Darn Tough Vermont
Micro Crew Socks
Initial
Report - July 2007
Field Report - October 2007
Long Term Report - November
2007
Tester
Information:
Name: Pam Wyant
Age: 49
Gender: Female
Height: 5 ft 5 in
(1.65 m)
Weight: 165 lb (77
kg)
Shoe size: U.S. women's 9 M
E-mail
address: pamwyant(at)yahoo(dot)com
Location: Western
West Virginia, U.S.A.
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Backpacking Background:
Pursuing
a long-time interest, I started backpacking four years ago, beginning
with
day-hiking and single overnights. Currently
I’m mostly a ‘weekend warrior’ and mainly hike and backpack in the
hills and valleys of West Virginia, but have section hiked longer parts
of the southern portion of the Appalachian Trail (AT) the past two
years. My usual
shelter is a hammock but I am currently testing a Tarptent. In general
my backpacking style is
lightweight and
minimalist, and I try to cut as much pack weight as I can without
sacrificing
warmth, comfort, or safety.
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Initial Report - July 2007
Product
Information:
Manufacturer: Cabot Hosiery Mills, Inc.
Year of manufacture: 2007
Model: Micro Crew Cushion
Size tested: M (medium)
Color tested: Black
Advertised weight: Not available
Actual Weight: 2.3 oz (65 g)
Approximate cuff height: 5 in (13 cm)
Website: http://www.darntough.com
MSRP: Not available
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Product Description:
According to the website, the Micro Crew
Cushion is one of Darn Tough Vermont's 'In Country Series' socks,
formulated to cushion the bottom of the foot. The hang card style
packaging features both information about the socks and the company
philosophy. The Micro Crew Cushion is made of 67% Merino Wool,
29% Nylon, and 4% Lycra Spandex. The packaging lists them as "*The Premium* ALL WEATHER
PERFORMANCE SOCK". The words "Guaranteed outrageously
comfortable, unbelievably durable, pure bliss" and "Still made in the
U.S.A." appears on the front of the hang card along with the
manufacturer's logo. The top of the packaging indicates the socks
feature "WICKIT DRY" technology. The back of the card gives
information on the technology. "No other sock can or will make
that claim. This proven technology pulls moisture off our socks,
keeping feet dry and comfortable. WICKIT DRY TECHNOLOGY also
gives our socks tremendous strength and durability."
The package also states "We make 'em. We wear 'em. You'll
love 'em. Guaranteed." and lists the "Darn Tough Promise - The
bigger than lifetime guarantee. If our All Weather Performance
Socks aren't the most comfortable and durable socks you've ever owned,
return them for your money back."
The back of the card also has a diagram of the sock with information on
the various parts of the sock and the benefits claimed, such as "No
slipping. No bunching" from the "Ribbed Ankle Support"; "Deep heel
pocket reduces friction. No blisters." from the "Zero Friction
Heel". Care instructions are printed in small type near the
bottom of the card; "Machine wash in warm water with socks
inside-out. Do not bleach. Tumble dry on low or hang
dry." A sizing chart is printed on the left side of the hang card.
Although the sock color I received is listed as "Black", the main body
of the sock is really more of a dark charcoal gray with a heathered
appearance. The body of the sock has a fine, tight, non-fuzzy
weave. The toe and heel pocket are black and appear to be of an
even finer and tighter weave. The crew top is of rib knit and
features a small smooth rectangular section with a red mountain
symbol. At the top of the cuff is a lighter gray band topped with
a smaller band of black. The words "Darn Tough" are written in
red across the top of the toes. The writing is of moderate size
and doesn't make me feel like I'm wearing a walking advertisement for
the socks when I wear them.
The sock is noticeably thicker on the bottom, evidence of the
cushioning, but not bulky.
Preliminary
impressions:
After
removing the Micro Crew socks from the packaging, my first impression
was that the socks seemed a little small compared to my other hiking
socks. When I slid them on my feet, I noted that the heel seemed
a little tighter or shorter than my other socks. They were very
comfortable though, snugly fitting my foot. When I slid my feet
into my hiking shoes, I immediately noted that the socks stay put on my
foot. Unlike some other socks I've used, the heel stays firmly in
place without bunching up at all. No puckering, no wrinkling,
no excess material - just a nice firm fit. The toes feel
comfortably roomy, and again I noticed no bunching or wrinkling in that
area. The foot of the socks hugs my high arches snugly with just
the right amount of compression to feel supportive, and the crew top is
snug enough that it doesn't slide down at all.
I took a quick 3-mile (5 km) hike near home to check the socks out and
found them very comfortable and supportive. Overall the socks
seem to be of high quality construction and
materials, with no loose threads or obvious flaws. The knit is
elastic
- it stretches easily to slide over my foot and bounces right back into
shape.
I look forward to the next few
months trail testing these performance socks.
This concludes my Initial Report.
Field Report - October 2007
Field Conditions:
In late July I wore the Darn Tough Vermont Micro Crew Socks on a 24 mi
(39 km) weekend backpacking trip to
the Dolly Sods area of the Monongahela National Forest in eastern West
Virginia. Elevations ranged from around 3000 to 4000 ft (900 to
1200
m), and temperatures ranged from 60 to 75 F (16 to 25 C). A
steady rain, mostly moderate but with some heavier bursts, set in the
first evening after dinner and continued off and on much of the
weekend. The trails were a combination of rocky, slick areas and
muddy, waterlogged areas, with several creek crossings. My socks
were wet most of this trip due to the steady rain. I wore them
with a pair of waterproof (NOT!) trail shoes and eVent shortie gaiters.
In early September I wore them on a 27 mi (43 km) backpacking weekend
trip in
the Laurel Fork Wilderness in eastern West Virginia. Elevations
were
around 3000 to 3500 ft (900 to 1100 m), and temperature in the 50 to 75
F (10 to 25 C) range, with partly cloudy to sunny skies, no
precipitation, and moderate humidity. Trails varied from wide and
smooth rail trails, to rough and rocky narrow paths, and occasionally
disappeared almost entirely into thick meadows full of waist high
grasses, and also included several creek crossings. My socks were
dry to damp with sweat for most of this trip. I again wore them
with the (semi) waterproof trail shoes and eVent shortie gaiters, and
with Mary Jane style Crocs while relaxing around camp.
In mid-September I wore the socks several days in Watoga State Park in
southeastern West Virginia. Activities included a 6 mi (10 km)
exploratory hike, general around park wear, teaching a canoeing class,
and teaching an overnight beginner backpacking class involving about 4
mi (6 km) hiking. Temperatures were in the 40 to 70 F (4-21 C)
range. Trails ranged from wide dirt forest roads to narrow rocky
paths, with a few slick, muddy, steep sections. I wore them with
new waterproof trail shoes with an eVent membrane and the shortie
gaiters while hiking and backpacking, with the same shoes for general
activities, and with Crocs while canoeing.
Besides the trips listed above, I've also worn the Darn Tough Vermont
Micro Crews nearly every weekend for various activities, including Girl
Scout camps, car camping with my grandson, a getaway weekend at a
family cabin, and day hiking. I've worn them for several short (3
mi/5km) hikes near home on weekdays. In all, I estimate about 100
mi (161 km) hiking (not including normal everyday walking to and fro
during activities). I've hiked in the socks rain and shine;
traveling several miles at a time while they were alternately dry,
damp, and soaking wet. I've worn them with various shoes,
including light athletic shoes, slip-on loafers, moccasins, and Chaco
sandals. I've worn them in temperatures from 40 to 90 F (4-32 C).
On each backpacking trip I've also taken a clean pair in my pack to use
when sleeping. On these trips I wear the pair I start the trip in
for all hiking, and the clean pair only once I crawl into my tent for
sleeping.
Field Use:
These ARE some Darn
Tough socks! So far there is no discernible wear - only a few
very small pills. The socks appear nearly the same as new, as
shown in the picture to the right.
Throughout the test so far, the socks have been elastic and
supportive. They NEVER slip down. They NEVER sag.
They have NEVER bunched up or caused a blister. I do usually have
a small indention from the tightness of the elastic when I pull the
socks off at night, in the area of my leg where the top of the sock
fits. This has not been uncomfortable - merely noticeable.
They have been very comfortable to wear. The snug fit feels
almost like a mini foot massage as I am hiking, and especially when I
stop for the night.
One thing I am pleased about is that they seem to dry fairly well in
the field. Usually if my wool socks get wet while I am hiking,
they pretty much stay that way the entire trip. On the trip to
Laurel Fork Wilderness I found that when I wore the Darn Tough Micro
Crews with my Crocs around camp in the evening they actually were dry
by bedtime. (Weather conditions were dry on that trip, which
probably helped.) I've also notice they will dry somewhat
overnight even under damp conditions if I lay them across the top of my
shoes. It's been nice to put on socks that are merely damp the
next morning instead of soaking wet like they were when I went to sleep.
I always reserve the spare pair I carry in my pack for sleeping only,
and I've found them warm and cozy for that. Occasionally I have
had to pull them off entirely at some point during the night when I
became too warm. This is usually when night time temperatures are
above 50 F/10 C. They are also easy to pull back on when I am
half asleep if my feet become cool later in the night. They slide
right on, and it's easy to tell the heel from the top of the foot and
get the socks on properly the first time, even in the dark.
The socks wash up easily - I just throw them in the washer on warm
wash/cold rinse setting along with other socks or wool base
layers. Since they pill very little and do not seem to shed
fibers, washing them with finer wools like my base layers has not
concerned me as it has with fuzzier socks I've used in the past.
A simple wash is usually enough to get rid of any residue of stinky
foot that might lurk in the socks after a trip. The socks don't
really seem to absorb much odor, although naturally there is some odor
after a high mileage backpacking trip. One exception was the very
wet Dolly Sods trip when they were exposed to a lot of water from the
failing waterproofness of my shoes, and I did notice a little more
funky smell. This remained slightly noticeable after one wash, so
I washed them again with Borateem as well as my normal detergent and
they came out smelling fresh and clean. For lower activity levels
such as a weekend camp, there is hardly any
odor noticeable even when I've worn the same pair 3 days in a row.
Summary:
Overall, I am very happy with the performance of these socks, and look
forward to comfort and warmth over the next couple of months as fall
temperatures start to drop. It would be hard to ask for more in a
sock; the Darn Tough Vermont Micro Crews have proven comfortable, warm,
durable, and odor resistant so far.
This concludes my Field Report.
Long Term Report - November 2007
Field Conditions:
In early October I used the Darn Tough Vermont Micro Crew socks on a 30
mi (48 km) weekend
backpacking trip in the Cranberry Backcountry in southeastern West
Virginia. Temperatures ranged from around 50 F to 80 F (10 to 27
C) and the weather was mainly dry with only a few sprinkles of rain one
evening. Trails varied widely from sections of old logging roads
that had fairly smooth dirt surfaces, to rocky passages through
rhododendron thickets with their accompanying roots across the trail,
to
a short section of graveled forest service road. Elevation varied
considerably from 2700 to 4000 ft (800 to 1200 m) with some tough
climbs.
In late October and early November, I used them on a section
hike of the Appalachian Trail in northern Georgia and southern North
Carolina. We had originally planned to divide the trip into a
2-day segment followed by a night at a motel (and showers) and another
4-5 day segment, but due my friend developing severe blisters, and
situations at a couple of shelters that made us uncomfortable, we ended
up spending 3 nights in hotels and 2 nights on the trail. Over a
6 day period, I hiked a total of 56.1 mi (90 km) at elevations ranging
from 2660 to 5220 ft (810 to 1590 m). The elevation range doesn't
tell the whole story, since there are a lot of ups and downs in between
the two extremes. Suffice it to say we were normally either
ascending or descending, often over 700 ft (200 m) within 1-1.5 miles
(1.5-2.5 km). The trail varied from short sections of semi-smooth
dirt to the more common rocky sections, with plenty of roots crossing
the trail to throw in a little variety, and a few rock scrambles.
Temperatures were in the 40 to 70 F (4 to 21 C)
range. The weather was dry for the most part, but there was some
fog and condensation some mornings.
In addition to these backpacking trips, I wore them on an overnight at
one of our local Girl Scout camps and have worn them on numerous short
day hikes of 2-4 mi (3-6 km) duration in western West Virginia on
trails varying from nearly smooth dirt to rock and root filled
slopes. I have also worn them several days a week just for
lounging around the house.
Field Use:
On the October trip to Cranberry Backcountry I wore one pair of socks
for hiking and a separate pair for sleeping, as I normally do. On
my Appalachian Trail trip I followed the same procedure for the
overnight sections, and I was able to wash the socks at a laundromat in
between the overnights and after one section I did as a long day
hike. At home and following shorter day hikes, I usually wash the
socks after 2-3 days wear.
Conclusions:
As I reported in my Field Report, these ARE some Darn Tough
socks. Even after four months of regular use I can't find any
significant sign of wear, as shown in the photo above. There is
some very small pilling, mainly confined to the sole area. I
typically find my socks show wear first in the heel and ball areas, but
the Micro Crews appear to be as thick as ever in those areas.
The socks continue to be elastic and supportive. In fact I
haven't had any trouble with them - no sagging, no bunching, no
stretching out of shape, no blisters, and no skin irritation.
They've also been as comfortable for sleeping as they have been for
walking.
They have been easy to clean - I just throw them in the washer with
other dark colored socks, using my regular detergent. If they
have gotten particularly sweaty, I add a little Borateem to the wash,
and that takes care of any residual odor.
I do have to say that these socks have spoiled me. I'm so happy
with their performance that I think the rest of the socks in my hiking
sock drawer will see very little trail use in the future and the next
time I need to purchase new hiking socks I will be looking for Darn
Tough Vermont.
This concludes testing of the Darn Tough Vermont Micro Crew socks, and
I would like to thank Darn Tough Vermont and BackpackGearTest.org
for
the
opportunity to test these fine socks.
Read more reviews of Darn Tough Vermont gear
Read more gear reviews by Pamela Wyant
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