| |
Gear Reviews
Documents
Tools
|
Initial Report
Bridgedale X-Hale Socks
by Lynne Durham
April 4, 2006
NAVIGATE THIS REPORT
REVIEWER BIO
| Name |
Lynne Durham |
| Gender |
Female |
| Height |
5' 10" (1.78 m) |
| Weight |
155 lb (69 kg) |
| Age |
44
|
| Shoe Size |
10-11 |
| Email |
lynnedurham AT yahoo DOT com |
| Location |
Benton Harbor, Michigan USA |
BACKPACKING EXPERIENCE
I have hiked and car camped all of my life, mostly in the relative
flatlands of the lower and upper peninsulas of Michigan, but also in
areas nationwide, including South Dakota, New
England,
Kentucky, Florida, Ohio, Arizona, Utah, Indiana, and more. I have been backpacking
since 2002. I keep my pack weight to 25% of bodyweight. However,
I
am always trying to lighten my load further to enhance my comfort and
enjoyment as I like to hike big mileage.
Back to top
PRODUCT INFORMATION
| MANUFACTURER |
Bridgedale Outdoor Limited
NOTE: Bridgedale is distributed by different companies in different
countries. In the United States, Garmont is the distributor. Clicking
on the U.S. link on the Bridgedale site will take you to a Garmont site.
|
| WEB SITE |
http://www.bridgedale.com/
|
MSRP
|
USD14.95
|
FIBER CONTENT
|
42% Nylon, 28% Merino wool, 28% Isofil®, 2% Lycra®
|
| ACTUAL WEIGHT |
Each pair weighs 2 oz (57 g) |
WASHING INSTRUCTIONS
|
PLEASE NOTE: The
following instructions are written exactly as on the package. They do
not specify Celsius or Fahrenheit for the temperature given. My first
thought was that it must be Fahrenheit, because I usually wash wool in
cold water. However, the text is not written in American English, so
one may assume that the temperature is given in Celsius, in which case
it would be approximately 104º F. My washer use-and-care guide
calls that temperature "warm."
"For best results, wash inside out. Wash dark colours separately. Do
not use fabric softener. 40º wool cycle. Do not bleach. Do not
iron. Do not dry clean."
|
| SIZES |
| As tested |
Women's L (fits US Women's shoe sizes 8.5-10)
Men's M (fits US Men's 7-9.5 or US Women's 8-10.5) |
| Also available |
Women's S (fits US Women's shoe sizes 4.5-6); Women's M (fits
US Women's shoe sizes 6.5-8); Men's S (fits US Men's shoe sizes 4-6.5
or US Women's shoe sizes 5-7.5); Men's L (fits US Men's shoe sizes
10-12.5 or US Women's shoe sizes 10.5-13); Men's XL (fits US Men's
shoes sizes 13-15) |
| COLORS |
| As tested |
Women's Mist Grey/Raspberry; Men's Silver/Sapphire |
| Available |
Women's Sugar White/Grey and Natural/Blueberry; Men's Onyx/Ruby and Cool White/Black |
INFORMATION FROM THE WOMEN'S PACKAGING
- Multi-sport performance
- Designed by women for coolness & comfort
- Low-cut, anatomic fit
- Sales of this product support breast cancer prevention
Light, breathable, cushioned, close fitting. Ideal for a multitude of
sports -- outdoors or indoors. Light mesh surrounds the foot permitting
air to circulate. During intense activity, impact pads under heel, ball
and toe provide next to skin comfort whilst WoolFusion® construction helps drive moisture away from the foot.
- Low-cut style.
- Super-light mesh.
- Ankle and arch supports prevent sock movement.
- ShockZones® padding protects key impact areas.
- WoolFusion® yarns help keep feet dry.
- Flat toe seams.
INFORMATION FROM THE MEN'S PACKAGING
- Multi-sport performance
- Run/Cycle/X-train
- Cooling ventilation mesh & impact padding
(The italicized copy above is also on the men's packaging.)
Back to top
PRODUCT DESCRIPTION
I was interested -- but apprehensive -- about trying the
women's-specific style. I'm always looking for clothing and gear that
are more suited for the female shape. But alas, my tall frame and big
feet make most women's-specific gear fit a bit smaller than I would
like. Additionally, I take anywhere from a US size 10-11 shoe,
depending on the brand. Would the Bridgedale women's-specific socks
(which top out at size US 10 shoe) be too small for me? I was eager to
find out.
Both the Men's and Women's socks are soft. The knitting pattern reveals
some areas of greater padding (toe area, ball of foot area and heel
area--in all cases, where the secondary color is) and areas of very
lightweight, stretchy mesh. The cuffs stretch well. Both the women's
and the men's socks are touted as having a low-cut style. However, the
women's socks appear to be much more low-cut than the men's.
This fact was shown to be true when I tried the socks on. The women's
fit more like a footie-type sock while the men's fit more like an
anklet-type sock. To my delight, the women's sock fit perfectly, as did
the men's. There are no areas where the socks bunch up and all seams
are completely, invisibly flat.
TEST PLAN:
ACTIVITIES, LOCATIONS AND CONDITIONS
During the testing period, the X-Hale socks will be subjected to a variety of activities, locations and conditions:
- Indoor treadmill or outdoor road runs in my neighborhood
- Trail running at my local nature preserve, including through some wet areas
- Dayhiking on the North Country Trail, dune-y local state park trails, and my local nature preserve
- Several overnight, one long-weekend and one week-long backpacking
trips, mostly in Michigan, but possibly in Tennessee and Kentucky, too
- Mountain biking at a local state park
- Conditions during the testing period may range from the current
cold weather (20s to 30s F [-7 to -1 C]) to the first hot days of
summer (70s to 90s F [21 to 32 C]). Rain, freezing rain and possibly
snow may be involved. Hot, dry conditions may be involved. Some of the
tests will be on short, 4 mile jaunts. Others will be on mega-mile days
(up to 50 miles [81 km])
- In all cases, the socks will be worn with shoes and not boots, most often with trail running shoes
Questions to be Answered
Function
- Does the extra padding in critical areas improve my comfort?
- Do the socks gather in any places? Do they shift or slip into my shoe?
- Does the sock effectively wick moisture away from my foot?
- How comfortable are the socks when wet? Do they dry quickly after a stream crossing?
- Do I develop any blisters or hot spots while wearing the socks?
- Do the socks retain odors? Do they get smelly fast or can I wear them more than a couple of days without offending myself?
Durability
- How do the socks stand up to normal laundering?
- Do the socks retain their shape and elasticity?
- Do the socks develop any fraying or holes during the testing period?
Back to top
THIS IS COOL
- I love how these socks feel on my feet!
THIS COULD BE IMPROVED
- Haven't discovered anything yet
Thank you to Bridgedale and BackpackGearTest.org for the chance to test
the X-Hale socks.
Back to top
Read more reviews of Bridgedale gear
Read more gear reviews by Lynne Durham
|
