What started out as aero calf sleeves for triathletes in 2023 has finally come around to covering the whole foot, and being UCI legal.
The new Swiss Side AERO Socks top out at a UCI-approved 9.5cm, but provide almost as much drag reduction as the sleeves, and enough to help pros eke out a couple of seconds advantage. To prove it, they’ve even built their own custom wind tunnel to test fabrics, and they went through 50 different fabric types in 135 different configurations to arrive at these socks.
The material is non-compressive, and the foot section is extremely lightweight and thin to maximize breathability and keep you cool. They’re white, and white only, because sublimation or dyes would have made the material less breathable…and added drag. (So, yes, it’s true – white socks are faster.)
Despite being shorter, the Swiss Side AERO Socks delivered between 60% – 80% of the drag reduction of the AERO CALF Sleeves, with drag savings between 3W – 6.5W measured at 45km/h (about 28mph). MSRP is €69, available in unisex S/M/L sizing.
