Product Courtesy of Entro CylesMSRP: SGD$16 Availibility: Now
Defeet is a company started by Shane Cooper in 1992 after he invented a new way to knit atheletic socks, a reversal of traditional knitting methods. That spawned the Air•E•Ator®, which started a revolution in athletic socks even to this day.
Defeet has since then introduced a wide range of socks and other specialized soft goods to serve the unique needs of cyclists, runners, hikers and winter athletics. Their products are all made in house at their state-of-the-art factory in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina.
The Air.E.Ator has several special features to elevate the performance of even a humble pair of socks. Firstly, it’s virtually seamless to reduce the chance of tears and wearer discomfort. The special Air.E.Ator mesh on the top half of the sock helps the wearer remain cool and dry in highly intense bouts of running/ cycling. Finally, a no-slip cuff keeps the sock in place, preventing it from creeping down into the shoe during use.
Defeet in Action
The pair of Air.E.Ators that’s being tested has a design motif that should be familiar to all cyclists. Yes, it’s the World Championship socks! The cuff has the 5 colour championship strips on the front and rear, with the Defeet logo on the sides. The words ‘WORLD CHAMPION’, framed by another set of championship strips adorn the base of the socks, reminding the wearer what the strips meant. The first thing I felt upon putting on the socks is how light and cooling the socks felt, especially on the upper half of my feet. The lack of seams at the toe box already made for a unique feel.
I used the socks for both mountain biking and running purposes. When mountain biking, the cuffs served a double purpose of keeping the socks from being pulled down from the ankles, and keeping mud and dirt from entering the sock. However, the pristine white colour soon becomes a blank canvas for whatever Mother Nature decides to add.
The thinness of the sock became apparent when I use them for my usual run. My usual running socks which I thought were pretty thin, felt like thick cotton socks when compared with these. The feet felt a lot cooler during my runs, and it doesn’t feel as squishy when the socks are wet.
Conclusions
Are you guilty of spending thousands of dollars to improve the performance of your bikes, only to end up skimping on seemingly mundane things like your socks? Ever wonder why performance socks command the price premium over the 3-for-$10 varieties? Performance socks such as these Defeet Air.E.Ators help keep your feet cooler and more comfortable, letting you concentrate on doing your best in your run or ride. There aren’t many things to nit-pick about these socks, other than the fact white colour isn’t really suited for mountain biking. Defeet do have the Air.E.Ators in a variety of designs and colours to suit individual tastes. Another thing to take note is that Defeet socks aren’t one of those one-size-fits-all. They have 4 different sizes to better suit the user’s feet.
SAMSUNG CSC
SAMSUNG CSC
