Röyk Swedish Socks, 73 percent wool

They’re made by a company with the unmellifluous name of Röyk. Everything Röyk makes is cutting edge green. Organic this, recycled that, PFAS free, and in the case of these. Well-treated sheep, no mulesing. Google that.

Besides all that, they’re probably the best outdoorsy socks in the world. They aren’t as soft and cozy as our New Zealand socks, but they’re tougher, hardier, and probably will last longer. One doesn’t “win” over the other. The NZ socks will be your favorite everyday cool-to-cold weather sock. These will be the sox you wear forty times a year for ten years in cold weather and probably with boots or chunky sneakers.  

They’re Euro-sized.Google euro to US shoe or sock sizes conversion. Basically, if you’re an adult not living in the super boondocks, you might be familiar with this already. It’s not like converting stones to pounds or cubits or whatever. 

37-39 is like American smallish. Women’s sox generally come one size only, so if you wear 7 1/2 or smaller women’s shoes (or 6 or smaller boy shoes) get these.*

40-42 is medium. My daughter wears 8 and has these and says they’re fine. Guys to size 9, 9.5, probably fine. 

43-45 is largeish. It’s not XL. Sorry, Shaq.

Wash cool or warm or delicate or speedwash. No reason to machine dry.  Turn them inside out and hang them someplace overnight. 

If you get a fit that’s not ideal, give them to somebody who fits them. Consider socks “unreturnable.” We know these are killer socks. The fit is somewhat flexible. If you’re looking for killer deals on decent woolish socks, go to Costco, seriously. 

Green with gray stripes

Navy, with orange-ish stripes.

*Black with gray stripes (we received less than 15 of these across all 3 sizes, but aren’t getting any more. Please disregard in photos).