Name: Heather Oakes Palmer
Age: 28
Gender: Female
Height: 5'5" (1.68 m)
Weight: 140 lbs (64 kg)
Email address: alekto-at-yahoo.com
City, State, Country: Atlanta, GA, United States

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
URL: www.tekosocks.com
Sock Size: Medium
Color: Golden Green with Moon Mist, Sky with Moon Mist
Content: 58% Merino Wool, 25% Ecopoly™ Recycled Polyester, 14% nylon, 3% Lycra®
Year of Manufacture: 2005
MSRP: $16.95 US
Listed weight: no weight listed by manufacturer
Weight as delivered: 2.8 oz/pair (79.4 g)

Description from website: “High moisture transfer keeps feet dry, fast drying, and prevents blisters. 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 Impressions:

Not one but two pairs of socks arrived in a plain brown box. Double the socks for testing! The socks were wrapped in plastic and contained by their recycled brown paper hang tags. The tags list mostly the same information that is also available on the website, including: model, features and a sock diagram, mission-type statements, materials listing and further information on proprietary materials, size chart, and a mention of the Editors’ Choice Green 2005 award from Backpacker magazine. Washing instructions on the tag are identical to the website instructions: machine washable on warm inside-out, tumble dry on low, no iron or bleach.

The socks were not attached to the tags, so no cutting and on to the trying on! I first inspected the socks and took a look at all the bells and whistles such as the reinforced toe and heel, the side air vents, and the extra strong elastic cuff on the top. I really can’t tell what the air vents are as they merely look like little triangles sewn into the sides, but the reinforced heel and toe areas are obviously a different and thicker material. The seams all look really tight and the elastic double cuff looks air tight, and overall the sock looks solidly made. The inside of the socks remind me of a terry-cloth robe by both look and feel. While the outside of the sock feels smooth and well-made, the inside feels so soft and comfy I want to have a blanket made of it! The soft inside does not disappoint when I try on the socks. While wearing the socks for the first time I noticed that the cuff feels as tight as it looks, even leaving a little mark on my ankle from the elastic. The fit around the arch is snug but not tight, and the toe and especially the heel areas do seem to have a little extra fabric hanging over for me to figure out how to shove it all into the back of my shoe.

twocleansocks

Field Conditions:

I will test 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 plan on taking a week long trip to Arizona where I will both car-camp and backpack in various areas for 4 to 5 nights total. The plans have not been finalized but some of the kinds of environments we are looking at vary from riparian canyons, sub-alpine forests, and two different types of desert. The altitudes will range from 2600 – 9000+ ft (792-2743 m) with temperatures from the 20’s-90’s F (-6 - 32 C). I could run into ice or snow at higher elevations and will test the socks in those conditions as well.

Test Plan:

Technical stuff:
How well do they keep my feet dry when I perspire? How fast do they dry out in humid conditions? The socks are advertised as preventing blisters, do they really do this? Does the "interwoven Lycra for support and decreased bunching" deliver me from blisters and bizarre excess sock fabric hanging over the back of the shoe that can cause discomfort? Is there extra cushioning in the arch, and how well does it help support me?

Comfort/Fit:
Is it breathable? How does the fabric feel against my skin? Is the foot aroma better or worse than my current socks? Is the elastic at the top comfortable? How well do the `vents' really help my feet breathe? If it gets really cold, I may use liner socks so I would test how well they fit with them.

Durability:
How strong are the seams? How well made is the reinforced toe and heel? I would test how strong the elastic is; nobody wants quitters. What are the washing instructions? Can I put it in a machine or will it be washed by hand? Will washing cause strain on the seams? Will wash and wear cause them to expand or shrink? Will the colors run or fade in the wash? How easy will the fabric pull or pill after washings or close encounters with brush?

Read more reviews of Teko gear
Read more gear reviews by Heather Oakes

Initial Report

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