I am of the opinion that while men will wear atypically-coloured or textured socks, most men prefer relatively conservative socks that wear well. I would like to think that I’m relatively well-qualified to make that statement, considering I regularly knit socks for my significant other, and have been known to knit for our respective Dads. Last week I talked about Kroy, which is a pretty sturdy yarn. This week I’m looking at Trekking XXL from Zitron.
Trekking’s texture is much like that of Kroy, only in an actual fingering weight. The content of the yarn runs along the lines of 75% superwash, 25% nylon – sturdy, but stretchy enough to have just enough give. It’s neither the smoothest yarn, nor is it the nicest-feeling. The texture is moderately coarse, at least to the point of feeling a little bit rough on the hands while knitting. The good news is that it softens up a wee bit in the wash.
Where Trekking does best is in colour choice. I have seen examples of solid-coloured Trekking online, but I don’t think I’ve seen it in real life. Most of the time, there’s a base colour with subtle variegations and highlight colours. In the first photo above, the base is dark blue with minor variegations, highlighted with burgundy. I have another similar skein of yarn in the house at this time, but it’s closer to a dark purple – almost black – with wine-coloured accents (second photo). The skein pictured alongside is also Trekking in shades of reddish brown.
I often find myself surprised that I concentrate as much as I do on socks for men, but I find that there are a lot of folks who would like to knit for their parent or spouse, but choose entirely the wrong yarn. Trekking is just one of those kinds of unisex yarns that you can wear whether you’re male or female. That is, of course, unless it’s a colourway specifically marketed to women. I’ve been surprised to find the odd pink-and-purple stripe or variegated rose colourway.
I think I can forgive the girlie colours. after all, there are just so many others to choose from!
If you’re interested in trying out Trekking, you will likely need to visit your local yarn store or do a little online shopping. It’s not the same kind of stuff I generally find at Michael’s crafts. Sometimes you have to go a little farther afield. The versatility of the product, however, is what makes it worthwhile. I often find that where I find Trekking, I will also find other yarns and accessories from Skacel/Zitron. If they have Zauberball or Addi Turbo needles, chances are pretty good that you’ll find the odd skein of Trekking. The texture isn’t for everyone, but they’re definitely worth a try!
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