Reviews > Clothing > Socks > Thorlo Level 2 Coolmax Trail Runner > Jennifer Williams > Long Term Report

Long Term Report: Thorlo Coolmax Trail Runner Socks - Protection Level 2

TESTER BIO
Name: Jennifer Williams
Age: 27
Gender: Female
Height: 5 ft 3 in (1.6 m)
Weight: 120 lbs (56 kg)
Shoe size: 10 women (US)
Email: jensmail78 (at) yahoo (dot) com
Sunnyvale, CA, USA
Date: March 6, 2005

Backpacking Background:
I grew up horseback riding, camping, and hiking, but I just started backpacking about two years ago. All of my trips have been one or two night stays. My trips normally range from coastal trails in the redwoods to mountainous terrain in the Sierra Nevada. I tend to hike where I encounter rain and dampness. This year I am looking forward to making some longer trips in northern California and gaining more experience. I am not a lightweight backpacker yet, but would like to reduce my current pack weight significantly.

PRODUCT INFORMATION
Manufacturer: Thorlo
Year of manufacture: 2005
URL: www.thorlo.com
Weight as delivered: 1.25 oz each (35g)
Size: medium (US Women 6.5-10 or US Men 5.5-8.5)
Style: Mini Crew
Color: Walnut Heather
Materials: 56% Coolmax, 26% THOR*LON Acrylic, 14% Nylon, 4% Spandex
MSRP: $11.99 (US)

Please see my Initial Report for a more detailed product description, or my Field Report for additional testing comments.

FIELD INFORMATION

Central and Northern California Coasts:
I wore the Thorlos on multiple day hikes in Big Basin State Park, San Pedro Valley County Park, and Muir Woods National Monument ranging in elevations from sea level to 2000 ft (sea level to 600 m). The trails covered a variety of terrain including maintained trails of packed dirt, loose rock, and a bit of mud. Temperatures for the first hike in January were around 65 F (18 C) and the weather was sunny and slightly breezy. The other hikes were in February during a very warm, sunny period (apparently winter was on a break) and the temperatures were between 70 and 80 F (21 to 27 C). All of the hikes were between 4 to 7 miles (6 to 11 km). On all hikes I carried a small daypack weighing about 5 lbs (2.3 kg).

I have continued to wear the socks almost exclusively in a pair of Teva Steep XCRs, which are waterproof, low-cut trail shoes. I also used the socks in my running shoes while jogging or while at the gym.

LONG TERM TEST:

During the long term testing phase I ended up encountering warmer weather instead of colder weather. I continued to use the Thorlos Coolmax Trail Runner Socks for moderately high paced activities like day hiking and high paced activities like trail running and jogging. Overall, the socks performed equally well on all of the hikes, regardless of terrain or weather. The only difference that I noticed was that my feet felt a bit hotter in the warmer weather and when trail running, but that is to be expected. The trail shoes that I typically wore are a bit warmer anyway, since they are waterproof and not as breathable as my running shoes. Thus, on warmer days my feet felt a bit hot and a little sweatier than on cooler days. However, I don't think the extra heat in my shoes was above normal given the warm temperatures. Despite feeling a little hot, my feet did not develop any specific sore spots or blisters, and they cooled off quickly once I slowed my pace. Again, I did not notice the socks providing much support or particularly preventing fatigue.

I also used the socks during various non-hiking activities such as jogging, tennis, and weight training. I enjoyed wearing the Thorlos Coolmax Trail Runner Socks for these activities compared to the typical cotton athletics socks I normally wear. These socks provided just a bit of extra cushioning and dried much faster than the cotton socks. They did feel a little warmer during these activities and I might not be inclined to wear them if temperatures were much higher than 85 F (29 C). During the more high impact activities like jogging, tennis, and trail running, the socks continued to slip down the backs of my heels as they had started to do during the field test phase, and tightening my shoes didn't help much. The slipping was not severe and the socks did not bunch up in my shoes. It was more of an annoyance than a restriction, but the annoyance did distract me from my exercise at times.

The socks have not developed any worn areas or holes and seem very durable. They seem to be in great shape after many washings. I have washed them both inside out (recommended by Thorlos) and outside out (recommended by lazy tester) with equivalent results. The socks seemed to be equally "fluffy" regardless of how they were washed.

SUMMARY:

Overall the Thorlos Coolmax Trail Runner Socks have continued to perform well and I like how well they seem to manage moisture when my feet get sweaty. They are very durable for high-paced activities and seem versatile enough to use for gym workouts as well as hiking. I prefer them to my typical cotton athletic socks and they are a nice light version of my thicker hiking socks. I plan to continue to use them for light day hiking, and for occasional trail running and gym workouts when the weather is not too hot. However, I would like to see the socks with a slightly tighter cuff to prevent slipping at the heel.

Likes:
*Beathable
*Quick drying

Dislikes:
*Slippage at the backs of heels during high paced activities

Thanks to Thorlos and BackpackGeatTest.org for the opportunity to test this gear.

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Reviews > Clothing > Socks > Thorlo Level 2 Coolmax Trail Runner > Jennifer Williams > Long Term Report