Motorcycle Socks

by Rick K. for webBikeWorld

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The business of reviewing motorcycle products and clothing never seems to get boring.  Just when I start to get jaded, something like this shows up on the doorstep!

You're looking at what has to be the highest-tech, most focused pair (two pair, actually) of motorcycle socks in the world.

Leave it to the folks at Rev'it! to come up with something you never knew you needed! 

The Rev'it! motorcycle socks come in four different flavors.  Two are shown here: the Moto Touring Socks (shown on Bill's left foot) for all-around use during most of the year and the Winter Moto Touring Socks (right foot), which use soft Merino wool and are designed for, you guessed it, winter.

These products are so new they're not even listed on the Rev'it! website, but the packaging runs the words together in one long lower-case word like "mototouringsocks" and "wintermototouringsocks".

Believe it or not, the socks are asymmetrical; that is, one sock is labeled "left" and the other "right" with bright yellow lettering near the toe.

The asymmetrical design provides direct support for each individual foot, the toes and the calf.  X Technology, a Swiss company who developed the system, claims that the anatomical shape allows the foot to "gain added support and stability without losing contact with the boot through unnecessary, constricting padding".

Rev'it! says that the Moto Touring socks "provide padding exactly where it is actually needed, where the foot is subjected to stress and strain".  They also claim that this "significantly reduces the risk of sustaining painful skin abrasions and pressure points...".

I've been wearing the lighter weight Moto Touring Socks and they're very comfortable, even in the 85-degree summer weather we've been experiencing lately.  In the summertime when I'm not riding, I'm usually wearing shorts and a pair of ankle-high socks, so the extra length of the Rev'it! version does take some getting used to.

Both socks are very tall; they come up almost to my kneecap.  This provides good support for my entire calf muscle and the socks feel more like a stocking.  They do fit rather snug, so you may want to try them on first if you have larger than normal calves.

The socks are actually woven in Italy in a single piece without seams.  This pretty much eliminates the possibility of any hot spots when wearing them.

I once visited the Hosiery Technology Center in Hickory, North Carolina, where I saw this type of high-tech Italian sock knitting machinery that can knit a one-piece sock in a single setup.  The machines are computer controlled and very impressive.  The Italians are the world leaders in this type of equipment, so it's no surprise to me to learn that Rev'it! turned to the Italians to manufacture the socks.

The yellow sections of the mid-weight socks are made from an abrasion-resistant material, located at the front and rear of the ankle.  The black sections are patented "air conditioning channels", which are designed to circulate air and regulate the temperature around the foot.

This is crucial to comfort when wearing motorcycle boots, which are usually tall, hot and sticky.  It sure seems to me that the Rev'it! Moto Touring socks would be just the ticket for long-distance motorcycle touring!

The Winter Moto Touring socks are very similar to the mid-weight summer Moto Touring version.  The winter socks use a type of "Ragg" style stitching and what feels like slightly heavier fabric. 

Rev'it! says that both versions of the Moto Touring socks can help reduce skin irritations, muscle cramps, skin grazing, overheating, "burning feet", bruising, blistering and acne.  Just kidding on that last one, of course!

There's an arm-long list of the features designed into the Moto Touring socks, including a self-adjusting cuff, shin and calf protector, the aforementioned air-conditioning channels, an airflow side impact protector, airflow ankle pads, Achilles tendon protector, "X-Cross Bandage" ankle support, instep protector, air cooling strips across the top of the foot (summer version), toe protector, traverse airflow channel across the toes, toe tip protector and the anatomically shaped right and left footbed with "integrated air conditioning channels".  Phew!!

Rev'it! Moto Touring Socks, Left Foot, Instep (Summer)

Rev'it! Winter Moto Touring Socks, Right Foot, Outstep

Note that the "protectors" referred to above are not the hard or soft armor used in motorcycle jackets or pants; the protectors are simply part of the design knitted into the fabric.

The socks are available from Rev'it! and can only be ordered through your Rev'it! dealer.  There are actually four versions of the socks: Race, Enduro/MX, the Winter Moto Touring (Merino Wool), and the summer Moto Touring socks. 

I don't know if you've priced a good pair of socks lately, but it's not uncommon at all to pay $15.00 for a high-quality pair.  All of the Rev'it! socks list for $29.99 and come with a 3 year warranty, which I think is a heck of a deal, considering all of the technology involved.

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