Giesswein’s Wool Cross X, which the company claims are the world’s first Merino wool-lined sport shoes, are designed to be lightweight, grippy, cool in summer and warm in winter. Plus they’re claimed to absorb five times more sweat than a regular shoe, and they won’t pong, even if you wear them without socks.
The comfort factor of Merino wool has been well known for a long time. It wicks moisture and regulates temperature, it’s soft and light, it doesn’t itch, it keeps its shape and it neutralizes odors. These properties make it great for suits as well as socks and jumpers, snd Austrian company Giesswein has had considerable success using it for shoes, as well.
Merino wool-lined runners and slip-ons have been available for some time, and now the company is launching something much more outdoorsy with the Wool Cross X, a tough all-terrain shoe made for hiking, trail running, rock climbing and even use in light snow.
The company claims these are among the most comfy and consequence-free shoes to wear without socks, as they can wick away up to 125 ml (4.2 oz) of sweat, and neither the shoe lining nor the anti-bacterial Merino insole will stink. (Perhaps we should do a road test; I’ve got a pair of powerful reekers at the end of my legs that can clear a room in a pair of sandals.)
Available in a range of colors and sizes, the Wool Cross X shoes are live now on Kickstarter with a €119 (US$137) early bird price deal. The campaign has smashed its contribution goal about 60 times over at the time of writing, so it’s on, and deliveries are scheduled for November if all goes to plan.