BackpackGearTest.org Review - /reviews/Clothing/Socks/Darn Tough Vermont Boot Sock/Gail Staisil/Long Term Report

Long Term Report:
Darn Tough Vermont Boot Socks

By Gail Staisil, Marquette, Michigan
March 1, 2006

Tester Information

Personal Data:

Name: Gail Staisil
Age: 53
Gender: Female
Height: 5' 9" (1.75 m)
Weight: 140 lbs (64 kg)
Location: Marquette, Michigan USA
Email: woodswoman2001@yahoo.com

Photo Album Website: http://community.webshots.com/user/isleroyalegirl

Backpacking Background:

For the last 16 years, backpacking has become a passion. I am a four-season backpacker and an off-trail navigator. Although I do take yearly trips to the American West or Southwest, the majority of my trips are in Michigan and Canada. My pack weight varies considerably, but my base weight is below 20 lbs (9.1 kg). I am primarily a tarp camper who averages over 50 nights a year backpacking in a huge variety of weather conditions including relentless rain, wet snow and sub-zero temps.

Darn Tough Boot Socks--Technical Description

Overview:

The Full-Cushion Boot Socks are made out of a combination of Merino Wool (62%), Nylon (34%) and Lycra Spandex (4%). Specifically designed for trekking, the socks feature high-density terry-loop padding, knit-in elastic support at the arch, form-fitting toe boxes, ribbing at the ankles and sculpted heel pockets. For a more complete description of the boot socks, please see my initial report.

Product Information:

Manufacturer: Darn Tough - Cabot Hosiery Mills, Inc.

Website: http://www.darntough.com

Phone: 1.877.327.6783

Model: Darn Tough Full-Cushion Boot Socks

Model Year: 2005

Materials: Merino Wool (62%), Nylon (34%), Lycra Spandex (4%)

Color: Forest

Sock Size: Large

My Boot Size: Women's 10.5 US (42.5 EU)

Manufacturer's Weight: Not listed

Actual Weight: 3.5 oz (99 g)

MSRP: Not listed

Field Testing Data

Field Locations/Conditions

During the long-term testing period of two months, I have worn the Darn Tough Vermont Boot Socks on almost a daily basis for hiking, cross country skiing, snowshoeing and everyday wear. Many locations were within one hundred miles of my home near Lake Superior in Michigan's Upper Peninsula. They included local ski and hiking trails through deciduous forest and open areas along the lakeshores. I also wore the boot socks on two winter sledge trips in Michigan and Canada. Winter weather varied from overcast and calm to heavy snowfall and wind. Temperatures ranged from a low of 1 F ( -17 C) to a high of 35 F (2 C) with humidity in the normal range of 60 to 95 percent for those areas. All of the outings and trips were at low altitude ranging from 600 ft (183 m) to almost 2000 ft (610 m), with a moderate amount of elevation changes.

Field Notes

Although I have answered most of my initial report questions within my field report, I will briefly add my thoughts on additional issues that I focused on during the long-term testing period.

Versatility: How versatile were the socks while wearing different types of footwear including moosehide mukluks? During the last two months I have been able to test the boot socks while wearing my moose hide mukluks which have two thick felt liners in them. In the past I have worn very thin wool socks inside of the mukluks as I only needed a minor covering due to the warmth of the mukluks. I decided to try wearing the well cushioned boot socks instead of the thin socks during a four day sledge trip in January. The temperatures for this trip were mostly warm for winter (20 F/ -7 C to 35 F/ 2 C). Did the socks keep my feet too warm? They actually adapted quite well to the temperatures and when I removed my feet from the mukluks in the evenings I was happy that the socks were just slightly damp to the touch. How about wearing vapor barrier liners? During extremely cold conditions, I wear a vapor barrier made out of silnylon over the socks to keep any moisture from freezing the felt liners. This usually means that my socks will retain the moisture that ordinarily would travel into the felt liners. In February on my five-day Canadian trip, I wore vapor barriers the whole time I was out except for sleeping. The temperatures on this trip ranged from a low of 1 F (-17 C) to a high in the mid 20's F (-7 C). The vapor barriers did make the boot socks damper than usual but that was to be expected. I removed my mukluks, vapor barriers, and boot socks each night before sleeping. I put on a dry pair of boot socks and I put the damp boot socks in the pockets of my pants while I slept. They were dry in the morning due to body heat. The process worked well.

Comfort/Fit: The boot socks have continued to fit well and have not stretched out or lost their elasticity. This continues to be important for doing a lot of activities that require the same repetition or movement. For example during several hours of cross country skiing my feet are flexed through almost an identical range of motion thousands of repetitions per outing. I haven't experienced any blisters or sore spots due to friction. This is highly important in any endurance activity that I do.

Durability Issues: The three pairs of Darn Tough Boot Socks that I received still look almost like new. They have only the slightest fuzz on the surface of the socks. I closely examined the tops of the heel areas as that is where I often experience wear on my socks. So far there are no indications of any thin spots.

Wick-ability: The socks continue to wick well while wearing a variety of footwear including several types of winter boots. Some of my winter boots have sheepskin lining, some have felt liners and some have a Gortex liner. The socks have performed well in all categories and have kept my feet content. Even while wearing vapor barriers, my feet never got cold or felt uncomfortable as the moisture only evaporated to the outside of the socks where it was trapped by the vapor barriers.

Overall Thoughts

During the long-term testing period, I have reaffirmed that the boot socks have many fine qualities. They have been worn and washed extensively and have shown little signs of wear. They continue to be comfortable, fit well, retain little-to-no odor and can be successfully used with a variety of footwear. My only personal dislike has been the length of the socks. Because of my overall satisfaction with these socks, I will be investigating other options that Darn Tough produces. According to their website, they have a variety of one/quarter length sock options including the cushioned boot socks. That sounds perfect to me.

Comments:

Thanks to Darn Tough Vermont and BGT for the opportunity to test and introduce me to a very fine product.

Reviews > Clothing > Socks > Darn Tough Vermont Boot Sock > Gail Staisil > Long Term Report

Reviews > Clothing > Socks > Darn Tough Vermont Boot Sock > Gail Staisil > Long Term Report