This Is Cambridge (TIC) A Bloc and Hors Categorie socks Preview

by Paul Horta-Hopkins · 20/03/2017

This Is Cambridge (TIC) A Bloc and Hors Categorie Socks Preview

Simon Tuck

As we move into Spring I’m testing socks, probably one of the cheaper ‘feel good’ upgrades you can make. Here we have some of the This Is Cambridge range.

When I started writing an article about socks there was one brand that was at the front of my mind when I started looking at more interesting socks, This is Cambridge (TIC). You might not have heard of them, but if you’ve seen any of their kit you will certainly remember them; it’s quite eye-catching. TIC should definitely be on your horizon if you have any aspirations of upping your ‘sock game’.

The socks in this preview are not your regular boring socks, they are This Is Cambridge socks.

TIC’s use of asymmetry and bright colours is quite distinctive. All of the This is Cambridge kit is also designed to be gender neutral, even the jerseys are unisex. It’s an interesting concept that seems to work and also explains why there are such a good range of colours in each design, not all men feel comfortable in pink. Yet.

All of the This Is Cambridge clothing is as striking as their socks

Anyway on to the socks. The asymmetry of the TIC kit, when carried down to the socks, means that one sock has a slightly, or sometimes totally different design to the other sock in a pair of socks. I guess the socks are less ‘asymmetrical’ and more ‘mismatching’ if you want to be exact.

On test we have the ‘A Bloc’ in pink and blue, which are also available in turquoise/yellow, black/yellow and red/blue. We also have a pair of ‘Hors Categorie’ in red and blue, also available in blue/pink, pink/blue, black/pink, pink/black and orange/black. The Hors Categorie’s distinctive spots make me think of the King of the Mountains jersey. The choice of patterns and colours is quite amazing and if you aren’t a very decisive person this could get expensive as you’re tempted to just buy them all. And then buy the matching kits to go with them.

A pair of TIC ‘A Bloc’ socks, I think!

The bold designs are just the tip of the iceberg though. Performance is just as important as style to the designers at TIC. There’s reinforced toe and heel areas and an ‘air mesh diaphanous web construction’ along the top of the sock for extra breathability. The toe has a flat seam to reduce friction, and the top of the 6 inch cuff has a good inch or so of turnover stitched inside the sock to give it a better grip on your leg and reduce slippage. There’s also a support section around the foot arch to aid stability.

These socks are made in Italy from Meryl Skinlife fabric, which is a synthetic material containing ‘inherent silver microparticles’ to help reduce odour producing bacteria and help maintain the natural balance of the skin. The fabric is very soft and light and trying them on briefly before writing this preview, the socks have a nice grip on my foot which is reassuring but not tight.