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 80 F (-2 C to 21 C)

Activities:
    Day hikes and weekend hiking/camping trips
    Fishing
    Jogging
    Work
    Geocaching

Other test issues:
I have worn these socks with a wide variety of shoes and boots while participating in a lot of different activities. They are comfortable and provide my foot with the padding that I require, but I have decided that I much prefer them while wearing a liner sock of some sort. Without the liner sock, I tend to suffer from sweaty feet as the temperatures rise. This makes any sock/shoe combination uncomfortable for me, but I find it especially noticeable with the Thorlo Light Hikers.   With a liner sock though, there is no sweaty feet problem and I really like these socks. I originally thought that they were going to be too tight on my feet to allow the use of a liner, but I managed to use several thicknesses of liner socks with the Thorlo Light Hikers with equal success.

The Thorlo Light Hikers have proven durable over the test period despite what I consider above average use for a pair of my hiking socks. No snags, tears, broken elastic or permanent odors have appeared so far. As with any sock, they get stinky from prolonged wear, but washing takes care of this issue. Since the washing instructions include directions to use fabric softener on the socks (which I did), I think this helps keep any permanent stink at bay with these socks.

One last test item that I finally got to check on was how well the Thorlo Light Hikers air dry. If wet from washing or puddle hopping the Light Hikers can be wrung out by hand and they get almost dry over night. The conditions of the drying were not usually that important. I dried them inside and outside in temperatures from 60 F to 65 F (15 C to 18 C) with the same results. The "almost" dry is not a problem for me since I have never owned a pair of hiking socks that dry completely overnight. The important part is that they are dry enough to wear in the morning with liner socks without irritating my feet.

Final thoughts:
As far as hiking socks go, I really like the Thorlo Light Hikers for low impact hiking. Things like day hiking and geocaching where I am not carrying a heavy pack seem like the perfect match for these socks. For heavier loads and longer trips I still prefer a heavier sock, but for what I do in the spring, summer, and fall in Texas, this a great hiking sock. Without a liner I would recommend this sock for cooler temperatures (75 F or lower (24 C)), but with a liner I like this sock all the way up to the mid 80's F (mid 20's C).

They hold up well, fit well, and do just what I would expect of Thorlo socks. There were no surprises good or bad with this test. The Thorlo Light Hikers are dependable and well constructed which is just what I have always expected from Thorlos. Last, but not least I do like the rating system which Thorlo uses with the Light Hikers. It makes it much more clear about just what activities a sock is designed for, especially in the case of the Light Hikers, and makes choosing the right sock easier.

I would recommend this sock to anyone who needs a well constructed sock for light hiking activities in any season.

Read more reviews of Thorlo gear
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