FITS Sock Light Hiker Quarter

Comfortable merino wool socks for running shoes or low hikers. The heel pocket is different from most other socks in a good way. This is relatively low-volume, so it’s not the warmest low hiker out there. Durability should be excellent based on experience with their medium weight hikers. Highly recommended.

BASIC INFORMATION

The FITs Light Hiker Quarter is sold with unisex sizing, sizes small through XXL. They run true to size in my experience. They’re expensive at $22/pair full retail, but the site often has sales and sells them in bundles. I have worn their medium weight hikers for several years, so I decided to try the lower, lighter ones when some of the socks I wear with low hikers, trail shoes, and running shoes wore thin behind the heel. 

As with any wool blend sock, it pays to take care of them. This brand is quite durable and can be fully dried with other clothes, but it’s worth not running these through a hot dryer cycle. I run them for 12 minutes at medium heat to damp dry, then hang them on a clothes rack to dry the rest of the way. 

The fabric is straightforward: Merino Wool 70%, Nylon 23%, Polyester 4%, Lycra 3%. The socks are fairly stretchy and low-volume, like most low hiker socks sold as lightweights. 

HOW THEY FIT AND FEEL

FITs claims their heel pocket results in an unusually good fit. It is a little more pronounced than some other options, and I haven’t had any issues with the socks not fitting well, shifting, or bunching during hikes. That said, I haven’t had any issues with competitors like Darn Tough or Balega either. Check the size chart before buying; their sizing is a little different than some other brands. 

As the inside out photo above shows, the company put a meaningful amount of thought into the design, using different weights of fabric in different sections of the sock. That’s common among higher-end socks like this, and I think it’s an advantage over socks that use the same fabric throughout. 

Another plus, for me, is that FITs still makes these socks primarily with merino wool. I recently bought a comparable pair of Darn Tough light hikers and was a little surprised to see they‘re less than 50% wool; Balega’s mohair wool running socks are also roughly 30% wool. Nonetheless, FITs are soft and have never felt like old, scratchy wool; you could easily replace non-wool running socks with them. More wool tends to mean less odor, plus I think wool is a little better about handling moisture. I often wear these for a morning, hang the to dry, and don’t feel the need to wash them for a few wears, unless they get really dirty. 

Regardess, these socks do a great job handling the sweat from long, hard hikes and are all-day comfortable, whether I wearing them in non-GTX hikers, GTX shoes, runners, or the leather walking shoes that often double as wear-to-office shoes for me. 

HOW I HAVE WORN THEM

Most of my hiking lately has been half-days or day hikes due to work demands, so I have worn these (bought 3 pair) in rotation with other socks I already had for the past four months—in running shoes, a few pair of low hikers, approach shoes, and all-leather walking shoes, on local trails. No blisters, no issues, just happy feet. 

• • Bonus points—they arrived from FITs with this free string bag. Something to take to the grocery store or food coop to avoid using "paper or plastic."

     

• Takeaways? They’re excellent. As my other low hikers eventually wear out, I’ll probably replace with these, if I even need more than the three pair I already have.  

Background

About four months wearing these socks; several years of wearing FITs medium weight hikers.