BackpackGearTest.org - Teko Eco Merino Hiking Socks Chuck Carnes

Teko Eco Merino Wool Hiking Socks

Field Report

Report date: December 19, 2005

Biographical Information:

Name: Chuck Carnes

Age: 35

Gender: Male

Height: 6’0” (1.83 m)

Weight: 175 lbs (79 kg)

Shoe Size: 9 1/2 (USA)

Email address: ctcarnes1(at)yahoo(dot)com

City, State, Country: Greenville, South Carolina, United States

Backpacking Background:

I love the outdoors – I’ve spent time camping in the outdoors since I was born, and have been actively hiking and backpacking for the past ten years. I consider myself a lightweight hiker, usually carrying 20 – 30 pounds (11-13 kg) for hikes up to a week in length. I hike at an easy pace, averaging 2 mph (3 kph). I am a one man tent camper for now until something I like better comes along. I like to carry a single trekking pole when I hike to help relieve stress to my legs and knees. I like to get out on the trail as often as I can.

Product Information:

Manufacturer: Teko

Sock Size: Large

Color: Sky with Moon Mist

Style: Crew

Content: 65% Merino Wool, 23% Ecopoly Recycled Polyester, 10% nylon, 2% Lycra

Year of Manufacture: 2005

URL: www.tekosocks.com

MSRP: $17.95 (US)

Listed weight: no weight listed by manufacturer

Weight as delivered: 3.8 oz (108 g) (pair)

Product Features (taken from web site):

· High Moisture transfer keeps feet dry

· Prevents blisters

· Fast drying

· Merino® Wool: Our Merino Wool comes from New Zealand sheep farmers who have been practicing environmentally sound techniques for hundreds of years. The wool is shrink resistant and we dye it to meet Oekotex 100 standards.

· Ecopet® Recycled Polyester: Ecopet, a product of Teijin Ltd. in Japan, uses advanced technology to recycle polyester products and PET bottles into highly pure, raw polyester. It has great moisture transfer, soft hand, and is incredibly durable.

Initial Report

Field Report:
            I have really enjoyed the Teko Eco Merino Wool Hiking socks. They keep my feet warm and dry while wicking away moisture that builds up when walking. Two pair of the socks were shipped to me and I carried both of them on my trips. I alternated them on and off my feet when I felt like a blister or a hot spot might appear to keep my feet dry and happy. The socks do not come up high enough on my leg for my liking. I like for socks to come to the middle of my calf or over. These socks do not reach the bottom of my calf at all. I have washed them at least five times and there has been very little shrinkage in the socks.

          The first trip I took was a two-night stay to a small area in Clayton, Georgia. It has a few trails and a few campsites but is only known by the locals. I am not a local but I know someone who is and he showed me some of his favorite spots. The weather was great for this time of year. The temperature was 75 F (24 C) during the day and 47 F (8 C) at night. There was no precipitation on this trip. I started the hike with one pair of socks on and the other pair in a side pocket to be used later. The boots that I wear are Gor-Tex boots which limits ventilation. The Gor-Tex material doesn't breath or let moisture escape very well. After hiking two to three miles my feet were starting to send signals to my brain that a hot spot or blister was coming on. Before stopping to change the socks I made a mental note that my feet were very comfortable in the socks; in the heel, toe and boot lace area. It was very nice having two pair of the Teko socks. This enabled me to change the sweaty pair to a dry pair and still continue to test the sock. Changing the socks out cured the possibility of a blister. After getting to camp I hung the two pair out to dry so that I could test their warmth during the night. They dried very quickly and I was able to sleep with one pair on during the night. They certainly kept my feet warm although the temperature wasn't that cold the two nights that stayed. I slept in a 20 F (-6 C) bag which kept me and my feet warm all night.

          My second trip was a two night stay at Jones Gap. The weather was a little bit colder than my first trip. The temperature was 62 F (16 C) during the day and 39 F (4 C) at night. On this trip, again, I did not experience any precipitation to see how well the socks perform if they were to get wet. Since the temperature on this trip was a little bit colder, my feet did not sweat as bad as the first trip. I was able to go about five miles to camp without having to switch them out. Just like the first trip, the socks kept my feet very warm and even at night my feet stayed toasty. After a day hike my feet did not feel fatigued at all. I think the tight knitting in the sock and the padded heel and toe areas help prevent any fatigue in my feet. The arch area in the sock is very comfortable and seem to help support my arches along with the insoles in my boots.

Test Plan:

My test plan for the socks is to continue to test the overall comfort and durability of the sock. How well will they hold up to numerous miles of wear and tear? I will try these in my hiking boots to test the comfort and fit and to test the lace pad area for comfort. I will be looking to confirm the features that are listed below and on the display card and how well they perform. I will make notes of any discomforts and include those in my Long Term Report. I will also answer some, if not all, of the questions below in my Long Term Report. I will expand on some of the answers that are given here once I have had a full four months of testing.

Fabric:

How soft is the fabric against my foot? Very soft, no scratchy feel of wool.
Will I feel any scratchy fibers that usually come along with wool? No.
Will I need a liner? So far I have not needed a liner.
Will the sock be too thick for my boots? Not at this time; but I have not needed a liner either.
With the varience in size, will the critical parts of the sock hit my foot at the proper areas? Yes.
How well does the wool/acrylic fabric breath? At this point in the testing period, very well.
How durable is the elastic throughout the sock? I will comment on this in my Long Term Report.
Does the cuff of the sock hold to my calf or do I have to constantly pull them up? The cuff of the socks stay at the base of my calf even after hiking all day.
Will the sock hold up to countless washing cycles? I will comment on this in my Long Term Report.
Will the sock draw up when dried in a dryer? If so, will it draw up smaller than my foot? So far they have shrank very little.
Is the toe and the heel of the sock reinforced for constant wear in that area? Yes.

Insulation:

While wearing these socks around without a shoe or boot on, will my feet stay warm? Yes, so far.
How well do they keep the cold air out? I will comment on this in my Long Term Report.
Will the wind or cold air make the moisture that was wicked away, cold and in turn make the sock cold? I will comment on this in my Long Term Report.
How well do they perform as a Winter sock? I will comment on this in my Long Term Report.

Wicking:

Will the ventilation panel work as well as the web site claims? So far, the ventilation panel works very well.
How well does the Ecopet technology wick away moisture? So far, the socks wick very well.
Will it wick fast enough to keep my feet dry? Yes, so far.

Thank you Teko and BGT for the opportunity to test these socks.

Reviews > Clothing > Socks > Teko Eco Merino Hiking Socks > Chuck Carnes > Field Report

Reviews > Clothing > Socks > Teko Eco Merino Hiking Socks > Chuck Carnes > Field Report