Trail runner Sarah Barber reviews Swiftwick Aspire 5 socks. Product was provided by ATRA corporate member Swiftwick at no cost for the test and review.
Various sources suggest that the average adult makes over 30,000 decisions per day with topics ranging from whether breakfast should include bacon (the answer is yes) to whether beer should count as a good source of carbohydrates (also yes).
By my estimation, runners face easily 10% more decisions throughout the day, many of which are nonbinary with options beyond a simple yes or no. Coffee before running? How many miles? How fast to go? Zone 2 or Zone 4? Solo, with one friend, or with five? Do I need gloves today? Dirt or pavement, hills or flats? The list goes on, and it leads to something more insidious than the fatigue of a hard workout. It leads to decision fatigue.
If you think decision fatigue is no big deal, think again. It might reduce your productivity at work, result in poor impulse control, or worse, impact your ability to execute your training plan. But here’s the good news: there are simple and effective strategies to avoid it.
So many choices
Fashion icons they are not, but Mark Zuckerberg and Steve Jobs are great examples of high-powered execs who wear the same outfit every day, thereby eliminating decisions surrounding what to wear. Translated to running attire, if you can figure out your own version of a gray hoodie or a black turtleneck and jeans, you’ll have more energy left for your workout.
Sarah Barber sports Swiftwick socks on a trail run.
That brings us to socks. Socks should be the last thing to stump us when we’re getting ready to head out the door, and yet the number of brands, styles, and colors are edging up towards eleventy thousand (Lord of the Rings, anyone?).
Back to basics with Swiftwick
So riddle me this: why can’t a sockmaker come up with a basic black mid-calf height foot covering appropriate for all occasions? Well, Swiftwick can and did! The newly released Aspire 5 meets that description exactly with a few bonus features. The quintessential little black dress of socks (although it also comes in white and neon yellow), Swiftwick’s Aspire 5 can go from the trail to the road, and from the bedroom to the boardroom, too, if that’s more your schtick.
Constructed from high performance textiles with moisture-wicking technology, the Aspire line promises thin, breathable support and a barely-there feel. With summer fast approaching, Swiftwick is poised to become a seasonal favorite. Personally, my cycling background has led me to prefer socks that are on the taller side, and this is where the Aspire 5 suits me perfectly. While Swiftwick offers limbo low cuts like the Aspire 0 and sky high tubes like the Aspire 12, the Aspire 5 is the perfect compromise. My knobby ankles are well-concealed and protected from trail brush and brambles, but no one will mistake me for Pippi Longstocking.
Back to basics with Swiftwick.
Versatility
The best feature of Swiftwick’s Aspire 5 is its extreme versatility. The company logo is subtle enough for business attire, and quick-drying fabric facilitates a few quick miles during lunch hour without requiring a post-run costume change—no need for fresh socks, anyway. And although I generally choose anatomically contoured socks for an extra long run or a race, Swiftwick socks sport a seamless toe box and a Y-shaped heel design that allows any sock to be worn on either foot. This makes it easy to pull them on quickly, even in the dark, and it makes pairing after laundering a no-brainer. Even better, should one of these durable socks ever develop a hole (unlikely), the unmatched remaining sock works as a spare.
Simplicity from Swiftwick
From its simple color scheme to its classic design, choosing the Swiftwick Aspire 5 is one decision you don’t have to make. Instead, it’s an obvious conclusion. Don’t over think it—just put ‘em on your feet and go. Or don’t go…
Editor’s Note: To enjoy more reviews and writing from Sarah, visit this link.
