4-Pack Everyday Athletic Crew Socks vs Men's Hike Medium Crew Socks: which is safer?
Smartwool Men's Hike Medium Crew Socks is our pick: better on PFAS and on the overall hazard picture.
Smartwool
4-Pack Everyday Athletic Crew Socks
PFAS grade
Overall grade
Verdict
Hazard flags
Material
Confidence
PossibleAzo dyes (aniline-derived synthetic colorants)
PossibleElastane (spandex) degradation and skin contact
PossibleDurable-water-repellent (water-repellent coating) coating composition
Our pick
Smartwool
Men's Hike Medium Crew Socks
PFAS grade
Overall grade
Verdict
Hazard flags
Material
Confidence
PossibleAzo dyes in synthetic fiber components
PossibleElastic degradation over time releasing microplastics
Where these two actually differ
- We flag Azo dyes (aniline-derived synthetic colorants), Elastane (spandex) degradation and skin contact and Durable-water-repellent (DWR) coating composition on the Smartwool and not on the Smartwool.
- We flag Azo dyes in synthetic fiber components and Elastic degradation over time releasing microplastics on the Smartwool and not on the Smartwool.
- The Smartwool is merino wool blend (primary fiber) where the Smartwool is Merino wool blend (primary), elastic, synthetic dyes, which is most of the difference in these two grades.
- These two are level, close enough that price and fit should decide it rather than our grade.
Both products run through the same public rubric: materials, coatings, brand disclosure, lab findings, and recalls, plus a beyond-PFAS hazard analysis. Grades are model-based estimates, not lab tests. How grades work →
More performance socks: see the full ranking