Support road.cc

Like this site? Help us to make it better.

Back to REVIEWS
review
Socks
Pas Normal Studios Mechanism Socks2022 Pas Normal Studios Mechanism Socks 1.jpg

Pas Normal Studios Mechanism Socks

8
by Rebecca Bland
Fri, Oct 14, 2022 15:45
1
£18.00

VERDICT:

8
10
Excellent if expensive summer cycling socks, let down by issues with the sizing
Excellent performance in hot weather
Subtle branding and wide choice of colours
Well made
Comfortable
Sizing is off
Price may be off-putting
Weight: 
42g
Contact: 
uk.pasnormalstudios.com
How we test

At road.cc every product is thoroughly tested for as long as it takes to get a proper insight into how well it works. Our reviewers are experienced cyclists that we trust to be objective. While we strive to ensure that opinions expressed are backed up by facts, reviews are by their nature an informed opinion, not a definitive verdict. We don't intentionally try to break anything (except locks) but we do try to look for weak points in any design. The overall score is not just an average of the other scores: it reflects both a product's function and value – with value determined by how a product compares with items of similar spec, quality, and price.

What the road.cc scores mean

Good scores are more common than bad, because fortunately good products are more common than bad.

  • Exceptional
  • Excellent
  • Very Good
  • Good
  • Quite good
  • Average
  • Not so good
  • Poor
  • Bad
  • Appalling

The Pas Normal Studios Mechanism Socks are a superb pairing for your summer rides, proving surprisingly light and breathable for their rather woolly looks. Beware the sizing, though, as it seems a bit off.

Problems first: these are big. I'm a size 40 shoe, but even though I should have been in medium (EU 39-42) according to the chart, even a pair in size small was verging on too big. The toe box was a little baggy, and they come up quite high too – about 21cm from the base of the heel.

The fit otherwise is quite nice, though the fabric thickness seems to vary between colours. I tested both the navy and light olive versions, and the blue ones felt thicker and were heavier too (42g versus 33g).

2022 Pas Normal Studios Mechanism Socks 3.jpg

I wouldn't say there's any compressive feeling in these socks, and in general you forget you're wearing them. A good sign.

Performance

I rode these through a summer heatwave, with Yorkshire hitting highs of over 30°C. Not my normal riding temperature, I'll admit, but these socks surprised me and were seriously breathable. They were pleasantly dry even after a good few hours in the saddle.

> Best cycling socks 2022 — boost your comfort and your look

Plain socks aren't for everyone, but personally I really like them; I don't like a lot of branding though, and these are lovely and subtle. There are plenty of colours to choose from too, most of them quite neutral.

Value

While these are superb, they come at a hefty price – £18 is up there for socks. The Endura Bandwidths do a similar job and are £12.99, for instance, though they're a more basic fabric. Meanwhile MAAP's Division Socks are also Meryl Skinlife yarn and also £18, so perhaps that's just the cost of having high-end fabric.

For slightly less money you can get the Stolen Goat Tappa Coolmax Socks at £12, and if plain colours aren't your thing Stolen Goat loves its wacky designs.

Overall

While these aren't cheap, they work extremely well and feel made to last. They're a fantastic option – just be wary of the sizing.

Verdict

Excellent if expensive summer cycling socks, let down by issues with the sizing

road.cc test report

Make and model: Pas Normal Studios Mechanism Socks

Size tested: Small

Tell us what the product is for

Pas Normal Studios says:

'A key component to round out your everyday kit, our collection of Mechanism Socks is designed for the summer weather, providing optimal comfort and exceptional durability under the highest performance requirements. These socks can be paired with any outfit while keeping your feet feeling fresher for longer.

'The Logo Socks are made with Meryl Skinlife yarn, featuring inherent silver microparticles to inhibit the growth of bacteria and maintain your skin's natural balance. The permanent antimicrobial properties reduce unpleasant odours, while excellent fabric stability and wash/colourfast performance allow the socks to maintain their compressive capabilities.'

Tell us some more about the technical aspects of the product?

Pas Normal Studios says:

Meryl Skinlife yarn

Lightweight and breathable

High wicking performance

Excellent wash- and colourfast performance

Fabric: 78% Multifilament Polyamide, 14% Polyamide, 6% Polypropylene, 2% Elastane

Made in Portugal

Rate the product for quality of construction:
 
9/10
Rate the product for performance:
 
8/10

With such a woolly texture I was almost surprised they performed so well; even in a British heatwave they kept my feet quite cool.

Rate the product for durability:
 
9/10

After a month of use there's been no bobbling of the fabric and no immediate signs of wear.

Rate the product for fit:
 
7/10

These are quite long, and I was wearing the smallest size so beware if you have short legs. The banding is quite generous on the calf though, which was nice – I didn't ended up branded after wearing them.

Rate the product for sizing:
 
4/10

These are a bit big. While I usually wear a size 40 shoe, which the chart says makes me a medium, even the size small (European 35-38) was quite big and there was a bit of space at the toes.

Rate the product for weight:
 
8/10
Rate the product for comfort:
 
8/10

Keep you comfortable in high temperatures.

Rate the product for value:
 
4/10

How easy is the product to care for? How did it respond to being washed?

Easy to wash and no issues.

Tell us how the product performed overall when used for its designed purpose

Do a great job of keeping your feet reasonably sweat-free and comfortable over multiple hours of riding in high (25° plus) temperatures.

Tell us what you particularly liked about the product

I quite like the subtle branding, the choice of colours and the comfort.

Tell us what you particularly disliked about the product

The sizing is off.

How does the price compare to that of similar products in the market, including ones recently tested on road.cc?

£18 is high-end for socks. The Endura Bandwidths do a similar job and are £13.99, for instance, though they're a more basic fabric – MAAP's Division Socks are also Meryl Skinlife yarn and also £18.

For even less money you can get the Stolen Goat Tappa Coolmax Socks at £9.99, and everyone knows Stolen Goat love its wacky designs.

Did you enjoy using the product? Yes

Would you consider buying the product? Yes

Would you recommend the product to a friend? Yes

Use this box to explain your overall score

While I absolutely love the performance of these socks and the sophisticated style, the sizing does niggle – especially given the price. If that were more accurate they could score higher.

Overall rating: 8/10

About the tester

Age: 28  Height: 5'5  Weight: 55kg

I usually ride: Bianchi Oltre XR1  My best bike is:

I've been riding for: 5-10 years  I ride: Most days  I would class myself as: Expert

I regularly do the following types of riding: road racing, time trialling, sportives, general fitness riding, mtb, Gravel

Pas Normal Studios Mechanism Socks 2022
Pas Normal Studios Mechanism Socks
Pas Normal Studios 2022
Pas Normal Studios
Rebecca Bland

Rebecca has been writing about bikes for four years, after a typically ill-timed career change pre-pandemic. She's been riding bikes since she can remember, and fell back in love with them after realising it was faster, cheaper, and more fun than getting the bus to work. Nowadays she enjoys all kinds of bikes, from road to eMTB and is training her border collie pup to become a trail dog. 

Add new comment

1 comments

Avatar
Dicklexic | 2 years ago
0 likes

Most of the reviews for clothing from PNS have a similar summary. Usually something along the lines of "high quality, poor fit/sizing, VERY expensive".

Latest Comments