Your new version of these socks are beyond deplorable. I’ve been a tradie for 35 years and have bought your socks for as long as I can remember. These new ones are thin, slippery and cause foot pain. I’m never buying your brand again. Long time customer gone. Show details
Follow-up · The older socks were thicker and more comfortable. They literally covered your foot and filled the boot perfectly. As a Tradie that is on his feet for 13 plus hours per day, this is actually very important. Your socks were a part of my working day. The new ones are thin and slippery and it’s obvious that it’s to save your manufacturing process… Read more
Don’t buy these poor quality socks - each time they are washed they shrink a bit more until after a number of washes they are very tight and extremely difficult to put on. Clearly whichever cheap factory in Asia that makes them is cutting corners and producing an inferior product Show details
Terrible product holes in the stockings when taken out of the box. I contacted help desk they were hopeless, they kept asking for photos, even though I provided them. They will get no more of my money Show details
Reviews with attachments
Half the thickness of my old ones, being at least 5 years old & still good. Wouldn't waste my money again on new one's Show details
Multiple holes after wearing a few times – Bonds Explorer Australian cotton worksocks are no longer worth the investment. I bought six pair of these socks less than a month ago. Already 11 of the 12 new socks have developed holes in them - one of the near new socks already has five holes in different places like it's been moth eaten, the others have two or three holes in them. Only one… Read more
new sock has no holes in it, which is even weirder. All the socks are less than a month old! The holes in the socks are in different places, so I don't believe hubby's workboots are catching on them - and even if they were, worksocks are supposed to be fit for the purpose. Other brand worksocks aren't getting holes in them so I don't believe it's the laundry detergent either. We've been buying Explorer brand socks for 25+ years, but this is the last time I'll be buying them, even though my husband likes the feel of them. Cheapie no name brand socks last longer than expensive Explorer socks these days.
New Bonds Explorer extreme impact crew – I have been using the grey and blue bonds explorer socks for years and they are a great sock. These socks are so good that I purchased another 12 pairs online. The online store product photograph showed my much trusted grey and blue bonds explorer sock. When I received my socks they had been substituted for another bonds explorer sock with the… Read more
label "new look explorer same sock... taking toughness to the extreme". These socks deteriorated after one use. The label text "taking toughness to the extreme" is comical. I have attached a photograph of the original blue stripe bond explorer sock after one year of use and the orange stripe sock after one day of use.
Recent reviews
What on earth has happened to Bonds?! Used to make good products. Stopped buying their jocks a few years back but today returned 4 pairs of "original" Explorer socks. Ive worn Explorers for years and they have been my "go to" sock but the new ones feel so uncomfortable and are nothing like the "originals". Not a good fit at all. They feel much… Read more
thinner and worst of all made my feet sweat and feel icky. At $16 retail per pair its a joke. Not surprised the average rating here is 1 star......thats all Im giving them too. Whoever is in charge has destroyed what was once a loved and respected brand...shame!
My wife got 10 pairs and then switched over to them after the easter weekend.. ended up hurting my feet, because my feet were sliding around in my boot because of sock design.. couldnt walk by lunch time and ended up finishing work early, feet were working over time trying to stabilise as i was walking around.. worse sock i had and i usually just get bamboos from kmart
I’ve been an explorer wearer for 40 years the quality is pathetic two new pair I opened last week one pair had to sew up the toe as it wasn’t stitched my fingers poked through the ankle when pulling on no wool in them feel like plastic the other pair went straight into the rubbish without even trying. Lost me forever. Show details
30% thinner – Used these for at least 10 years finally ran out (bought bulk), bought new pair, at least 30% thinner, what the hell, threw em in the bin, useless. Will not buy again. Show details
Bonds Explorer Socks – Expensive, Poor quality wool blend, ( likley cheep stains grade wool rather than decent tough AAAM wool ) holes in all 7 pairs in under well 12 months. Nothing on the old explorer socks from decades ago. Show details
Absolute rubbish – I also bought 6 pairs because they state original explorers, they are absolute garbage, half of the much thinner than original socks lost the first time I wore them, already out of shape and they have lost their elasticity. Bonds should be ashamed of themselves, never again. Show details
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Quality excellent some years ago now quality terrible – Just bought 6 pairs of Bonds Explorer Socks from Coles. These socks were on special but they were still not cheap. I routinely bought Explorer Socks some years back and more recently I was buying bamboo socks which I have been very impressed with. Remembering how good the Explorer Socks have been in the past I bought the Explorer again. After… Read more
wearing all the Explorer Socks I have found all socks have stretched so much they are all baggy, too big and thin. The old Explorer were still snug, firm and thick after 10 years of wearing them in work boots constantly. I will be going back to bamboo socks now. I will never by Bonds Explorer again! I suspect the wool/synthetic ration has changed and this is the reason these socks are such bad quality now.
Thin, cold, slippery – Thin, cold, slippery, loose fitting, low quality. Nothing like the old explorer socks. Very high nylon to wool ratio. The current 6-10 size feel like they are slipping off, where previously they were quite a snug fit. Not worth it even at 50% off. Show details
Excess fluff on socks blocked washing machine – Washing the cotton explorer socks blocked and stopped my washing machine from the fluff that came off them!!!! We had to pull the emergency drain plug to remove the fluff clumps and fix it! Never again. Poor quality Bonds. Show details
Even at half price they're not worth it – Like many of the comments on here my hubby has worn Explorer's for decades, however they now wear out more quickly than the "half price" sale comes around at Woolies! I'll be swapping out for bamboo blend work socks from a workwear company and just pay the extra, they still last...Bonds once a trusted name, no longer so Show details
Disappointing is putting it nicely – Once, not so long ago, Bonds Explorer socks were the bees knees for me. They were a good wool blend sock. I’m not sure of the percentage but they were mostly wool, I think, because they shrunk up nicely to fit my small feet and we’re soo warm. That was Then … Now, however, some lose their shape after one wash, don’t shrink up anymore and I… Read more
can’t even match them into pairs after a wash. Some have held their shape whilst others, they look like they’re ready for the rubbish!
I Won’t be wasting my money on Bonds socks anymore. Seems they’ve put profits ahead of quality!
2 years later and they haven't improved. In fact, the quality is Worse, absolute RUBBISH! If it's… Read more
Bonds ruined the best socks you could buy – Awful product. Whenever I wear them my boots are full of pilling. They used to be the best socks bar none, now they are cheap nasty rubbish. They were the only socks I would purchase, I will never purchase them again. They are wearing out within a month!
Poor quality socks – Absolute rubbish , used to be great socks , fluff and pilling coming out of the socks , I’ve just tossed a pair in the rubbish bin and I don’t think they are gonna be alone in there for very long , I won’t buy them again Show details
Shockingly poor – Absolutely the worst socks I have ever bought. Holes at the side of the heel after 6 wears. Totally unimpressed. Only giving 1 star cos you can't give zero rating. Show details
Used to be great – Yes, these used to be my go to socks, they had essentially a cult following. but since Bonds has moved their manufacturing to China, these socks, actually all their stuff is now rubbish quality. So sad to see. An Aussie brand being short sighted for short gains, the y will eventually collapse because they had more greed than faith in their product. Idiots. Show details
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What the .......? – Hubby used to always wear explorer socks then we changed to another brand... On special at woolies this week so decided to go back and start wearing them again.... Omg..... What has happened to the quality??? After digging through his sock drawer for previous ones ( over 5 years old) I was gobsmacked at how thin his new ones were compared to his old ones...... Never again Show details
Wont buy ever again – I have worn Explorer socks for many years, I recently bought several new pairs, they are very thin don’t hold their shape aren’t comfortable no where near as good as old quality. Very disappointing junk. Show details
Explorers are now a load of rubbish – Explorer socks were good quality now they're just a load of rubbish. This is what happens when companies get rid of quality for more profit. Show details
Poor quality – Not made in the same way as before. Just wash once it it stretches out of shape -no longer holds up at all. Does not do what they are meant to do. Not even worth it at half price! Show details
How have the mighty fallen – I have a few pairs of explorers from the late 90s/early 2000s that are still going strong. Bought new ones recently and they don't stay on your feet and somehow get eaten by any and all shoes/boots and they have unfortunately caused foot pain. Bonds should take them off the market as they are dangerous/detrimental to the foot health and wallets of potential customers. Show details
Absolute Garbage socks now – I have worn explorer socks for work for 30 years and have some old socks at least 15 years old that's how good they were.i recently bought a couple of new pairs from big w. A hole appeared on one pair in the first couple of days.your feet seem to slide around in the socks now also .i dont know if its cost cutting or new manufacturing machinery but i won be buying them ever again. good job destroying the brand !! Show details
Waste of money – Have worn nothing but Explorers for years, recently bought 3 pairs and all stretched out of shape after a couple of wears. Bought some more thinking it might have been a bad batch but no, same again. No longer the same socks, I presume Bonds are now having them made cheaply elsewhere to save $$$. Won’t but again. Show details
Socks end up bunched up in my boot! – Been wearing Explorer socks for years, they were and still are expensive, old ones lasted years and actually stayed up. The new ones have stretched and now end up bunched up inside my boot, bloody enjoying. So 6 pairs $70 odd dollars worth are going in the bin nearly new. Won’t buy again, have tried the new tradie sock, similar look and feel and stay up. Show details
Much poorer quality and other issues – I have been wearing Bonds Explorer socks for years and have walked many satisfactory miles of the French countryside in them. This year I’m walking in Europe again (lucky me) and before leaving bought an extra pair of Explorers at Woolworths. The new pair are nothing like the old pairs I have with me and to top it off, apart from the poor fit, the… Read more
fabric causes severe skin irritation on both days that I’ve worn them. Guess what - they are staying to Europe as I’ll not be wearing them again. Not impressed Bonds!
Terrible Explorer Socks – What has happened to Explorer Socks? Have been buying them for ever. The new ones fall down and the fluff comes off on the inside. Won’t be buying them again. It is such a shame as they were the best socks around. Rubbish. Show details
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And $8.50 isn’t half price. It’s an $8.50 waste of money.