KnitPro Zing Starter DPN Set Review

One of the things that I love best about knitting socks is that there’s a needle type for everyone, no matter what your knitting style might be.  That’s the reason that I wrote my Winwick Mum Sockalong beginner tutorials for three needle types, and one of those types is the double pointed needles or DPNs.

My first pairs of socks were knitted on DPNs because that’s how I thought you were supposed to knit them.  It didn’t occur to me that there might be any other knitting needle options because I’d never seen anyone else knit socks, and it wasn’t until I found myself tumbling down the sock knitting rabbit hole that I found short circulars and magic loop – but I still have DPNs in my sock knitting kit and I use them for every pair of socks in some capacity.

I am a big advocate of buying really good kit for sock knitting, and I think it’s especially important when you’re using finer yarns like 4ply as any hint of snagging takes away from the enjoyment.  I absolutely understand why cheap and cheerful is attractive, particularly when you’re not sure if you’re going to spend a lot of time using the yarn or needles you might buy, but I think that too cheap and cheerful (for both yarn and needles) is a false economy for a beginner as you’ve got enough to think about without your kit letting you down!

I’ve been using KnitPro Zing DPNs for years myself as I like the smooth finish and the different colours for different sizes, so when KnitPro got in touch to ask if I’d like to review one of their needle sets, I didn’t hesitate!

Here’s the box that came through the letterbox …

Ooh, exciting!

Zing needles are DPNs with a different colour for each size, and they are metal needles which I prefer to use because I like the weight of them.  There are three Zing Double Pointed Needle Sets to choose from: a deluxe 15cm (6″) set containing 9 sets of needles from 2.00mm to 4.0mm; a 15cm (6″) starter set, and a 20cm (8″) starter set.  That’s the one I chose as I like longer DPNs to work with; I don’t remember there being any choice of lengths when I started knitting socks, but now there is far more choice – there’s no excuse for anybody to say they can’t knit socks now 🤣

The set contains six sets of 5 DPNs in the sizes 2.5mm, 3.0mm, 3.5mm, 4.0mm, 4.5mm, and 5.0mm (US 1.5, 2.5, 4, 6, 7 and 8).  That’s a lot of DPNs and some of them I might not use as often as others, but that’s a really good range to cover any weight of sock yarn I might choose knit – plus a few other items as well, like mitts or hats, which sometimes I might knit on DPNs because I can.

Inside the box is a cute fabric case in shades of pink with sheep printed on it.  It’s got a good sturdy feel to it so you know this little case is going to last a long time.

Inside the case is an insert with the needles attached.  Sizes 2.5mm, 3.0mm and 3.5mm on one side …

and 4.0mm, 4.5mm and 5.0mm on the other.

This is no flimsy insert that’s going to disintegrate after a few uses!  You can see here how sturdy it is …

and the needles are held in very securely too …

I really like this way of keeping the needles together as I usually buy them in single sizes and keep them in packets – but plastic packets soon split and I’ve got a bad habit of carrying my DPNs around with me, or putting a couple of them in a project bag here and there so that when I come to need them, I can’t find them!  I think I will be much more likely to put the needles back where they came from as they have a proper place to go.

You don’t have to remember which size is which colour as the needles all have the sizes stamped on them.

Now, you may be like me and have needles in your kit that have had the sizes stamped on when you bought them, but over time the sizes have worn off.  Not these ones!

This is one of my original 3.0mm DPNs and I’ve been using this set for a good few years now (I like to cast on with bigger needles as my favourite cable cast on is not the most stretchy), and the size is still showing on the needle.

It’s such a simple thing but it makes life so much easier, and then you’re not having to mess around with needle gauges or trying to find another one that you think is the same size to test it against.  I know that the green DPNs are my casting on DPNs and that if I am looking for DPNs for something else, the size is easy to check.

What I also like about the Zings is that the tips are sharp but not too sharp.  I am good at poking holes in my finger tips with really sharp needle tips but these don’t do me any damage at all 🙂  It’s maybe not the clearest photo (the camera couldn’t decide where to focus), but I wanted to show you the tips and also the point where the colour ends.  I don’t think it’s a join but if it is, it’s super-smooth!

Ah, 2.5mm needles!  I use these ones most of all, and I love them.  In fact, the only thing that I think could improve them would be if they were the purple colour that the 4.5mm needles are, but I guess whoever chose the colours doesn’t love purple as much as me! 🤣

This was a generous gift from KnitPro and I am very grateful.  I know that these needles will be part of my essential sock knitting kit for many years to come – and I expect to get many years of use out of them.  As I said earlier, I firmly believe that it’s worth spending the money on decent kit for your hobby – after all, you’re potentially going to spend many hours using them so why settle for something that isn’t going to be good for your hands and your knitting?

We’re sock knitters – we deserve to treat ourselves to good sock knitting needles, and I won’t hesitate to recommend these KnitPro Zing DPNs as good sock knitting needles!