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Reviews > Clothing > Socks > Teko Eco Merino Light Hiking Socks > Heather Oakes Palmer > Field ReportField Report Teko EcoMerino Light Hiking Socks December 6, 2005 Tester Info:
Name: Heather Oakes Palmer Backpacking Background: I consider myself an intermediate hiker and beginning backpacker for over five years; my longest backpacking trip being only three nights. Day hiking and weekend backpacking comprise most of my weekend warrior experience averaging one backpacking trip per month and two day hikes per month averaging between 10-15 miles (16.1- 24.2 km) per day. I tend to backpack in warm, humid climates, with a good amount of hiking in the southern Appalachian Mountains and I have rarely hiked in below freezing or snowy conditions yet. I am a lightweight backpacker and buy my gear accordingly, often splitting various objects and amounts of weight with my husband. Shoe Size: Between US 8-9.5. Product Information:
Manufacturer: Teko
Field Conditions: I am testing the socks during daily city travel, day hikes, car camping, and overnight backpacking trips primarily in the Georgia and North Carolina Mountains. I also wear socks while I sleep outdoors because my feet are like icicles at night. The average elevations I will be hiking in range from 2000 – 5500 ft (610-1676 m) and late summer/fall weather will fluctuate wildly with temperatures from the 50’s- high 90’s F (10- 32 C) during the day, and maybe as low as 40 F (4 C) at night up in the higher elevations. Winter weather can host ideal hypothermia conditions as the temperatures can drop to the 20’s F (-6 C) overnight, and I could see rain, ice, and mini snow flurries in one day. In October, I spent a week in Southern Arizona car-camping, backpacking, day hiking, and city walking. The kinds of environments varied from a riparian canyon, sub-alpine forests, and middle Sonoran desert. The altitudes ranged from about 2600 – 6200+ ft (792- 1890 m) with night temperatures from the mid 30’s- low 50’s F (-1.7- 10 C). Report: During the Field Report phase of my testing I have worn both pairs of socks with Teva Steep XCR trail shoes, Montrail Hurricane Ridge XCR trail shoes, short pants, long pants, and gaiters. I have not needed to use liner socks as my feet have not been cold enough yet. I have used the socks for backpacking trips, day hiking, city walking, and while sleeping in my bag. Comfort/Fit: After having tried three different ‘hiking socks’, I can easily say that the Teko EcoMerino Light Hiking socks are the most comfy hiking sock I have ever used. The fuzzy looking insides are as comfortable as they look, the socks are just the right size for the toe area, and even the elastic at the top is snug enough to leave red marks but is still not uncomfortable. The socks appear to be thicker than the socks I previously wore, but my feet have not felt cramped in either trail shoe. Due to the "interwoven Lycra for support and decreased bunching" the socks fit snugly around the toes, arches, and calves and feel awkward if not in the correct position. The socks are not as snug in the heel area, having a little leftover fabric to shift either below the heel or above the back of the shoe. I have not had blisters or sore, red, kinda-blisters. The extra cushioning in the arch has done as advertised, I can feel the little extra comfort when my arches should be screaming after a long hike but instead they are only mildly disgruntled. Technical stuff: Years ago as a new hiker, I made the mistake of not only hiking in Florida in July but I also wore thick cotton socks, since then the most important quality in hiking socks for me is the dryness factor. I need socks that breathe, keep my feet fairly dry, and dry quickly once damp. On our vacation in Tucson and while visiting family in St. Augustine, my husband and I have taken quite a few historic walks (bars can be historic right?) ranging from 3 -10 miles (4.8-16.1 km) a day. While Tucson was hot and dry and St. Augustine was cool and wet, during all city walking my feet remained dry with only the slightest dampness on the socks upon removal even with the light drizzle in St. Augustine. At the end of a 16.2 mi (26 km) backpacking trip in Arizona on which we carried 7 liters (1.85 gal) of water in addition to our gear and had a 4000ft (1219 m) elevation change, I ripped the socks off in the car and discovered dry feet, no blisters, and drier socks than I had expected. In arid climates the socks have stayed very dry, so the real tests were a series of day hikes in Sweetwater Creek State Park. Sweetwater Creek has trails from 1.5-12 miles (2.42-19.3 km) near the Atlanta area. The trails mostly follow or are near the creek making for very humid hikes. After a full 12 mi (19.3 km) hike in early October with the temperature around 85F (29.4 C) with about 50% humidity my feet were a little clammy at the end and the socks were slightly damp. The socks did not feel damp until I took off my shoes, took the socks off and poked at them. On another 12 mi (19.3 km) hike in the same area in late November the temperature at the beginning of the hike was 38F (3.3 C) and it only rose to the mid-40’s (7.2 C) by afternoon. The afternoon also brought a light rain which dampened the socks, but again I did not feel wet or damp in the socks until I took them off. In Arizona, everything dries quickly: socks, shoes, skin, hair. While the testing period missed the super-humid season in Georgia, other times of year are still humid enough to get an idea of how fast something will dry out once wet. When the socks were slightly damp from hiking it would take a short while to dry, about an hour or two. A full immersion from a creek I decided to walk across kept the socks wet for hours. The next day they were still damp. I took them out of the dryer early once and the Teko socks took longer to dry than the other hiking socks I own. The Teko socks may not be the fastest-drying socks, but I will say that I can wear them comfortably when not fully dry. Other socks, when worn wet, usually cause blisters at worst and a general sticky feeling at best. I will briefly mention that these socks seem to smell less frightening than my prior experience with hiking socks. I judge this not only from my sense of smell but I also noticed that my cat will actually go near these socks, unlike my other hiking socks. Perhaps the sheep wool keeps bad scents at bay naturally, I've never used wool before so that could be true, because it is not due to less sweating or better smelling sweat on my part. Durability: Use has not altered the fit of the socks so far. No loss of elasticity or wear in the reinforced areas. The seams are still very tight after use and washing. Both pairs of socks have been washed at least twice in the delicate cycle, the green pair having a couple more washings due to increased use. The colors have not run and the elastic and reinforced areas have not shrunk or warped in any weird way. The socks have stayed pretty intact and would be undamaged in every way of not for the evil Velcro, and thorny vines that have conspired to snag the socks. The second day hike, the socks got a little pull on thorny vines. In Arizona I managed to usually avoid cactus but the evil Velcro of the gaiters I wore to keep me from said cacti, caused another snag in the socks. Velcro was also responsible for a preemptive strike against the socks while in the dryer. I’m not thrilled about how easily the fabric pills or snags, but the rest of the socks’ features are solid and durable. Likes:
Reviews > Clothing > Socks > Teko Eco Merino Light Hiking Socks > Heather Oakes Palmer > Field Report | |||
