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SEALSKINZ®
CHILLBLOCKER™ SOCKS - FIELD REPORT
Background
Information:
Name: Karen Ross
Age: 24
Gender: Female
Height: 5'0" (1.5 m)
Weight: 103 lb. (47 kg)
Email address: karen ross AT tufts DOT
edu
City, State, Country:
Metropolitan
Boston area, MA
Date: May 4, 2004
Backpacking Background
I have been hiking and camping for as long as I can remember. I'm
an avid
runner and day hiker, ski occasionally, kayak, car camp, and generally
like to
spend as much time outdoors as possible. I've spent time hiking
and
orienteering with scout groups, as well as while doing my military
service in Israel.
I travel frequently and try to use every opportunity to explore. I
started
backpacking a few years ago and my trips have been mostly limited so
far to
shorter ones, although I’m slowly working my way up to longer trips
(including
trail maintenance work). Being small, I tend towards lightweight
gear,
although I’m not one to hit the digital scales with every item – it’s
more of a
philosophy than a science for me. I like to think of my style as
light,
but not without a couple of luxuries.
Product Description:
Manufacturer: Danalco, Inc.
Manufacturer website: www.danalco.com
Year of manufacture: 2004
Listed weight: N/A
Measured weight: 3.9 oz (111g) for the pair
Size: Small
Colors: Black
MSRP: $49.95
The SealSkinz® ChillBlocker™ socks are black crew socks which come
up to the
calf - 10 inches (25.4 cm) from the heel. On the front of each
sock
(across the toe area) is written, “SealSkinz®, Small, USA”
in red, white, and blue letters. One of the socks has a small
blue
triangle near the top of the sock with the SealSkinz® logo on
it. (Note:
the socks are not marked for right/left wear)
The SealSkinz® ChillBlocker™ socks are three-fold in thickness,
excepting the
top 1.75 inches (4.5 cm) which consist of a single-layer elastic
cuff.
The inner layer is made of (according to the website)
“expedition-weight double
velour Polartec® Power Stretch™ fleece (7.3 oz. [207 g] per square
yard).” According to the website, the outside layer is
“nylon/lycra® spandex
offering a durable, flexible, stretch covering. In between the two
fabric
layers is our waterproof MVT membrane.” Together, SealSkinz®
touts these
three layers as creating “a very soft, comfy, warm, stretch-to-fit sock
suitable for a whole host of cold, wet, nasty outdoor
conditions.” From
my point of view, what this creates is a thick, definitely
substantial-looking
sock – much more so than my normal cotton socks. The outside
layer of the
sock feels not unlike Neoprene.
Field Testing
Approximately 3 weeks after receiving my original pair of
SealSkinz®
ChillBlocker™ socks, Danalco sent me a new pair, which, unlike the
original
ones, has no delamination or separation problems. (See
my Initial
Report for a description of the problems I had with the
socks). A
customer representative from Danalco emailed me to let me know the
socks were
on their way (again, kudos to Danalco customer service for this!), and
a few
days later they were waiting for me on my front porch when I came home.
The first thing I did upon receiving the replacement socks was to put
them on
and stand in a bathtub full of 3 in (7.6 cm) of cold water. Ten
minutes
later, my feet were still dry and warm, although the outsides of the
socks were
soaked. I hung the socks up to dry and was surprised that it took
almost
24 hours before they were completely dry to the touch: I was always
under the
impression that nylon and/or Lycra® was a quick-drying
fabric. Initially
I was also concerned, as it occurred to me that when wearing the socks
hiking,
if they got wet, they may not be able to dry out before I put them on
again. However, I realized that the outer wetness doesn't really
matter:
as long as the socks are dry on the inside (which is what's really
important,
right?), the outer layer shouldn't make much a difference to the
comfort of my
feet.
My next test of the SealSkinz® ChillBlocker™ socks came on a frigid
day in
early March when I was concerned about getting frostbite even on the
short walk
from my house to the University campus. I wore the socks all day
with a
pair of liner socks underneath, hoping to keep my toes from freezing
during the
time I spent outside. My feet were quite warm on my walk to and
from the
University and to my delight were not too hot indoors. When I
took the
socks off, my feet were slightly damp, however. I'm not sure if
this was
because of the length of time I wore the socks with liners (about 10
hours)
while in a heated, indoor area. In any case, the dampness
disappeared
quickly, and on subsequent days when I've worn the SealSkinz®
ChillBlocker™
socks all day I haven't had that problem.
In mid-March we were blessed (ha!) with a big snow storm. The day
of the
storm, I was astute enough to wear my SealSkinz® ChillBlocker™
socks; however,
I didn't think to wear boots but instead wore my Dunham
Waffle Stomper Nimbles. These shoes have a mesh upper,
something that certainly doesn't
bode well for snow storms, especially snow storms during which I have
to walk
several miles, as I did the day of that one. The evening of the
snow
storm I hiked across town in snow about 5 in (12.7 cm) high, nervous
that my
feet would be absolutely soaked. As I walked, however, I realized
that my
feet weren't starting to feel any colder...or wetter. When I got
home, my
shoes were absolutely covered with snow, but my feet were still warm
and
completely dry. Wow!
Further tests of the SealSkinz® ChillBlocker™ socks came on two
long day hikes
and one three-day backpacking trip at the end of March. The first
day
hike occurred in the Middlesex Fells Reservation near my home here in
Boston. Temperatures were in the mid-50s F (about 13 C) and the
hike was
about 10 miles (16 km). This was one of the first warm days of
2004 and
as a result, there was still plenty of snow on the ground as well as
lots and
lots of mud patches. Again, although my shoes were soaked by the
end of
the day, my feet were toasty warm and dry (but not too warm, despite
the
temperatures). Likewise on the second day hike, which took place
in the
Palisades in New York. I wore the socks through plenty of mud
puddles but
felt no wetter for the wear!
The backpacking trip occurred on the last weekend of March in Harriman
State
Park (also in the Palisade Park System in New York). Temperatures
during
the first two days were about 50 F (10 C), one sunny day and one day
when it
drizzled from dawn to dusk but never really rained hard, and about 65 F
(18 C)
and clear the last day of the hike. I wore the socks all three
days (with
liner socks). I had no concerns about my feet getting wet from
the
drizzle; however, the trail I was on required me to cross a number of
streams
(quite high as a result of the snow melt) and a number of times I
slipped off
the rocks I was crossing on and found myself ankle-deep in freezing
water.
At the end of each day when I set up camp, however, my feet were still
dry
(unlike my poor hiking partner, whose cotton socks just didn't cut it
for that
hike!).
Having put the SealSkinz® ChillBlocker™ socks through quite a bit
of mud, rain,
and snow in their first two months of use, and seeing (and smelling)
the
result, I decided about two weeks ago to wash them. The pamphlet
that
came with the socks suggests that they should be hand washed and hung
to
dry. I followed these directions and about 24 hours after hanging
them
out on the line, my SealSkinz® ChillBlocker™ socks looked and
smelled as good
as new.
Continued Use
So far, the SealSkinz® ChillBlocker™ socks are doing a great job,
and I don't
anticipate my opinion to change - although one never knows. Over
the next
four months, I will continue wearing the SealSkinz® ChillBlocker™
socks while
hiking and occasionally during the day. I will be spending my
summer
months in South Africa (where it will be winter), so if I'm lucky the
opportunity
will arise for some more cold-weather testing. If not, I'm sure
I'll be
able to happily find some more mud puddles to jump in...
Read more reviews of SealSkinz gear
Read more gear reviews by Karen Ross
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