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Reviews > Clothing > Socks > ODLO Primaloft Crew Hike socks > Test Report by Brian Hartman

ODLO PRIMALOFT CREW HIKE SOCKS
TEST SERIES BY BRIAN HARTMAN
February 5, 2022


TESTER INFORMATION

NAME:Brian Hartman
EMAIL:bhart1426ATyahooDOT com
AGE:54
LOCATION:Central Indiana
GENDER:M
HEIGHT:5' 9" (1.75 m)
WEIGHT:155 lb (70.30 kg)
SHOE SIZE:10

I have been backpacking for over 20 years throughout Indiana, Ohio, Kentucky and most recently in Western USA. In addition to backpacking I enjoy family camping with my wife and kids and being outdoors in general. I would describe myself as a mid weight backpacker. I use fairly light weight equipment and gear but still like to bring more than the bare essentials with me while on the trail.


INITIAL REPORT

PRODUCT INFORMATION & SPECIFICATIONS

Manufacturer: ODLO International AGIMAGE 1


Year of Manufacture: 2022
Manufacturer's Website: http://www.odlo.com/
MSRP: US $30.00
Listed Weight: 
2.7 oz (76 g) per pair
Measured Weight: 2.7 oz (76 g) per pair
Size Tested: Large (EU 42-44)

Available Sizes: Small (EU 36-38), Medium (EU 39-41), Large (EU 42-44), X-Large (EU 45-47)
Available Colors: Black, Deep Depths
Fiber Content: 55% Polyester, 26% Polyamide, 17% Polypropylene, 2% Elasthane
Made in Italy

Features:
Active warming
Enhanced breathability
Enhanced comfort
Seamless toe construction
Treated with a bacteria and scent resistant finish
Made in Italy

HISTORY AND INITIAL IMPRESSIONS

The ODLO Primaloft crew hiking socks (hereafter called Odlo socks or crew socks) are synthetic cold weather hiking socks made by ODLO in Italy.  ODLO rates these socks as 'warm', using their own temperature control system chart that looks at activity level and outside temperature to classify all of their clothing into one of four categories, including X-light, Light, Warm, and X-warm.  The socks are mid calf length and have cushioning on the heel and toe area.

The Primaloft crew hiking socks are just one of twenty-three different styles of socks sold by ODLO.  Their sock lineup includes merino wool and synthetic socks, in varying lengths from quarter height to above-the-calf.  ODLO also makes baselayers, midlayers, and jackets as well as pants, shorts, headgear, and gloves.  The company was founded over 75 years ago in Norway with the goal of creating quality performance clothing for harsh winter conditions.  

The crew socks came packaged in a typical cardboard display holder.  I immediately liked their styling and color, and was impressed with their feel, which is to say they felt soft and cushiony, stretchy, and well made.  Speaking of being well made, these socks are made of polyester, polyamide (or nylon), polypropylene, and elasthane in varying percentages.  These are synthetic plastics with different qualities that manufacturers blend into their products in varying percentages to give them the performance features they're looking for.  In the case of these socks the performance features are durability, strength, smoothness, moisture resistance, insulation, and elasticity. Because bacteria grows better on polyesters than cotton or merino wool, manufacturers add antibacterial treatments to synthetic clothing to reduce odor, and that's exactly what ODLO did,  using ZeroScent, their branded anti odor technology.  Given their many features I'm excited to test these socks in the field.


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READING THE INSTRUCTIONS

jkhljODLO recommends doing the following to care for these socks: Wash every 2 or 3 uses to prevent from becoming too dirty.  Always turn socks inside out before washing to prevent pilling due to abrasion against other clothing and the washing machine.  Machine wash sparingly in cold water using a mild detergent.  Don't use bleach or fabric softeners.  Do not tumble dry.  Don't iron.  


 

TRYING THEM ON

The socks were easy to slip on and comfortable to wear.  They were soft and warm, and I experienced no itchiness whatsoever.  They were also quite stretchy and came up 11 inches (27.9 cm) on my legs.  It'll be interesting to see how well they stay up given they come up to just below my calves.  They appear to be well made with no loose threads or frayed ends.  As I continue wearing them I'll watch for thinning fabric and dreaded heal holes.  I'll also watch for pilling which can be an unsightly problem for some materials.  The ODLO's have some cushion but aren't bulky so I doubt I'll have problems wearing them with all of my hiking shoes and boots.  I ordered size 'Large' (EU 42-44) based on the manufacturer's online sizing chart and they fit perfectly, good job ODLO!  I wore them sround the house for a few hours and they felt really good.  After taking them off, my feet weren't sweaty at all, so they also did a good job of releasing moisture.


SUMMARY

The Primaloft crew socks are well designed and have top quality construction and detailed workmanship throughout.  I like their micro weight design and the fact that they have full cushioning and are full length.  During the next few months, I will evaluate their comfort and durability and see how well they perform in the field.

This concludes my Initial Report for the ODLO Primaloft crew hiking socks.  
Thanks to BackpackGearTest and ODLO for the opportunity to test these socks.




LONG-TERM REPORT
May 20, 2022


LONG-TERM TEST LOCATIONS AND CONDITIONS

IMAGE 1During Long Term Testing I wore the ODLO socks for 22 days, in a variety of weather conditions.  This included backpacking trips to the Charles Deam Wilderness, Hoosier National Forest, Franklin County Indiana (IN), and Hawaii (HI), as well as three day hikes in Central IN.  I hiked approximately 97 mi (156 km) in total on these trips.  Temperatures during testing ranged from 12 to 80 F (-11 to 26.7 C).

Trip 1: 2 days and 2 nights in the Charles Deam Wilderness, IN
Weather: Cold and snowy.  Temperatures ranged from 12 to 27 F (-11 to -2.8 C)
Elevation: 710 to 860 ft (216 to 262 m)
Distance: 9.4 mi (15.1 km).
Pack Weight: 34 lb (15.4 kg)
Comments: The socks kept me warm and dry in the snow.

Trip 2: 3 days and 2 nights in the 
Hoosier National Forest, IN
Weather: Mild and windy with moderate to heavy rain on day 2.  Nice when it wasn't raining.  Temperatures ranged from 48 to 63 F (8.9 to 17.2 C)
Elevation: 600 to 920 ft (183 to 280 m)
Distance: 6 mi (9.7 km) over wet, mushy ground
Pack Weight: 32 lb (14.5 kg)
Comments: The socks kept me warm and dry in combination with GORE-TEX boots.

Trip 3: 2 days and 1 night in Franklin County, IN
Weather: Cool and breezy with temperatures ranging from 32 to 49 F (0 to 9.4 C)
Elevation: 889 ft (271 m)
Distance: 5.5 mi (8.9 km)
Pack Weight: 32 lb (14.5 kg)

Trip 4: 2 days and 2 nights in Franklin County, IN
Weather: Cold and windy with freezing rain in the evening.  Temperatures ranged from 28 to 37 F (-2.2 to 2.8 C)
Elevation: 791 ft (241 m)
Distance: 8 mi (12.9 km)
Pack Weight: 35 lb (15.9 kg)

Trip 5: Maui, HI: 6 days / 5 nights
    Red Hill Summit Trail on Mount Haleakala.  Elevation 10,023 ft (3,055 m)
    Keawakapu Beach Trail
    Graves Trailtro
    Pipiwai Trail to Waimoku Falls
    Seven Sacred Pools Trail
    Hana Bay Cliff Trail
    Waianapanapa Coast Trail
    Waihee Ridge Trail
    Kapalua Coastal Trail
    Napili Bay Beach Trail

Trip 6: Kauai, HI: 3 days / 3 nights
    Wailua Falls Hike
    Sleeping Giant Trail
    Pihea Vista Trail
    Kalepa Ridge Trail
    Kokee Nature Trail
    Pu'u Hinahina Lookout Trail
    Waimea Canyon Lookout Trail
    Lumahai Beach Trail
    Kauapea (Secret) Trail
    Waiakalua Beach Trail

Trip 7: Oahu, HI: 6 days / 5 nights
    Banyon Tree Route
    Malaekahana Loop Trail
    Tom Tom Trail
    Makapu'u Point Lighthouse Trail
    Manoa Cliff Trail to Manoa Falls
    Diamond Head Summit Trail  

PERFORMANCE IN THE FIELD

The ODLO socks performed well during Long Term Testing. They fit well and were comfortable to wear, durable, and kept my feet warm and dry.

FIT AND COMFORT: I wear size 10 shoes, and the socks fit well in size Large.  I had no problems wearing them inside any of my shoes, including my insulated winter hiking boots, uninsulated boots, and two pair of hiking shoes.  They were easy to put on and take off, and stayed in place, never sliding down my legs while hiking.  The socks were soft, smooth, and comfortable, with enough cushion in the toes, heel, and soles to soften the impact of my steps, without being so bulky they made my feet sweat.  They also never itched, scratched, or bunched up under my feet.  

DURABILITY: The ODLO socks proved to be durable too, standing up to 97 mi (156 km) of hiking and backpacking.  After 4 months of testing, they still look good, with normal wear on the toes, heels, and bottoms.  They don't have any holes or thin spots, and they don't have any loose threads or pilling.  They're slightly stretched out and compacted on the bottoms but that's expected given the amount of wear they received.  Overall, they're quite durable.  

WARMTH AND BREATHABILITY: The ODLO kept me warm on my coldest backpacking trip of the year, the Charles Deam Wilderness.  The daytime high during this trip was 27 F (-2.8 C) while the low was 12 F (-11 C).  Even when hiking in wet snow, the socks kept my feet warm.  In fairness to the ODO socks, I removed them each evening after arriving at camp and let them air out for a few hours before tucking them inside my sleeping bag for the night.  When hiking at Waimea Canyon and Mount Haleakala in Hawaii they once again kept my feet warm in cool, wet weather, even with water soaking through my hiking shoes.  The socks couldn't dry out while I was hiking because my shoes were soaked, but after getting down to sea level and tying them to the outside of my pack they dried quickly.  

In general, the socks did a good job absorbing moisture and releasing it when I was sweaty, so my feet didn't stay wet, and as a result I didn't get any blisters as often happens when wearing wet socks.  The warmest temperature I wore the socks in was 72 F (22.2 C).  Above this temperature I would opt for thinner and lower cut socks.  Overall, I was happy with their performance in tough conditions, which says a lot about their design and quality.    

During Long Term Testing I washed the ODLO socks 6 or 7 times and let them air dry afterward, and they always returned to near-normal condition with no stains or smells.   In Hawaii I washed them in a sink, but all of the other times I used my washing machine, with cold water, and a mild soap. 


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SUMMARY

The ODLO Primaloft Crew socks were a joy to wear during the past 4 months and I look forward to wearing them again this fall once temperatures cool down.  They're excellent socks for winter backpacking or other cold weather activities.

This concludes this test series. Thanks to ODLO and BackpackGearTest for the opportunity to test these socks.






Read more reviews of ODLO International AG gear
Read more gear reviews by Brian Hartman

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