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Reviews > Clothing > Socks > Integral Designs Hot Socks > Steve Nelson > Long Term ReportLong-Term Report: Integral Designs Hot Socks Reviewer's Information Name: Steve Nelson Backpacking Background: As an interface design and usability consultant by trade, I'm always excited by analyzing and improving designs and processes; backpacking provides a fertile and fun arena for that. I have been backpacking since I was a kid growing up in upstate New York: we backpacked and canoe-camped in all seasons, throughout the Adirondacks and nearby areas, ranging as far as La Verendrye Wildlife Reserve, Quebec. As an adult, I've backpacked and hiked extensively in California, but also have taken trips throughout the West, from New Mexico to British Columbia, and return often to the Adirondacks. Backpacking Style: In the last year I began educating myself about lightweight and ultralight backpacking, and have been applying more and more of this philosophy to my outdoor jaunts and gear upgrades. I like moving fast, and lightening the load facilitates that. I also enjoy urban strolls, cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, kayaking, and aviation in addition to hiking and backpacking, so my gear gets exposed to a wide variety of uses and conditions. Product information Manufacturer: Integral Designs Overview The Integral Designs Hot Socks are lightweight Primaloft booties designed for use within a tent or cabin. I covered basic features and impressions in my initial report, and two months of field usage in my field report, both which you may wish to browse for that information. This report provides my observations after using the Hot Socks over the course of six months, and my final conclusions. Long-Term Testing Conditions I've brought the Hot Socks on pretty much every one of my camping trips since my field report. Trips have included snow camping, backpacking and car camping, in shelters including a tarptent, hammock, bivy sack, cabin and the inside of a vehicle. Locations have included Henry Coe State Park, Yosemite (three visits), the Lake Tahoe area, Mt. Shasta and the Snow Mountain Wilderness, with altitudes ranging from 2,000-7,500 ft (600-2,300 m) and temperatures from the 20s-70s F (-5-20 C). I've worn the Hot Socks in my sleeping bag, as well as tested them as camp booties on several occasions; I also took them along on several day snowshoe/mountaineering hikes in the Sierra Nevada as part of an emergency bivy kit. Impressions and Findings As noted previously, comfort while sleeping is good. The Hot Socks are soft and breathe well enough that my feet stay warm without getting hot and sweaty, across the entire range of conditions in which I've worn the socks. I used them for this purpose on most of my trips during the test period and was pleased with the results. They make great sleeping wear, and I find them even more comfortable than regular wool socks while I'm sleeping. The Hot Socks have also held up well to use—I see no snags or abrasion in the fabric. Loft does seem a bit degraded at this point. I store them uncompressed when not on a trip, so any loss of loft has come from field use, washing, or brief stays in the stuff sack while hiking. During my long-term testing I decided to try and push the boundaries of how the socks could be used. On two occasions, I wore them as camp shoes, walking around all evening and morning while I did my cooking and chores around camp. On the first occasion, a grassy creekside campsite in Henry Coe State Park, the socks became soaked from condensation on the vegetation at the site. The moisture eventually soaked all the way through to my feet, and at that point the socks were not particularly comfortable, though I continued to wear them. They did not dry out in the morning, even when laid out in the sun for a bit and turned both right-side- and inside-out. On the second occasion, a rocky duff- and snow-covered site in the Snow Mountain Wilderness, I noted that the socks were not providing as much insulation as I would have liked. Temperatures were in the mid to high 30s F (0-5 C) and my feet were definitely feeling a bit cold, even when I sat near our campfire, especially where they were contacting the cold duff and rocks. On both occasions, I felt that the socks were adequate, but not comfortable, for walking around camp. This obviously is not a purpose for which they're designed (pictures of the Hot Socks outside in snow on the Integral Designs website notwithstanding), but I was curious to see if they would work in a pinch. Unfortunately, they slip and slide a bit too much to be truly comfortable, and have almost no padding to protect feet from rocks and other sharp objects (especially on a rocky site like the one we stayed at in the Snow Mountain Wilderness). Also, on both of these occasions the soles and sides of the Hot Socks became heavily soiled, with dirt and other glop working its way into the weave of the Cordura soles. I wasn't able to remove all of this by hand-washing the Hot Socks, so I ultimately machine-washed them in cold water with a mild soap. They turned out fine, and despite the campground abuse, I could see no apparent wear or damage to the socks' fabric or construction. Obviously using the Hot Socks this way makes them too dirty to bring into the sleeping bag (their best use), so in the future I'm going to test them with some very light mesh camp shoes I picked up recently. My hunch is that the combination of a light camp shoe or overboot with the Hot Socks will be an excellent one—the Hot Socks to provide warmth and comfort, and the outer shoe to provide structure and grip and protect from soil and sharp objects. Treating the Hot Socks as high-tech socks, not camp booties, seems to be the right fit. Summary As noted in my previous reports, like all Integral Designs products I've seen or owned, the Hot Socks are well-made, quality pieces of gear. After six months of frequent use, I still find them comfortable and appealing and will continue to take them on future trips for use in my sleeping bag or bivy sack, or as cabin wear. My long-term testing has also confirmed that, for me, the Hot Socks are best suited for use in relatively dry conditions inside tents and other shelters where I won't be walking around a lot. In a pinch, they can be used to walk around camp, but if I do that, it's with the knowledge that they'll pick up lots of moisture and grime, and that I won't be wanting to put them in my sleeping bag! Things I like:
Things I don't like:
Thanks to BackpackGearTest and Integral Designs for giving me the opportunity to participate in this test. Read more reviews of Integral Designs gear Read more gear reviews by S. Nelson Reviews > Clothing > Socks > Integral Designs Hot Socks > Steve Nelson > Long Term Report | |||