Tester Bio
I live outside a small town in northeast Alabama. I have access to a good hiking area right out my front door, a large tract of woods called Pall-Mill Hollow (pronounced holler). It has a creek flowing through it with several good swimming holes. Caves abound in the area. I spent my youth climbing around the bluffs, swimming in the creek and exploring the caves. I also enjoy hunting, fishing, canoeing, and most other outdoor activities.

Backpacking is my favorite pastime. I consider myself a knowledgeable backpacker but I am not an expert. I enjoy hiking with my friends and family or solo. I limit my hiking to areas fairly close to home, usually within a day’s drive of home. I hike throughout the year and actually hike the least in the hot humid months of summer. My style is slow and steady and my gear is light. However I will sacrifice weight for comfort and durability. A typical 3 season load for me is around 20 lb (9 kg) not counting food or water. I usually sleep in a hammock and cook with an alcohol stove. My backpacking trips are usually 2, 3 or 4 days in length.

Product Information

Test item,	SealSkinz® ChillBlocker™ Socks
Manufacturer,	Danalco, Inc.
Manufacturer URL,	http://www.danalco.com/
Year of Manufacture,	2004
Size,	Large (matches mens shoe size 10-11)
Weight,	not listed
Weight Verified,	4.8 oz (136 g)
Color,	Black (only color available)
MSRP,	$49.95 US

Product Description
Just looking at the SealSkinz® ChillBlocker™ socks laid out flat it is obvious they are shaped to fit a foot. Picture the letter L. They are substantially thick and a little stiff feeling. However, they are quite stretchy. At the top of the socks is a stretchy single layer fabric cuff. After holding them in my hands and then putting them on I would describe them as a cross between normal socks and neoprene booties. Laid out flat, the socks measure 11 in (28 cm) from the heel to the top and 10.5 (27 cm) in from the heel to toe. The socks are joined in the center with a visible seam showing inside and out. The seam runs from the front of the socks, down to my toe crossing at about the middle two toes, continues on under my foot and back up the back side of the socks. The outside layer of fabric is close in appearance to a black dress sock while the inside layer of fabric is fleece but bunched up so that little wave patterns are formed. I can stretch the sock out and make the fleece appear smooth.

Written across the toe area of each sock is SealSkinz®, LARGE, and USA, on three separate lines and in red white and blue letters. Only one sock has the SealSkinz logo up high on one side of the sock. The socks are not right and left foot specific unless I want the Logo on the outside ankle area. Then I would wear the Logo imprinted sock on the right foot and the plain sock on the left.

Following is the more technical information. First, the SealSkinz® products (socks and gloves) use a patented fabric structure of three layers and are pressure tested to be 100% waterproof. The key to the waterproofness is in the middle layer called the MVT (Moisture Vapor Transpiration) which is in effect a waterproof/breathable layer. The SealSkinz® ChillBlocker™ socks are insulated on the inside with an expedition-weight double velour Polartec® Power Stretch™ fleece (7.3 oz per square yard). The outside layer is knit of nylon/lycra® spandex which claims to offer a durable, flexible, stretchy covering.

On the web site it was mentioned in several places that the socks are made without seams. I quote "Unique seamless construction means SealSkinz® help prevent blisters and chafing --even after hours of rigorous activity." In another place, and I quote "SealSkinz® socks have a patented fabric structure of three highly engineered layers including a membrane capable of allowing perspiration to escape while not allowing water to penetrate. Each sock is high-pressure tested to make sure there are no leaks, plus SealSkinz® seamless design provides the ultimate action, performance and comfort."

I am a bit perplexed by this claim. Not only is it obvious there is a seam on the socks, I could easily see and feel this seam when I turned the socks inside out. Perhaps the MTV layer is not seamed? Regardless, I will be more interested in whether this seam I'm seeing will affect comfort. I will say that on my initial wearing (around the house and yard) I found them very comfortable for approximately 6 hours.

Receiving the SealSkinz® ChillBlocker™ Socks
I revived my pair of SealSkinz® ChillBlocker™ socks on 2/24/2004. The came in a clear plastic box with the hanging notch typical for store display. I was not sure exactly what to expect even after reading the website information. Not because the website lacked good pictures or a good description of the socks, I just had it in my head that these socks would be similar to neoprene gloves I have used. I was just excited to have them after reading a lot of the raving testimonials from no less than some world class adventure racing teams.

Also included were some leaflets describing the SealSkinz® line of products. There was information provided on care, independent lab test, testimonials and available sizes, and on a separate card information on Polartec® Power Stretch™. I found no indication of any type of warranty on either the website or the leaflets in the package.

Proposed Testing Location
Hopefully, I will be able to test the SealSkinz® ChillBlocker™ socks under a wide variety of terrain and temperatures. Most testing will be undertaken while hiking around the woods and water near my home. I also hope to test them on several backpacking trips in the Southeastern US in the cool weather left this winter. After summer arrives, I plan to continue testing the socks in cold creeks and some limited hiking just to see how they fell in hot weather.

Test Plan
My testing will involve wearing the SealSkinz® ChillBlocker™ socks in trail running shoes, hiking and work boots, and sandals. I will also wear them as sleep socks. I found a tidbit of information which I don't fully understand. From the website "Tested at 30 degrees below F." Is this -30 F (-34 C) or 30 degrees below Freezing (2 F/-17 C)? I don't really have a way to verify performance at either temperature, though it was 11 F (-12 C) one morning a few weeks back. I will just report on how warm my feet feel under the various conditions I encounter, and the different levels of activity to which I subject the socks. I am really looking forward to wearing them with sandals while wading around in a cold spring fed creek I often frequent. I am curious if they will be comfortable on the hike back home when the outside material is wet.

I also want to find out just how breathable the MVT (Moisture Vapor Transpiration) layer is. It is obvious the SealSkinz® ChillBlocker™ socks are intended for winter time wear. At what temperatures do they become too hot for normal hiking wear? I have no doubt they will be needed year around for standing in a cold creek, but I wonder if I will need to wear separate socks hiking to and from the creek once summer arrives.

Next I will be testing the socks for practical daily usage. By this I mean, can I wear the same pair of socks on a hiking trip, get them wet or need to wash them, and still be able to dry them fast enough to use them the following day? If they take too long to dry in the field I see needing an extra pair of socks if I want the same level of protection day after day.

And finally I will be testing the socks for durability. How well do they hold up to long hiking trips? How well do they hold up to repeated washings? The care instructions recommend hand washing the socks and then drip-drying for greatest longevity. They also warn not to twist or wring. I envision squeezing them gently to remove as much water as possible, then letting them dry hanging from a limb or on a rock in the sun if possible. I will be reporting all this in my Field report and invite you to check back and see how the SealSkinz® ChillBlocker™ socks are performing.

Read more reviews of SealSkinz gear
Read more gear reviews by Coy Ray Starnes

Initial Report

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