The humble hiking sock is the unsung hero of your outdoor clothing wardrobe. It’s not glamorous or exciting. It’s an under-stated and unassuming item of kit, happy to let other flamboyant show-offs – your retro colour-blocked fleece or beautifully-baffled down puffer – take the limelight.
Hiking socks generally go un-noticed and un-praised. You’ve probably never met with your hillwalking friends and said: “Ooooh Nicola, I love your socks”.
But a good hiking sock is worth its weight in gold. Despite its low-key status, the humble sock is an absolutely vital piece of the puzzle – something that can make the difference between all-day comfort and excruciating blisters.
A poor-performing, badly-fitting pair of socks will leave your feet feeling too hot and sweaty, inadequately cushioned and protected, and ultimately uncomfortable and unhappy.
Conversely a good pair of hiking socks will cushion and protect your feet, fit comfortably and wick away moisture quickly, leaving you joyously free to enjoy the scenery.
This is something Bridgedale has been championing for decades. The market-leading brand is well-known for making the most comfortable and durable socks in the outdoor industry, keeping the feet of hikers, climbers, runners and adventure enthusiasts happy since the early 1980s.
But how much do you really know about the brand, despite its prominence in the sock world? Probably not much – so let’s set the record straight. Here are six intriguing facts to help you get to know Bridgedale the brand better.
1. UK manufacturing – Bridgedale socks are knitted in the brand’s own UK factory
Many brands manufacture their products in third-party factories in the Asia-Pacific region, which arguably can cause quality and consistency problems. But this isn’t an issue for Bridgedale.
The brand not only designs its socks, but it knits them in its own factory in the UK. Bridgedale’s factory is located in Newtownards, near Belfast, and close to Strangford Lough, Britain’s largest sea lough.
2. Hosiery heritage – Bridgedale eats, breathess and sleep everything to do with socks
Bridgedale’s factory near Belfast has been knitting socks in Newtownards since World War I, when the first British army socks were made on the site.
That strong heritage in hosiery is a feature of the Bridgedale brand and several of the team have been working in the factory for over 40 years. So it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say the folks at Bridgedale are the biggest sock boffins out there – the brand’s knowledge and expertise is unrivalled.
3. Global success – from humble beginnings to worldwide domination
When the first Bridgedales were launched in the early 1980s, there were only three colours, two sizes and two lengths – just 12 products in total. Now the brand has over 500 products and has sold socks to millions of customers across 40 countries worldwide – that’s an incredible transformation.
Whether hiking the Appalachian Trail or climbing Mount Fuji, Bridgedale has become “the most trusted and comfortable sock brand” on planet earth.
4. The key to success? It’s placing “quality at the heart of everything we do”
Bridgedale prides itself on producing the “most comfortable, highest quality, hardwearing socks you will ever wear”. The brand continually invests in cutting-edge technology and machinery, enabling constant improvement and innovation in sock performance.
In-depth feedback from ambassadors and testers further helps to push the boundaries, while quality standards are maintained through a comprehensive inspection process. The brand is forward-looking too, always reacting to the latest trends in footwear.
5. A trio of promises – Bridgedale focuses on fit, FusionTech and its guarantee
Bridgedale says it focuses on three pillars – fit, FusionTech and guarantee – to ensure superb levels of customer satisfaction. Fit refers to the construction of every single pair of Bridgedale socks, a secret approach refined over decades to ensure “your socks feel like new after every wash”.
Fusion Tech is Bridgedale’s unique blend of yarn and knitting technology that sets the brand apart from its competitors.
And, finally, guarantee is Bridgedale’s badge of confidence promising “we have designed, developed, tested and manufactured products worthy of our brand name”.
6. Ethical business – Bridgedale is committed to the highest standards of animal welfare
As self-proclaimed environmentalists, Bridgedale’s people are very focused on animal welfare. The brand only buys wool from suppliers who commit in writing to the IWTO (International Wool Textile Organisation) standards.
What does this mean? It’s a promise that all of the non-mulesed sheep that provide wool to Bridgedale live happy lives free from hunger, thirst, discomfort, pain, injury, disease, fear and distress, and enjoy the freedom to express normal behaviour.
For more information visit the Bridgedale website.