Jonathan Vallario gives us a bona fide review of his single pair of Akeso Socks that he took on the massive 1,200km Heysen Trail in South Australia.
Socks that don’t smell or need washing?
I was very sceptical at first. I honestly thought it was a joke. Anyway, I got a pair and decided to take them on The Heysen Trail, a gruelling 1200km trek through South Australia.
How on Earth could they not smell?
This would be the ultimate test. So after the first day of about 17km I took my shoe off and smelled my sock. Nothing. Just the faint smell of leather and fabric but no odour. Am I on crazy pills? What is this Sorcery I thought. Surely they are going to buckle.
Days went on, kilometers racked up by the 100’s and each time I sniffed my socks, there was still no odour. WOW! These really do work! Coming from a huge sceptic, this is unbelievable. I even got my brother to smell them and he couldn’t smell anything either.
At the 200km mark I accidently threw that pair of socks in the wash along with the rest of my clothes. They didn’t need it anyway and so after 53 days and 1000km without a wash, I went for the final smell with my brother at the finish line and yep, nothing. They held on, even the physical fabric of the socks was intact, only a slight stretch in the left sock but no holes or anything like that! So they passed the Jono test and completely proved me wrong.
1.6 million steps
I wore them everyday, every step, all of approximately 1.6 million. I had a spare backup pair of socks I wore to bed and around the campsite, but these did every hiking step and I will never have to make up my mind as to which socks I will take hiking again.
Akeso, well done. 5 stars.
Check out Jono’s full gear review:
Jono’s Full Kit:
- DEUTER 50+10 AIRCONTACT LITE BACKPACK
- OSA BRANDS 2.0 LITRE HYDRAPAK ELITE
- JETBOIL ZIP + 4X100ML GAS CANISTERS
- SEA TO SUMMIT SPARK 3 SLEEPING BAG
- SEA TO SUMMIT ULTRALITE INSULATED SLEEPING MAT
- SEAS TO SUMMIT AEROS ULTRALITE PILLOW
- MSR HUBBA HUBBA NX 2 MAN TENT W/FOOTPRINT AND EXTRA PEGS
- ADVENTURECO 24OZ METAL WATER CANTEEN
- BEFREE KATADYN 600ML WATER FILTRATION BOTTLE
- SEA TO SUMMIT SPORK ULTRALITE
- SWISS ARMY KNIFE EXPLORER
- GARMIN INREACH MINI GPS
- BIOLITE 360 HEADLIGHT
- RAYBAN NEW WAYFARERS
- CHAPSTICK STRAWBERRY
- CARMEX LIP MOISTURISER
- ZINC RED AND BLUE
- WILDERNESS WEAR BUFF
- HELINOX CHAIR ZERO
- EXTRA SMALL TORCH
- SEA TO SUMMIT MICROFIBRE POCKET TOWEL LARGE
- FIZAN COMPACT TREKKING POLES X 2
- AMK.5 ULTRALIGHT FIRST AID KIT
- SNAKE BITE KIT
- AEROGARD
- BETADINE
- BEPANTHEN
- AQUIM HAND SANITIZER
- PANADOL
- GASTROSTOP
- NUROFEN
- EXTRA BANDAIDS
- HYDRALITE TABLETS ORANGE AND PURPLE
- BIC LIGHTER X 2
- SLINGSHOT
- WIRE HANDSAW
- BOOK
- TOILET PAPER
- TROWEL
- CARABINERS X 2
- ANKER 10000MAH POWER BANK
- CYGNETT 10000MAH POWER BANK
- WALK AND TALK 6000MAH POWER BANK
- USB CABLES FOR CHARGING
- WALL CHARGERS X 2
- ANKER 5 WAY USB ADAPTER
- GOOGLE PIXEL PHONE
- FLINT STEEL
- KEYCARD AND LICENCE IN RUBBERBAND
- CASH
- SUUNTO CLIPPER COMPASS
- ELECTRICAL TAPE
- CABLE TIES
- RED AND BLACK TEXTAS
- PEN
- HAND WARMERS
- WORK GLOVES
- SHERPA WARM GLOVES
- EARPLUGS X 8
- PORTABLE CLOTHESLINE
- BAMBOO TOOTHBRUSH
- ORAL B TOOTHPASTE
- Q-TIPS x 20
- NU-BRUSH COMB
- SMALL MESH BAG FOR TOILETRIES
- ZIPLOCK BAGS X 2
- SMALL GARBAGE BAGS X 2
- SEA TO SUMMIT COMPRESSION SACK SMALL
- SEA TO SUMMIT DRY BAG 1 LITRE
- MARMOT 700 DOWN JACKET
- ARCTERYX ZETA AR RAIN SHELL
- KATHMANDU THERMAL T SHIRT
- ICEBREAKER THERMAL LONG SLEEVE
- THERMAL LONG JOHNS FROM EBAY
- PYJAMA PANTS
- JACK WOLFSKIN RED RIVER FLANNO
- HARLEY DAVIDSON BANDANA
- KATHMANDU XT VERSO HIKING PANTS
- MERRELL MOAB 2 HIKING BOOTS
- HOLEPROOF EXPLORER SOCKS FOR BED
- AKESO SOCKS FOR HIKING
- KATHMANDU QUICK-DRI BRIEFS X 4
- OUTDOOR RESEARCH HELIUM RAIN-PAINTS
- OSPREY ULTRALITE RAIN BACKPACK COVER
- PARACORD BRACELET
- RIP CURL CLASSIC SURF WATCH
- PEANUT BUTTER CRUNCHY
- BACKCOUNTRY DEHYDRATED MEALS X 10 (5 DAY SUPPLY)
- OLD EL PASO TORTILLA WRAPS X 10
- CLIF BARS X 6
- UNCLE BEN’S RICE SACHETS X 2
- SRIRACHA MAYO HOTSAUCE
- MUESLI BARS
- TUNA TEMPTERS OR TUNA SACHETS X 2
- CHOCOLATE BLOCK
- PARTYMIX JELLIES
- TEA
- HONEY
ITEMS THAT GOT DISCARDED, SENT HOME OR BROKE
- FISHING HAND REEL
- SOG SEALPUP ELITE KNIFE
- HALVED PANADOL, GASTROSTOP AND NUROFEN
- TINEA TREATMENT CAN
- EXTRA JACK WOLFSKIN RED RIVER FLANNO
- EXTRA KATHMANDU THERMAL T SHIRT
- SEA TO SUMMIT TPU WATERPROOF MAPS CASE
- WIDE BRIMMED HAT
- PLIERS
- SCREWDRIVERS PHILLIPS AND FLAT
- CHEAP EBAY AIR MATTRESS
- SEA TO SUMMIT ETHERLITE INSULATED MATTRESS (REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY)
- MERRELL MOAB 2 BOOTS (REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY)
- FIZAN COMPACT TREKKING POLES (REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY)
- SHERPA GLOVES (REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY)
- SEA TO SUMMIT X-SET 2PIECE
- GEOCACHES
- LEATHER TOILETRIES CASE
- PLAYING CARDS
- FLUSHABLE WIPES
