RAL Tabby Socks are Back!

2025/6/19 木村まさし

The RAL Tabby is back with a few subtle updates.

For those of you already familiar with RAL Tabby Socks, here is what has changed:

The big toe section has been lengthened.
The material composition has been (slightly) adjusted.
The graphics have been updated for a global audience.
We’ve introduced a mysterious, “who is this for?” colorway.

These are subtle changes, but to me, they are quite significant. Let me explain them one by one.

The big toe is longer!

If you’ve been a loyal user, you know about the soft stretch and gentle tension of RAL Tabby Socks, but the length of the big toe was something that personally bothered me.

This is a point of concern when wearing thong-style sandals (sandals that fasten between the big toe and the second toe).

Since I especially want people to pair their RAL Tabby Socks with BEDROCK sandals, this detail is incredibly important.

After several rounds of prototyping, we’ve achieved the perfect toe length for BEDROCK sandals.

As a result, they are comfortable even during extended wear, and they work just fine with regular shoes as well.

This might be the most important point of the renewal.

The material composition has been (slightly) adjusted!

For this renewal, we have slightly increased the merino wool content.

Material	New RAL Tabby Socks	Old RAL Tabby Socks
Wool	58%	55%
Cotton	30%	30%
Nylon	2%	10%
Polyester	9%	–
Polyurethane	1%	5%

This might be at a level you barely notice, but it provides a more wool-rich, organic feel.

The benefits of merino wool include breathability, quick-drying properties, and high odor resistance. Yes, it’s the perfect material for socks.

We’ve also added polyester to improve strength. And by reducing the polyurethane content, we’ve designed them for a longer lifespan.

In simple terms, polyurethane is like a rubber band; if you keep stretching it, it eventually loses its elasticity. We’ve supplemented that with polyester.

The original development goal for RAL Tabby Socks was to cater primarily to cycling-related activities, so we wanted to ensure high functionality. Since we’re using merino wool, we want to feel that functionality with as few synthetic fibers as possible.

This was the development goal, and we’ve remained true to the concept of a functional sock with a higher natural fiber content.

The fluffy pile on the sole provides comfort, while the upper is made of a thin knit for a light feel. It’s the best match for BEDROCK sandals, which have a low stack height and a thin outsole.

Having said that, the upper is thin, so it’s also great for sneakers and leather shoes.

With this composition, you don’t have to worry about foot odor, and there’s no compromise in comfort.

I’m actually wearing the new ones while writing this blog post, and they are incredibly good. It’s self-praise, but they are truly excellent.

The graphics have been updated for a global audience!

The graphic at the base of the toe has been updated for a global, multilingual (perhaps?) approach.

If you look closely, we’ve changed the graphic to include “Right + R” and “Left + L,” making them socks that can hold their own anywhere in the world.

A mysterious, “who is this for?” colorway?

You might have noticed from the first image that certain colors were chosen based on a specific, important inspiration.

I won’t explicitly mention it, but those in the know should recognize it.

I believe many cyclists are also photography lovers.

Recently, Ron (a.k.a. Ultraromance) has also touched on cameras and photography.

And everyone’s favorite site, The Radavist, even has a corner for it.

Also, the fact that our custom-ordered “Black Paint” release from MKS was so well received acted as a nudge (perhaps?).

Anyway, as a lover of fully mechanical film cameras, I adore the two major film manufacturers born in Japan and the U.S., but I really wish “F Film” would stop with the repeated price hikes that seem to be putting an end to film camera culture.

I understand that it doesn't make economic sense, but if they don’t cherish their legacy—asking themselves “where do we come from?”—then no matter how much they increase rarity in the market, they will never be a camera brand like Leica, which has continued to make film cameras through it all.

I sincerely hope they remember that before they were a camera brand, they were an infrastructure brand for photography culture.

Oh, I’ve switched to a different emotion. My apologies.

Regardless, it just goes to show how much I love it. (Because of those feelings, I ended up buying eight pairs of the Tabby in the colors of the K-company, which has decided to increase production and is churning them out. Now I’m set for over a week.)