Report Date: April 30, 2002

Product tested: SealSkinz Gloves (size L) 3.1 oz. and

SealSkinz Over the Calf (15") socks (size L) 5.2 oz.

Manufactured by Danalco http://www.danalco.com

Tester Bio:

Name: Bill Baldwin mailto: bill.baldwin@bigfoot.com

Height: 6’00"

Weight: 170#

Age: 41

Area tested: Texas and Arkansas

I have been backpacking, hiking, camping, and canoeing in Texas, Arkansas, New Mexico, and Colorado for 10+ years as a Boy Scout and now as a leader. I am an avid outdoorsman that enjoys hunting and fishing.  I have been converting to lightweight backpacking and have given up hiking in my big heavy boots in favor of New Balance 805’s.  Since I have shifted to the New Balance shoes, I needed something to keep my feet dry when hiking/backpacking in the rain and mud.

Field Test Report:

I started out testing these socks and gloves in the house by hopping in the bathtub and checking to see that they were waterproof.  I wore white liner socks to detect any leakage of the socks.  Sitting on the side of the tub for 30 minutes, I noticed no leaking of the socks.  Putting my hands in the water also revealed no leaks for the gloves.  Since the top of the gloves and socks fit snugly around your calves and wrist, I wanted to test the seal against my skin for leaks.  The top of the gloves does not fit around my wrist as snugly as I would like.  The waterproof portion of the gloves appears to stop at the wrist and any water that gets above this line will come pouring into the glove.  I had a similar experience with the socks, but since the socks fit more snugly around my calves, the incoming water takes longer to penetrate the socks than the gloves.  The socks and gloves will retain water but quickly dry after a good wringing out.  The black color also allows them to dry fast when lashed to your backpack and allowed to air dry.  The socks and gloves are slower to dry when water penetrates to the inner lining and must be turned inside out to completely dry.

Extreme Conditions:

During a winter sleet storm, I took the socks and gloves hiking with only my liner socks and shoes.  The socks kept my feet warm and dry and my feet showed no excessive sweating.  The socks fit comfortably inside my shoes with only a sock liner without adding bulk.  They are a much tighter fit when worn with Smartwool socks and a liner.  The gloves kept my hands warm even when packing the sleet for a sleet-ball fight with the kids.

Wearing the socks on an extended trip in warm and humid conditions I found that my feet sweated profusely soaking the liner.  During the day I did not feel uncomfortable in the socks and only noticed the soaked liner after taking the socks off.  During a cool night, I put the socks back on to retain heat and found that they were keeping my feet somewhat warmer but not significantly.  During this trip, I crossed creeks and soaked my shoes as well as bushwhacked several miles through thick underbrush.  Thinking the socks had developed a leak, I tested them again in the bathtub when I returned home and found no leaks.

My hands have not sweated when wearing the gloves.  The gloves are tight fitting and are the first pair that I have used that allow me to use my hands normally while buttoning and working around camp.  At the end of the day, you will forget that you are wearing gloves.  The rubberized dots that allow for better grip work well and have allowed me to hold fish and many other items securely.

Conclusion:

These socks and gloves are well made and very tough.  Through all the work and bush whacking they have not torn, frayed, or shown signs of wear.  I have worn the socks on all day hikes where my feet have sweated and found that they do not retain odor (or maybe my feet don’t stink J  Throughout all the mud, stream crossings, and other tests of these socks and gloves the only leakage that occurs is when water gets to the cuff portion of the sock/glove that is made to grip your skin.  In cold weather, they will provide some heat retention and during warmer weather they will retain foot sweat, but my feet never felt clammy nor developed blisters.

Thanks to Danalco for allowing me to test a wonderful product.