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Reviews > Clothing > Socks > Farm to Feet Jamestown Midweight Crew > Test Report by Brett Haydin

Farm To Feet Jamestown Sock
Test Series by Brett Haydin
Initial Report - March 12, 2014
Long Term Report - October 22, 2014


TESTER INFORMATIONAuthor

NAME: Brett Haydin
EMAIL: bhaydin AT hotmail DOT com
AGE: 41
LOCATION: Madison, Wisconsin, USA
GENDER: M
HEIGHT: 5' 11" (1.80 m)
WEIGHT: 200 lb (90.70 kg)
SHOE SIZE 10.5 US

I started backpacking in Wisconsin as a youth, being involved in the Boy Scouts programs. As a young adult, I worked at a summer camp leading backpacking, canoeing and mountain biking trips. I now generally take short weekend or day trips in a variety of terrain each year - from mountains to grasslands. I take one or two longer trips each year, where I typically carry about 40 lb (18 kg). I prefer to be prepared and comfortable, but I have taken lightweight trips as well.



Initial Report

Jamestown
Image courtesy of manufacturer

Product Information & Specifications

Manufacturer: Farm To Feet
Year of Manufacture: 
2014
Manufacturer's Website: www.farmtofeet.com
MSRP: $19.00 US
Listed Weight: n/a
Measured Weight: 3 oz (85 g) per pair
Colors Tested:  Sycamore/Black, Lead Grey/Brown, Woolly Blue/Formula One, also available in Berry/Platinum
Size Tested: Large (also available in S, M, XL)
Warranty: Guarantee for life. Will refund or replace if not satisfied with durability or performance

Product Description

The Farm To Feet Jamestown is a medium weight hiking sock.  It is made of a blend of merino wool (73%), nylon (26%) and Spandex (1%), all of which is made in the US.  The socks are crew length (mid-calf) and have a seamless toe enclosure, or a flat seam at the toe. The seam lies over the top of the toes.  

The socks have contrasting colors, with the bottom generally darker than to top.  The manufacturer describes the cushioning as full-density and is from the toe to the top.  This means that there is a terry pile surface on the inside and a plain knit surface on the other throughout the whole sock.  The image below shows the inside of a sock.


The "comfort compression" in the sock results in a tight-but-not-constricting fit.  The manufacturer's name "Farm To Feet" is stitched into the top of each sock.
Inside
An inside view of the Jamestown

Initial Impressions

I received three pairs of socks to test over the next four months.  They appear to be expertly made, with no loose threads or defects that I could see.  They come in an attractive recycled paper packaging with information about the sock design as well as the company, Farm To Feet. The terry pile interior is soft and warm.  I first tried the socks on while it was chilly out, around 45 F (7 C), and my toes were kept nice and warm.

The socks are the perfect weight for me moving into the spring and summer seasons.  

Reading the Instructions

Included in the packaging were simple care instructions.  They are to be machine washed in cold water and laid flat to dry.  Sounds pretty simple!

Long Term Report

Field Conditions

water
Wringing out the socks in Alaska
Since receiving the Jamestown socks, I have been on eight backpacking trips for a total of 17 days backpacking. My first trip was to Devil's Lake State Park in Wisconsin. I hiked with snowshoes a total of 12 mi (19 km) through a mix of open fields and deciduous forests and stayed at the established campground. The weather was sunny, windy and rather cold. The high temperature was only 35 F (2 C) with an overnight low of about 20 F (-7 C).  I wore insulated boots with gaiters over them.

My next trip was an overnight trip in the Torreya State Park near Tallahassee, Florida. This 6.3 mi (10.1 km) loop took me through a mix of forest, bluffs and some swampy terrain. Along the way I saw several deer and many different birds. It rained for parts of the trip with a mix of overcast skies and sunshine. Temperatures were between 65 and 80 F (18 and 27 C). I wore a pair of lightweight, mid-height hiking boots.

Then I took a trip to the Wyalusing State Park in Wisconsin. I hiked, sometimes with snowshoes, a total of 8 mi (13 km) along bluffs, through deciduous forests and up and down some nice steep hills. The weather was cooperative, with clear skies and high temperature of 40 F (4 C). Overnight lows dropped to about 20 F (-7 C). There was no precipitation. I wore insulated hiking boots with gaiters.  

Next, I went to Alaska where I backpacked up to the top of Flattop Mountain outside Anchorage and spent one night on top.  This 3.4 mi (5.5 km) out and back took me to a great perch above the city with views of the Turnagain Arm.  The trail was steep at times, but otherwise rather straightforward with crusher fines defining the trail.  The weather was cooperative with no precipitation and temperatures from 55 - 80 F (13 - 27 C). I wore mid-height hiking boots on this trail.

I went on another overnight in Alaska, this time to Reed Lakes and Lynx Peak.  The trail had it all: mud, boulder-hopping, tundra, crushed rock, bridges and even snow. I hiked a total of 16.6 mi (27 km) trying first to climb Lynx Peak, but then taking a detour onto Bomber Glacier.  There was plenty of rain with little bursts of sunshine and temperatures from 60-80 F (16-27 C).  I wore mid-height hiking boots.

I returned to Wyalusing State Park with my son for a two night camping trip during the summer.  We hiked about 5 mi (8 km) total along many of the same trails.  We fished, mountain biked and roasted marshmallows too!  The weather was fair, with some rain but mostly clear.  Temperatures ranged from 70 to 85 F (21 to 29 C). I wore mid-height hiking boots on this trail.

I took an overnight to the Smokey Mountain National Park in Tennessee, hiking to the top of Mount Le Conte.  This route took me a total of 13 mi (21 km) over rocky terrain (including some exposed ledges).  Temperatures were from 50 to 80 F (10 to 27) and the skies were clear.  I wore mid-height hiking boots on this trail.


My last trip was an overnight in the Bienville National Forest in Mississippi.  I hiked 6 mi (10 km), camping in an incredible meadow.  The terrain was much milder than many of my trips with very gentle hills and soft dirt.  How novel!  Temperatures were 65 to 85 F (18 to 29 C) and the skies were mostly clear.  I had no precipitation on this trip.

I have also worn the socks almost weekly at home, the gym, mountain biking and on day hikes.  

Observations

hole
A hole appeared in one of the socks at the ankle bone.
The Jamestown socks are comfortable socks, which is my primary requirement for socks!  For me this means many things.  First, I find the cushioning to be fine.  With a lot of rocky terrain, I'll take any extra padding that I can get.  The socks are thicker than most of my "summer" socks, but I was able to use them comfortably in three seasons. I had no problem fitting them in the various boots that I wore over the test series.  

The image above shows me wringing out my socks in the damp Alaskan weather.  It was raining most of my stay there, but I was always comfortable.  Even when hiking in the rain in cooler weather (and even on the snow), my feet were comfortable.  Oddly, I 
experienced no blisters, something I have been prone to in the past, over the test series.  

Overall, the socks have held their shape well.  They don't seem to be stretched out at all and fit snugly, just as when I first received them.  I can tell that they have been well-worn.  There is noticeable pilling on the uppers, more so than most socks that I own.  However, I can't tell if this affects the integrity of the socks.  On one of my pairs of socks, a hole has developed at the ankle bone.  This would be a point of friction (ankle on boot) and I can't think of any other reason it would fail there.  Most socks I own develop a hole on the heel or toe, and frankly these areas still look great.  

I am mostly impressed with how well these socks wick away moisture.  During the summer, my feet sweat quite a bit - don't everyone's?  I could tell that my feet were sweating and in fact the socks were damp when I took them off at the end of the days, but they were comfortable while I was hiking.  I mean, I know I was sweating, but my socks just didn't feel like it while I was hiking.  I liked that a lot!

One final note is that the socks have not taken on any foul odors after months of abuse.  While the manufacturer does not advertise any special claims to this, I think it is great to know that the socks won't stink up my sock drawer!  

Summary

The Farm To Feet Jamestown Socks are well-constructed, medium-weight crew socks.  I have enjoyed hiking with them!

Pros: Comfortable, true to size, warm when wet, wicks moisture well.

Cons: Durability is a concern.

This concludes this test series.  I would like to express my sincere gratitude to Farm To Feet for their generosity as well as the folks at BackpackGearTest.org for allowing me to be a part of this test series.  




Read more reviews of Farm to Feet gear
Read more gear reviews by Brett Haydin

Reviews > Clothing > Socks > Farm to Feet Jamestown Midweight Crew > Test Report by Brett Haydin



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