BackpackGearTest.org - Fox River Escape Crew Socks Test Report by Leesa Joiner

Fox River Escape Socks
Test Series

Initial Report: July 9, 2008
Field Report: September 23, 2008

Personal Information:
Leesa Joiner
leesaj@gmail.com
Southwestern Maine
46 yrs
Female
5'7" (1.7 m)
160 lb (73 kg)
Women's Shoe size 9.5

Background:
     My outdoor experiences include trips varying in length from one-day hikes to two-week trips. Most involve my three children. While my style isn't as 'high adventure' as some, I do enjoy the time we spend outdoors.   My load used to be HEAVY - think pack mule. Now that the kids carry their own gear, plus the two oldest help carry the food, etc, my load is lighter. I go for durability over weight when selecting gear.
    While outdoors, I spend time hiking, geocaching, snowshoeing, cross-country skiing and camping. I spend almost as much time outdoors during the winter as I do during the summer.

INITIAL REPORT

Product Information:
Product Name: Fox River Escape Crew Socks
Manufacturer: Fox River Co.
Website: http://www.foxsox.com White sock

Year of Manufacture: 2008
MSRP: N/A
Size Tested: Medium
Advertised Weight: N/A
Measured Weight: 2.1 oz (60 g)
(per pair)

Material Content:
40% Ingeo PLA
35% Nylon
23% Recycled polyester
2% Spandex

Style Number:1284
Colors Tested: Lt. Grey
White

Product Description:
Both pair of Fox River socks arrived with just a small hang-tag with content, size, color and style information. The socks have an interesting design - the top part (ankle to lower calf) is lightly ribbed in the front, and has a (light grey/dark grey on the lt. grey socks) small check pattern on the back side. On the foot portion, the heal is a thicker weave than the top, and is dark blue on the bottom. The top of the sock (top of the foot) has a different pattern and a company logo across the lower portion of the toe area. On the white pair, there is no color contrast to the patterns, but the design is easy enough to see. The Fox River logo is a light grey on the white pair.
top of lt. grey sock

The socks have a good amount of stretch, and return to their original shape upon release. The socks are well finished, with no loose threads, or pulls. Currently, there is no web page available that lists the Escape socks, so I do not have specific manufacturer's information.

Initial Impressions:
The socks fit very well, and the material feels good to the touch. I have worn both pairs for short walks, just to see how they feel in different hiking shoes. So far, I haven't had any problem with bunching, or the dreaded drooping sock problem. They stay pulled up, and do not slide down into my hikers.

I really like the way the socks feel on my feet - they aren't too snug - I hate the way some socks fit so snugly that they leave marks, and they aren't too loose. The Fox River socks are very soft to the touch and feel fairly cushiony on my feet. The tube portion of the sock is 6 in (15 cm) long, and reaches mid - calf.

Summary:
I am looking forward to testing these socks over the next four months, and will have plenty of opportunities to test them while climbing Mt. Katahdin, and other parts of the Appalachian Trail in July, along with some hiking in Utah in August. Intermixed with these trips will be frequent day hikes. During the early fall, I do a lot of weekend trips with my kids. I plan on wearing the socks with both my trail runners and my mid-height hiking boots. Our weather tends to fluctuate a lot during this time frame, and I am curious as to what types of weather these socks will work best in. I also want to see how they hold up to washing and drying. On the trail, I would air dry them. There are no washing instructions, so I don't know if they should be dried in a clothes dryer. I am guessing it won't be a problem, just by looking at the fabric contents.

Thanks to Fox River and BackpackGearTest.org for the opportunity to test these socks. Please check back in about two months to read my Field Report.

Field Report
September 23, 2008

Field Experience:

Over the last two months I've worn the Fox River Escape socks on at least 10 occasions. Most trips were day hikes which took place in Maine and New Hampshire. I also wore the socks on a three day trip to Baxter State Park in Maine. Baxter is home to Mount Katahdin, the northern terminus of the Appalachian Trail. While the trip was great, the weather was not. It rained all but one day, making hiking interesting to say the least.

I wore the white pair of socks the first two days, taking them off at night so they would hopefully dry out. Considering the storm we had, I am amazed they dried at all. They did dry most of the way, but still felt damp. I did notice they picked up the color from the inside of my hiking shoes (which were well worn, not new) After the second day, I put on the grey Fox River socks, and while it had finally stopped raining, I managed to still get my feet wet while hiking. The ground was so wet and muddy, that it would have been close to impossible not to get wet. My hiking shoes filled with water at one point, and although the water drained out quickly, my socks were soaked. I had to hike for a few miles before I could take them off. Once I was back at my tent, I took them off, wrung them out and put them out to dry. By the time the rest of the group got back, they were just damp, so I threw them in the car as we packed up. By the time we drove the 100 miles (161 K) to Greenville, the smell was overpowering. I did stop and put them in a sack and closed it. The car aired out fine, but the socks smelled unusually strong. It was not a problem I had with the white socks, even though they went through similar conditions. Once washed, the socks returned to normal, both scent and color-wise. I was impressed by the fact that even though I hiked with wet socks for quite a while, my feet did not develop any sores. They did look a bit like prunes though.

While day hiking, I have worn the socks with my regular Dunham Low hikers, Zamberlan hikers and even my Keen Sandals (and yes, they look funny). Most day hikes have been in the 1- 6 m (1.6 - 9.5 K) range. Other than the trip to Katahdin, where the weather was in the 80's F (C) and rainy, my other hikes have been dry and mild. I really like the cushioning that these socks provide. I alternate between the white and grey pairs, and notice no difference, other than the grey ones smell worse when I am done hiking, especially if my feet have become even the slightest bit damp. I am not sure what causes this, but it is very noticable.

The socks still look good, and show no signs of wear. The white ones are still fairly white, with just slight discoloration in the bottom heel area. I don't use bleach, so others may not have this issue. The discoloration doesn't bother me. The comfort is very good, with enough cushioning. The top doesn't bind, but holds the socks in place. I hate the Orphan Annie socks that bunch up at my ankles. Overall, I am impressed with the socks, and look forward to continued testing. Over the next two months, our weather will rapidly cool off, with daytime temperaturs ranging from the low 70's to the 40's (21 - 4.5 C). We had our first hard frost on September 19th. November tends to be rainy, with the later part of the month bringing a chance of snow. I will be trying out the socks with my hiking boots, to see how they work out.

Please check back in about two months for the Long Term Report.

Reviews > Clothing > Socks > Fox River Escape Crew Socks > Test Report by Leesa Joiner

Reviews > Clothing > Socks > Fox River Escape Crew Socks > Test Report by Leesa Joiner