrubs without any tears, but the thicker construction also makes them feel like they might be better worn in the winter.
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Assos Trail Evo Socks Construction and Fit
As part of their TRAIL All-Mountain series, Assos has designed the Trail Evo socks to be durable in mountain riding conditions where your legs are constantly attacked by prickly bushes and branches. Assos says they’ve made the sock robust, yet still sweat-wicking and breathable. The socks are made with polyamide, fluorofibre and elastane.
With an 18cm cuff, the socks are slightly longer than your standard pair and offer a seamless design from the cuff to the toes for a frictionless fit. The cuff, heel and toe feature shieldKnit yarn, making them more abrasion-resistant.
Assos Trail Evo socks on test
I have been testing the Assos Trail Evo socks over the last few weeks on trails and gravel rides and they’ve performed very well. They have also come out of multiple washes looking brand new.
Initially, the socks felt too thick and I assumed they’d only be good for winter riding. The shieldKnit yarn gives them a slightly plasticky, slick feeling (they are also made fully of synthetic fibres), which at first feel like something you’d not want to put on your feet, especially when things get hot.
My local trails are definitely a great test for abrasion resistance. The socks have been with me through some lush undergrowth and have, as promised, unlike my bare legs, remained unscathed despite the many sharp, prickly things that attacked them.
To test their comfort, I also wore the socks when riding the Dirty Reiver, a 200km gravel ride in Kielder forest. After 9.5 hours of riding, the socks had not reminded me of their existence – they were breathable in the toasty conditions, but I did have clear sock marks printed on my skin after the ride.
I’ve been testing the socks in size 0 which corresponds to 35-38 in European sizing. This is the smallest of the three sizes, with the largest option fitting feet up to size 46. I am size 37 and despite this being at the higher end of the size range of size 0, I feel the toe of the socks is a little too wide and loose (I also have wide feet).
The Assos Trail sock has a loose toe area but the cuff is very snug, almost to the point where I feel it is compressive – even though Assos says it is not supposed to be. After 2+ hour rides, the rigid construction left pressure marks on my legs. This doesn’t impact performance, but I do wish the cuff wasn’t as tight or was made of softer material.
The socks are left and right specific, branded very subtly and only come in black (with a little hint of gold/brown). There are no visible logos with shoes on – which is something I very much like as it is easier to mix them with other kits. The cuff comes up a little higher than a regular cycling sock, but this is good when riding off-road.
Assos Trail Evo Socks Final Thoughts
Assos Trail Evo socks are unique off-road socks that offer apt protection against any undergrowth whipping your feet. Their abrasion-resistant construction makes them feel sturdy, but because of this, the cuff also feels a little too tight. The sizing is on the larger side, as the toe is not very contoured and feels boxy – although this does not affect the functionality of the socks at all. With only three sizes available, it might be hard to find one that fits you perfectly.
The Trail socks retail at £25 a pair which is at the top end for a pair of performance cycling socks – but there are not many similar, off-road socks. For example, Muc Off’s Technical Riders socks retail at £16 and offer similar properties to the Assos ones. Most off-road waterproof socks are even more generously priced, for example, these Showers Pass Lightweight Crosspoint Waterproof socks (£29).
The shieldKnit yarn is what makes these socks suitable for off-road, and it is also what made them feel almost too rough on my feet – or more specifically, legs. They do their protective job perfectly and handle any undergrowth faultlessly, but with a limited size range and somewhat hefty price, they are possibly targeted at those who favour the brand.
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