Test
series by David Wilkes
Point6 Hiking Tech Medium Crew
Name: David Wilkes
E-Mail: amatbrewer@yahoo.com
Age: 47
Location: Yakima Washington USA
Gender: M
Height: 5'11" (1.80 m)
Weight: 200 lb (90.7 kg)
Tester BiographyI started
backpacking
in 1995 when I moved to Washington State. Since then, I have
backpacked in all seasons and conditions the Northwest has to
offer. I prefer trips on
rugged trails with plenty of elevation gain. While I continuously
strive to lighten my load, comfort and safety are most important to me.
I have finally managed to get my basic cold weather pack weight, not
including consumables, to under 30 lb (14 kg).
Product Information| Manufacturer: | Point6 | 
| | Year of Manufacture: | 2014 | | Manufacturer’s Website: | www.point6.com | | MSRP: | US$ 21.95 | | Weight: | Measured 3.3 oz / 93 g (Size L) [No listed weight] | | Sizes: | Small, Medium, Large, X Large (see size chart in report) | | Color: | Black, Stone | Photo: © Point6.com |
Product Description:
I
received one pair of “Block Strips Medium Crew” Size Large, color
Black. These are from the Point6 Outdoor line of socks for hiking and
trekking. The manufacturers web site says they are constructed with an
inner layer of Merino Wool layer next to the skin protected by an nylon
outer layer. The packaging states they are constructed from 67% wool,
30% nylon, 3% spandex. The product information states that the sock is
constructed with additional cushioning in the instep and around the leg
to protect pressure points.
Initial ReportNov 24 2014
Upon receiving the socks the first thing I noticed was their
heft. These are not lightweight socks. I could find no specified weight
for the
socks but the size Large I received weighed in at 3.3 oz / 93 g. The
feel of
the material is dense. When I squeezed them they compress and
rebound kind
of like open cell foam attesting to the cushioning claim. I looked for
the
advertised additional cushioning and found that a better description would be
that the
entire sock has cushioning with a few thinner sections at key points.
The socks
have 3 thinner sections. One extends around the leg just below the
opening. The
other two do not extend around the entire sock but are only on the top
at two
key flex points; at the ankle and about where the toes meet the foot.
It is an
interesting feature that looks to be intended to prevent the sock from
bunching
at those points when the joint flexes. I could find no seams anyplace
on the
socks. My normal shoe size is a US Men’s 9.5 or 10 (EU 42-43) which fits nicely
within the range for their Large (Men’s US 9-11.5). When I tried the
socks on for the first time I found them to be an excellent fit and
felt quite good.
Long Term Report- Day hike Bear Canyon (eastern foothills of the Washington Cascades)
- Cross Country ski White Pass Nordic ski area (ski patrol) approximately 6 days total
- Day hike Snow Moutain Ranch (short day hike/lunch with my wife)
- Overnight hike Umtanum Canyon
- Overnight hike Ancient Lakes/Columbia River
- Assorted daily wear
 Socks
are one of my favorite items to test but least favorite to report on.
Why? Well if they perform as expected I can simply forget about them,
at least until I have to write the report. After all, how often does
one think about their socks unless they are causing problems? These
socks are no exception. When I have worn them it takes effort to think
about how they are performing because they have caused me no problems.
Most
of my outings during this time were rather short, a few hours on the
trail at most, and temperatures ranged from a little below freezing to
what I would consider almost “tee shirt” weather. However I did give
these socks a good workout during my duties on the Nordic ski patrol.
This year the snow conditions were very poor. As a result ski patrol
duties were a little outside the ordinary. To start, getting the
toboggans out to the spots on the trail where we store them was quite a
chore. We worked up quite a sweat hauling the sleds, then more trying
to get them situated. Most of the rest of my patrol days consisted of a
quick trip around the trails (or at least as quick as I could manage in
the poor conditions) followed by attempting to shovel what little snow
we could find onto the track to help cover the dirt and rocks. Not
exactly the exciting and fun activities normally associated with ski
patrol, but a great test for socks. On my feet in ski boots for long
periods, getting my boots filled with wet snow and once even mud,
working up a sweat then spending the rest of the day in the cold, etc.
These socks performed well, no problem with wrinkles or hot spots, no
rubbing, they kept my feet warm (but not hot) and most important DRY.
Since
I was worried about losing a sock in the wash, I was hand washing these
after use and hanging them to dry. As expected due to their thickness
these socks would take about two days to dry this way. However when
worn, they did an excellent job at wicking moisture away from my feet,
and even when they did get wet my body heat would dry them quickly.
This was fortunate as a few times my feet got wet in the morning while
on ski patrol which if they did not dry would have meant cold feet
later in the day. However every time I wore these socks, at the end of
the day when I took off my shoes/boots my feet and the socks were dry.
Regarding
durability, I have been quite happy with these socks. They are showing
a slight amount of piling, but it is very minor and it does not look to
be getting any worse, and there seems to be no detectable wear or
thinning on the heavy use areas such as under my heel or toes. They
have retained most of their size and shape and are showing no signs of
loosing elasticity.
This brings me back to my original point;
what can I say about these socks? These socks do what socks are supposed
to and they do it well. I look forward to many trips where I don’t think
once about my socks.
| Likes | Dislikes | - Thick cushioning
- Good fit
- Durable
| None |
This
concludes my report. I would like to thank the folks at Point6
and BackpackGearTest.org for the opportunity to test this product.
Read more reviews of Point6 gear
Read more gear reviews by David Wilkes
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