By David Crane
defrev at gmail dot com
All photographic images contained in this article were taken by
DefenseReview.com, and are the exclusive property of DefenseReview.com.
DefenseReview.com owns the copyright on these photos. All photos were
shot with an Olympus Stylus 790 SW 7.1-megapixel digital camera, which
is advertised as "shock + waterproof".
March 28, 2009
desert tan pair of these at the Garmont USA booth during SHOT Show 2009. We were immediately impressed by the appearance of the socks, which can be summed up as high-tech and comfortable looking.
Understand that the whole purpose of the X-Hale Special Operations Sock is to provide maximum ventilation, air circulation, and comfort while wearing 8-inch high boots in extreme climates from desert ops to mountain ops. The socks are lightweight, breathable and cushioned, and utilize a moisture-wicking mesh to keep your feet dry, which is extremely important in the field. The high-density cushioning and WoolFusion moisture-wicking construction combine to form the other half of the comfort equation.
Fiber content is as follows:
44% Nylon / polyamide
27% Merino Wool / laine merino
27%Endurofil™ / polypropylene
2% Lycra® / elastane
DefenseReview has now been wearing the Bridgedale X-Hale Special Operations Sock around town and at the range for the last several months, and we’re very satisfied with them, so far. They’re as comfortable as they look, and they look good.
That said, we only have one pair, and we haven’t had the opportunity to test them in an extreme outdoor environment under adverse conditions over multiple days to simulate a combat environment. We’re going to try to get a few more pairs, so we can give them a bit more of a challenge during a tactical shooting course.
In the meantime, if you’re looking for a good pair of tactical socks, we’d advise advise you to give the X-Hale Special Operations Sock a look.
Garmont USA is the U.S. distributor of Bridgedale socks, so they’re the ones to call for pricing and availability.
Company Contact Info:
Garmont USA, Inc.
170 Boyer Circle, Suite 20
Williston, VT 05495
888-343-5200 Toll Free
802-658-8322 Office
802-658-0431 Fax
[email protected] Email
http://www.garmontusa.com Website
Additional Photos:
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LOWA Tactical Boots Introduces LOWA Desert Mid Tactical Boot at SHOT Show 2009
Last month, DefenseReview published a piece on the LOWA Desert Mid tactical boot, which really impressed us–and we’ve seen a lot of tactical boots. Now, high-quality, comfortable and rugged/durable tactical footwear is very important, but a good pair of tactical boots is only half the equation. The other half? Socks—a high-quality, comfortable and durable/rugged pair of tactical socks.
I mean, let’s face it: when ya’ get right down to it, ya’ just can’t beat a nice pair of comfy socks. And if you’re a tactical operator, and you’re looking for just that sorta’ thing, you should take a serious look at the Bridgedale X-Hale Special Operations Sock.
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