New feature! Gear Review Thursday

I've wanted to start doing gear reviews for a while.  I run a fair amount, mostly outside and in a variety of weather conditions, and I definitely have opinions, so why not, right?  So this is the first in what will hopefully be a series of gear reviews based on my own experience with different running-related products.  If you've got something you'd like to see reviewed, let me know in the comments and I'll see if it's doable.

So first up in our series, Injinji Performance Series - Mini Crew Rainbow (CoolMax EcoMade).  Yup, that's right, we're tackling socks.  When I made my first trip to the running store with the hubby, he insisted that I pony up what I considered to be mega bucks for some fancy-schmancy running socks.  Newbie me thought this was stupid, but after many many miles run, he was absolutely right.  Socks are something you don't want to skimp on, just as you want to make sure you have the best shoes for your own particular feet.  When you figure that good socks will last you LONGER than your running shoes, and are all that's standing between you and the mother of all blisters, it's sort of a no-brainer that decent socks are worth the money.  At $14, the Mini Crew Rainbow socks are consistent with what I'd expect to pay for running socks.  I've been reading about Injinji for quite a while, usually with an "OMG, I would *never* wear those!" kind of reaction.  Because, if you haven't looked at the link, these are toe socks.  TOE SOCKS.  My only experience with toe socks has been receiving them as a gag gift, but after I read a couple of articles extolling the benefits of toe socks for blister prevention, I decided to take the plunge and get myself a pair.  I had a couple of bouts of blisters this summer that were so bad I'd do just about anything to avoid the again.  I bought these socks from REI and the size small is the right size for my size 8-8.5 feet (I wear a size 9 running shoe, in the interest of full disclosure).

Could they be more adorable?  When I tried them on last night, my children proclaimed them "weird" and the hubby said he couldn't believe I was going to try toe socks, and I'll admit, they felt a little weird to begin with, but I got used to them.  I decided to give them a try on my 4 mile tempo run this morning.  It was cold this morning, air temp of 5 degrees and a windchill of -4, and given that my toes were frozen, which is not a problem I usually have, I'm going to say that these are not great socks for cold temps.  Think of it like this - mittens keep your fingers warmer than gloves because your fingers can huddle together for warmth, rather than being kept separated in their own separate casings.  Same goes for socks.  I think these are probably fabulous for summer running, or at least above freezing temps, but I won't be going to them again for these super cold mornings.  I'll revisit these for another review once the weather warms up and see how they do outside of sub-arctic temps (ok, it's not really sub-arctic, but it's still a bit nippy out there!). I didn't notice the separate toes once I got going, however, and they really did fit pretty well, despite being sized for men.  I'm not sure how well these would fit someone with significantly smaller feet or shorter toes, however.  I also did find the places where the colors joined to be noticeable when I first started running, so someone with more sensitive feet might be bothered by that.  Again, I didn't notice it once I really got moving, though.

So, rounding up:

Pros:

Good sizing (size small fit my size 8-8.5 feet well)

Comfy once I got going

Super cute (they come in other colors, too!)

Decent price point

Cons:

Not good for cold weather

Joins where colors change might be annoying for some

Sizing might not work for those with shorter toes/smaller feet

Overall, I'd say they're worth a shot, though ideally it might be nice to be able to try them on first (just don't let how weird they feel deter you - you get used to them!).