Review: Heat Holders socks

As a freelancer, I usually try to avoid putting the heating on during days when I’m working from home. Unfortunately I’m also one of those people who gets really, really cold toes, so I jumped at the chance to try out some Heat Holders Originals socks (RRP £10.00) from SockShop.

We also have a pair to give away – check out the competition at the bottom of the page!

I have other thermal socks that I wear when the weather gets extra chilly, so thought it might be interesting to compare them with the Heat Holders for general warmth.

The first thing I noticed when I tried the Heat Holders on was that they were very chunky socks, and there was also a fair bit of room inside them compared to standard thermals. This is partly due to the design: long looped thermal pile and a soft brushed inner – the aim being to trap lots of warm air around your whole foot. In contrast, they were a snugger fit around the ankle, which again should help to keep the heat in.

They did feel a fair bit warmer than standard thermal socks, and when there was a bit of heating on the Heat Holders felt especially toasty so they certainly do work if your feet have a tiny bit of warmth in them already. The only issue was getting them into my shoes: unfortunately they were too bulky to cram into most of my footwear. However, they did fit into one of my looser-fitting pairs of ankle boots, and they were just right for wearing with wellies.

That’s right, I went out and did some gardening in these socks in January and early February. They were lovely and cosy, and they didn’t get excessively hot and sweaty inside my wellies either which was a definite bonus. Apparently the yarn they’re made from has wicking abilities as well as thermal properties, so no nasty niffs after boot removal. There are lots of different styles and colours on the website, and in particular their long welly boot socks (£12.00) look like they might be a next purchase for me.

The acid test for many thermal socks is how well they wash, as sometimes they become less efficient over time. I’ve worn and washed them three times so far, and they’re still looking as good as new and functioning properly. To sum up, I would happily recommend these if you suffer from cold feet, if your shoes or boots are roomy enough.

Win your own Heat Holders socks!

We have one pair of standard Heat Holders Originals socks to give away. If you’d like to try your luck, just leave a comment below saying “Toasty toes, yes please!” and we’ll pick a winner out of the hat at noon on the 28th of February, 2014.

Full disclosure: This is not a paid-for post, but I have been given a free pair of socks to try out.