Thomas Vickers
37 years old
Male
5 feet 11 inches tall (1.8 meters)
170 lb (77 kg)
redroach@pobox.com
Southeast Texas, Houston Area

Tester Background:
I grew up in the piney woods of Southeast Texas. Camping was a quick trip into the mosquito-infested woods behind the house. My style has evolved and over the last 4 or 5 years, I have begun to take a lighter weight approach to hiking gear (I still use sleeping bags and tents, just lighter versions). While I have flirted with lightweight hiking, I feel that I am more of a mid-weight hiker now. My philosophy is one of comfort, while carrying the lightest load possible

Details from Manufacturer:

Website: http://www.thorlos.com
Weight: NA
MSRP: NA
Sizes available: 11, 13, 15 ( US Shoe size: 5.5 -15/ EU shoe sizes: 38.5-50)
Colors available: Walnut Heather, Black heather, Everglade Heather, Navy Heather
Fiber content: 52% CoolMax®, 26% THOR·LON® Acrylic, 14% stretch nylon, 5% spandex, 3% cotton
Thorlo protection level: 2
Special features:
Lightweight padding in the heel and ball protect the foot from shear and impact forces and helps to prevent painful blisters.

Lace pad protects the top of foot against boot lace pressure.

Spandex and low density padding in the arch create a snug fit.

Ventilation panel to improve fit and wicking.

Details According to Tester:
Sock size: 13 (Large)
Sock color: Black Heather
Shoe size: US 10.5
Single sock weight: 1.85 oz (52 g)
Pair of socks weight: 3.70 oz (105 g)
Style: Crew

Location:
South East Texas

Conditions:
    Humidity – A minimum of approximately 60% humidity so far.
    Rain – Everything from mist to pouring rain, including snow.
    Wind – Dead calm to breezy.
    Temperatures: 28 F to 70 F (-2 C to 21 C)

Activities:
    Day hikes and weekend hiking/camping trips
    Fishing on Lake Conroe
    Jogging
    Work

Testing:
At the beginning of this test I was a bit worried that the Thorlo Light Hikers were not going to be a good match for me. When I hike (dayhiking or long distance) I wear a heavy Thorlo Coolmax liner and a much heavier Thorlo hiking sock. This means that my boots tend to be a size or so larger than normal in order to accommodate my feet and the socks. It was so much of a concern that for the first couple of weeks I refused to try them on with my boots. I knew there was failure in the air.

This meant that I spent a lot of time in these socks while wearing my athletic shoes and my the lace up shoes that I wear to work. Thorlo socks have long been a staple in my wardrobe because they provide support and padding to my feet. Being a teacher means that I am on my feet for long hours and the last thing I want is to have sore or tired feet at the end of a day. My normal Thorlo hiking socks are too thick to wear with my work shoes though. This is not the case for the Thorlo Light Hikers. They are much lower bulk than other hiking socks and they provide me with the padding and support that I crave. They are not too slippery (a problem with some Coolmax based socks I have tried) and they do not crowd my feet in my shoes. Needless to say, this has led to me wearing them to work at least one day a week, sometimes more if the smell stays at a low ebb.

The Thorlo Light Hikers also are extremely comfortable in my athletic shoes. Once again the low bulk factor of these socks make them a perfect match for these shoes. I have tried a variety of activities with this shoe/sock combo and I really like it. Of course there is one little problem that seems have cropped up, but it isn't too serious.

When wearing the socks in warmer weather (above 65 F (18 C)) my feet sweat much more than is normal. If I am active it seems as if my feet are in a sauna. If I am sitting still, there is still a 'humid' feel to my feet. I am not sure if this is due to the fabric or the cut of the sock, but it does make me uncomfortable to have moist feet.

If the temperatures stay below 65 F (18 C), I don't seem to have this foot sweat issue. I am going to compare the fiber content of this sock to others that I use to see if the fabric makeup is really the issue. The only other thing I can think of is that the sock is cut/sewn in such a configuration that it hugs my feet tighter than I am used too.

One thing that I noticed from the first time I tried the Thorlo Light Hikers was that the fit was very snug. It was tight enough for me to check what size socks I received before I put on the second sock. I discovered that I had the correct size for my feet, but these socks were tight. At this point in the test I have not tried to wear a liner sock with them, but due to the fit it is something I have to find out about. I am intrigued with this part of the test because my opinions about using a liner of some sort are very strong and I am not sure if the Thorlo Light Hikers are going to allow me this option.

I have finally taken a few day hikes with these socks and my hiking boots. My concern that these socks wouldn't properly "fill up" my boots was finally put to rest. The socks are just bulky enough to fill out my boots and there was no slippage of the boots on my feet. I still suffered through the hot feet sauna syndrome when the air temperatures were warmer and at this point I am starting to believe that these socks are best suited for temperatures below 65 F (18 C).

The longest time period I have worn these socks was three days in a row of light hiking and camping. I am not sure if "sour" is the best way to describe the odor. Now this is not a big surprise since my liner socks often smell the same way, but not something I am used to with my hiking socks.   The best news was that after washing them, the smell was gone. Since the weather forced me to wear them as I slept, I don't' know if the odor would vanish during the night if the socks were hung to air out. Hopefully I can explore this option as the testing continues.

I have been happy so far with the Thorlo Light Hikers, but I do have some concern about their performance in warmer weather. They have been comfortable for the most part and I also like the color that I received. There are still a few things I wish to investigate and I will address them in my next report.

Questions left to address:

1. How well do they work with liner socks? Do I even need liner socks ?

2. How well do they work without liner socks?

3. When wet, do they dry quickly?

4. Will they keep my feet warm in cool weather and cool in warmer weather?

Read more reviews of Thorlo gear
Read more gear reviews by Thomas Vickers

Field Report

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