ProView – Wigwam Moarri Snow Socks (Ultralight, Lightweight, and Midweight)

Blisters, calluses, pruned ball mounds, multicolored feet, tight cuff marks, crust, fuzz, fungi and bacteria – all waiting to ravage the toes of the underprepared or the unanticipated. There is a stigma in outdoor sports that if you whine about your feet, you’re of weak constitution and must suffer only to gain the elephant skinned souls of those hardened by miles of discomfort.

Indeed, many an enthusiast has been stymied by a relentless blister. In wildland firefighting, those who arrive for training season with foot problems are usually categorized as those who haven’t spent enough time in their boots – the underprepared. Socks can be a deeply personal decision for those who are on their feet for hours or days. An often underappreciated piece of kit, they can quickly become the most essential.

I have a long history of foot trouble. My feet have a tendency to harbor a particular distasteful species of bacteria. Ever since my rookie season firefighting I’ve had to be on top of my foot maintenance – packing 16 pairs of socks for assignments, washing my socks in bleach water, and sterilizing my feet after every season. Ski touring has a similar effect. I’ve forgotten my steamy boot liners in their shells and left them in the truck before – I had to throw away the liners. Therefore, the opportunity to test a pair of socks is always a welcome challenge.

The Wigwam Moarri sock comes in three different weights – the midweight, the lightweight, and the ultralight. Over the ski season, I wore all three weights for about a week each. I found the ultralight to be most suited to touring and midweight and lightweights for downhill, although not exclusively so. The midweight socks have a more pronounced cushion in the calf, but all three socks have calf cushioning, elastic arch and ankle, and a seamless toe closure (this is huge – baby toe blisters are particularly irritating).

All of the models (as well as most all of Wigwams) utilize Ultimax®, which is a patented moisture control system developed to keep feet dry and blister-free. It is a unique construction method combining hydrophobic yarns in the foot bottom with hydrophyllic yarns in the instep and leg of the sock effectively transferring moisture up and out of the foot region. Eliminating moisture keeps feet dry, comfortable, and free of blisters.

The ultralight sock has an intriguing design the soul of the sock is made from a 100% polyester knit that is incredible smooth and clings to your foot. If you’re a fan of compression socks for blister prevention, you’ll like the Repreve® material used in the souls of the ultralight Moarri. The material used in the ankle and calf is a 48/39 split between merino wool and stretch nylon. I was initially skeptical of a sock that wasn’t over 80% merino, but the nylon component makes the cuff more durable and form-fitting.

The wicking effect of the merino is still present, and the sock drys remarkably fast once out of the boot. The thinner weave also seems to keep the crust away. The only complaint I had with the ultralights was the cuff elastic is a bit tighter than the midweight models and is a few inches shorter. The socks did show a bit of wear on the seam between the Repreve® and the upper foot panel; this could be because of the placement of the seam right along the edge of the foot.

The lightweight sock doesn’t include the Repreve® soul design and comes with a slight calf and ankle cushion. More polyester and less merino makes the material a 40/29/24 breakdown between nylon, merino and polyester. There are small percentages of spandex and tencel, giving the arch and ankle a nice elastic feel. The lightweight sock lost its shape the most out of the three socks over time, but regulated temperature well. For ski touring, this would be a slightly warmer than the ultralight, but a happy medium if you prefer a minimal cushion. The cuff on the lightweight and midweight socks are comfortable and smooth and comes up to knee crease on me (I have a 34-inch inseam).

The midweight sock is more similar to a traditional ski sock and comes with a fair amount of cushioning. The material is significantly thicker than the lightweight and ultralight. The midweight, like the lightweight, also forgoes the Repreve® material along the soul of the foot but the elastic in the arch and ankle keep the soul of the sock snug.

The toe box is also cushioned well on the sides and top. The thicker toe and calf pay off well when downhill skiing and help battle shinbang. I found the midweight a bit too bulky to tour in, but if your feet are prone to cold or your liners are a bit more packed out these could be more preferable. The midweight sock breaks down to 44/28/21 nylon merino polyester blend with the same amount of spandex and tencel as the lightweight. Like the lightweight, the low merino number changes the texture a bit, making the cushioning smoother and denser than a higher percentage merino blend. I personally disliked the polyester effect, as I found it didn’t wick as well and made my feet a lot warmer than the ultralight.

The Final Word

All three socks have a lot of effective design features and are excellent at preventing blisters and crusty feet. The usual blister I get from the diagonal heel seam was never an issue while touring in these and they fit my feet really well (all three pairs were size M, my feet are a US9). All models come in a variety of colors. I found the ultralight Moarri a perfect compromise between an exclusively polyester compression sock and a wool ski sock.

The Repreve® soul is an excellent technology for folks who prefer a smooth minimalist fit. The lightweight makes an good minimal resort sock, and insulates just enough for downhill or colder days touring. The midweight is a more traditional cushioned option but runs a bit warm. The antimicrobial treatment worked well and the nylon kept the fit snug. I would deem the ultralight a great piece of gear for ski tourers.

PS: Koodos to Wigwam for using recycled packaging and recycled water bottles to make their Repreve® material.