Teko
EcoMerino Wool Women's Light Hiking Socks (2007 Model)
Owner Review
Jennifer Koles
December 21, 2007 |
Personal Information
Name: Jennifer Koles
Age: 32
Gender: Female
Height: 5 ft 5 in (1.65 m)
Weight: 140 lb (64 kg)
Email address: jennksnowy at yahoo dot com
City, State, and Country: Salt Lake City, Utah, United
States |
Backpacking Background
I started taking overnight backpacking trips
four years ago in the Uinta Mountain Range in Utah. I
found myself taking entirely too much gear. I am finding out
slowly how to minimize my needs and not require extra luxuries.
My previous outdoor experiences consisted of 4-wheel-drive
camping in primitive areas and day hiking. I use a four
season convertible tent or a three season tent for my
shelter. I plan to take more trips, increase my duration,
and reduce my two to three day backpack base weight from 17
lb (8 kg). |
Product
Information
Manufacturer: Teko
Year of Manufacture: 2007
Model: EcoMerino Wool Women's Light
Hiking Sock. These socks are also available in a men's version.
Manufacturer Website: www.tekosocks.com
Colors Available: Wasabi, Charcoal, Della Blue, and Pomegranate
Color Reviewed: Della Blue
Sizes Available: SM (4-6), MED (6-10), LG (10-12)
Size Reviewed: MED (6-10)
Manufacturer's Listed Measurements: None listed on website.
Actual Height Measurement: approximately 6.75 in (17 cm) This measurement is from the back of the sock from the bottom of the heel to the top.
Manufacturer's Stated Weight: None indicated on website.
Measured Weight: 1.80 oz (51 g)
Warranty: One year guarantee
MSRP: $17.95 USD
Care: machine wash with warm water, inside-out, tumble dry low, no iron, and no bleach
Side air vent
Flat toe seam |
Product Description
The EcoMerino Wool Women's Light Hiking Socks are designed specifically for women. According to the manufacturer they differ from the men's version of this sock by having a narrower heel, tapered toe, and a more open cuff.
These socks come packaged in a 100% recycled package, that is plain in appearance. It is a tan/brown color with some general information and care of the socks printed on it with soy-based ink.
Teko is what I would consider as a green company. Their line of socks is one of the first green backpacking items I have ever owned. They use wind energy for 100% of their energy along with green house gas offsets for the transportation of materials and goods. All the materials except for the Tasmanian EcoMerino wool are sourced in the United States.
The manufacturer claims that these socks have a high moisture transfer to keep feet dry, prevent blisters, and they are fast drying.
They are constructed of 76% EcoMerino Wool, 10% Ecopoly Recycled Polyester, 11% nylon, 3% Lycra. These have the same fiber content as the EcoMerino Wool Women's Ultra-Light Crew Socks I reviewed earlier this year.
The socks are a light blue color except for the toe, heel, and side air vents. These areas are a slightly darker shade of blue. The inside of the cuff has "teko w-m" stitched in a darker blue, indicating that these are a women's size medium sock. The outside of the cuff has the Teko logo stitched in a darker blue color.
The socks are constructed with a medium thickness terry cushioning from the heel to the toe. Ecopoly recycled polyester constructs the heels and toes with some reinforcement. There is Lycra spandex interwoven throughout the sock. This Lycra not only provides support, but helps decrease bunching. There is also a Lycra holding rib in the ankle joint area that is there to add comfort and support. The Lycra is covered with nylon and this is indicated to give the socks the necessary fiber rebound while using a minimal amount of nylon fiber.
On the lateral and medial (right and left) sides of the socks there are air vents on each side. These air vents are a slightly darker color than the rest of the sock and are triangular shaped. They also have a Lin Toe flat toe seam. A Lin Toe closure aligns the knit loops on each edge of a knit fabric and then uses a single thread to join the edges loop-for-loop to create a single piece of knit fabric. This type of closure creates an almost invisible seam that is smooth both inside and out. Both of these features can be seen in the photos on the left.
The inside of the socks do not look like traditional wool socks. When I look at the inside of the socks there are small fiber loops. It reminds me of a terry towel. There is what appears to be different thickness of the loops inside the socks. This is in the areas of additional reinforcement and the side vents.
The socks are manufactured with an EcoMerino Wool that is shrink resistant and dyed with non-toxic dyes. This wool is also indicated as being soft, durable, and comfortable. It is also claimed to have an increased length that is to have less pilling and itching.
The Ecopoly Recycled Polyester is made from 100% recycled polyester and 10% of that is made from post consumer products. This fiber is claimed to be durable and transfers moisture. It is used in Teko's performance line of socks.
I find these to be the perfect pair of socks for three season use, as far as thickness is concerned. They are not too thick and they are not too thin. For winter hiking I prefer a thicker sock, but I have worn these with a liner in temperatures just around freezing.
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Field Use
I have worn these socks for the past four months in the following locations:
Day hikes Wasatch Mountain Range in Utah: Multiple locations. The trail conditions varied during the day hikes. On some occasions there was mud, traces of snow, rock scrambling, stream crossings, wet leaves, and dry trail. Worn with mid-hiking boots, and trail runners.
American Fork Canyon in Utah in the Wasatch Mountain Range: Multiple trips. Elevation ranged from 6,910 ft (2,106 m) to 8,400 ft (2,560 m) with temperatures varying from the mid 80 F (27 C) to 37 F (3 C) in the day and just below 32 F at night. Some days there was 3 to 4 in (8 to 10 cm) snow on the ground and other days it was dry. Worn with higher hiking boots for a short period on this trip. The socks were too short for my liking with these higher boots.
Canyonlands National Park in Utah during a three-day trip. The daytime temperatures were between 55 F (13 C) to 60 F (16 C). The nighttime lows reached 27 F (-3 C). Worn with trail runners and mountain bike shoes while biking in the early morning.
Zion National Park in Utah during an overnight trip. The daytime temperatures were in the low 70 F (21 C) range. Worn with mid-hiking boots.
Hawaii (Big Island): Day hikes on the west and east side of the island. Daytime temperatures were in the low to mid 80 F (27 C) with rainy and dry conditions. The socks were worn with trail runners on this trip.
I am very happy with the performance of these socks. I find them to keep my feet dry without any excess perspiration. I also find that they do not bunch up or slide down my leg. This style is thicker and shorter than the Women's Ultra-Light Crew Sock that I own. Because they are a little bit shorter I am not comfortable wearing them in a higher hiking boot because the skin on my leg is exposed to the inside of the boot. Other than that the socks fit great. The heel is in the proper spot and there is no twisting. I regularly wear a women's size 8 US shoe. Sometimes I find that socks are either too big or too small. These are perfect.
I found that the EcoMerino Wool and the Ecopoly fibers have remained soft and have proven to be durable. After several washings the socks do not have any signs of major pilling. They have become the slightest bit fuzzy but it is not nearly as bad compared to some socks I have worn in the past. I do however think they have shrunk the slightest bit in my new clothes dryer. I can still get the socks on my feet and they still fit comfortably. They just feel the slightest bit snug initially when I am donning them.
These socks were comfortable even with a liner in colder temperatures. A silk liner was worn with the socks for additional warmth. A liner was not needed to prevent blisters or irritation, since I never experienced any.
I usually wear out the heels in my socks. However, these socks have not shown any signs of premature wear and all the fibers are intact with no unraveling noted. After many washings I have noticed that there are some faint remaining dirt stains in the fibers of the socks.
I really like the fact that I can wear these socks multiple days and they do not stink. I found that in warm temperatures I can rinse them out in water in the middle of the day and they are completely dry when it is time for me to put them back on in the morning. In the sun they dry in a few hours. There seems to be a good balance of wool in the sock fibers to prevent odor. In the past I have experienced foot odor from socks that had a polyester blend.
The socks do an excellent job of wicking moisture away. At no time were my feet moist from just regular hiking. I soaked them once though crossing a stream and had to wear them for a few miles while they were wet. They dried some inside my shoes while I was walking. When I took off my shoes I noticed that I did not have prune feet, so I figured the moisture wicked away from my feet.
Things I Like:
- I like the thickness. I do not care for an overly thick sock.
- The superior comfort, support, moisture wicking, and durability
- No itching
- They do not stink
Things That Are So So:
- They are kind of pricey
- They can be difficult to find in local retailer stores, but they are available to purchase online.
- I wish they were higher.
Summary
I now have five different models of Teko socks and I love them all. I like the fact that by wearing these socks I am being green and doing my part in conserving resources. Wearing socks is the least I can do. I also find them to be very comfortable, durable, soft, and non-itching. I do like the thickness of this sock for more extended backpacking trips and for use in during the spring, summer, and falls months. I personally prefer a thicker sock for the winter season. I would like to see this sock just a tad bit higher so that it can be worn with more traditional hiking boots. Teko does have other socks in their line that are higher, but I am not certain if they are the same thickness.
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