How the tests were conducted:
I wore the Sport Socks every day or every other day for six weeks during my daily lunchtime walk. The walk averages 3-4 miles (4.8 - 6.4 km) depending on time and weather, and I can usually get out every work day. I wore the socks with a pair of light trail running shoes (Salomon XA Comp), which are my regular hiking shoes, along with running shorts and a t-shirt. The socks were laundered on weekends, then put back in my gym bag for the week.

I also wore the socks on two long dayhikes and a weekend backpacking trip in the Mt. Rogers area in southwest Virginia. On the dayhikes, I alternated the Sport Socks with several other pairs, and on the backpacking trip, I just wore them for one full hiking day.

When the temperatures were in the 60's F (15-20 C) or lower, the socks were much more comfortable. I took several local walks with temps around 68 F (20 C), and I didn't notice the socks at all (which is the highest praise, really). On my weekend backpacking trip, I awoke one morning with temps in the low 50's F (11 C), and I was very glad to have these tall, warm, soft socks to pull on. I then wore the socks all day during a 10 mile hike, with temps reaching about 65 F (18 C), and again, the socks were comfortable the entire day.

The Sport Socks handled moisture well. After local warm-weather hikes, I noticed that they were damp with perspiration, but that they dried quickly on my feet once I stopped walking and removed my shoes. These socks were noticeably less damp after walking (and dried faster when done) than my usual sock, the Thorlo Light Hiker.

I tested the Sport Socks by stepping in puddles and walking in the rain, allowing large amounts of water to enter my mostly-mesh trail runners. Of course, the socks were immediately soaked. But they were still comfortable for walking, and my feet felt warm again within a few minutes. After this sort of soaking, the socks were able to dry while I was hiking within a couple of hours.

It's a good thing that I like to wear tall socks pushed down around my ankles, because the Sport Socks would be there anyway. The thin band of ribbing at the very top of the sock gets stretched out quickly, and the socks fall down on their own. I would like to say that my large calf muscles are the culprit, inordinately stretching the socks, but no one who met me would believe that. It's more likely that the ribbed area is too small to hold up the weight of these large socks. In comparison, a pair of calf-height Thorlo Light Hikers has more than 5 inches (13 cm) of ribbing at the top of the sock, and I have never had them fall down on their own.

I tested the socks with several pairs of gaiters. My normal gaiters are low-cut, stretchy gaiters that wrap around my ankle. With the Sport Socks pushed down, the gaiters covered the socks, but there was some bunching and it was occasionally difficult to get everything inside the gaiter. I also tried a pair of tall Gore-Tex gaiters, and the socks fit well. I didn't wear the tall gaiters long enough to test any problems with the socks falling down inside.

The Sport Socks have proven durable so far. The initial laundering caused the socks to shrink about 10 percent, which actually improved their fit. The socks show no evidence of thin spots or pilling.

Because I perspire a lot, the issue of odor is important when I choose hiking clothes. The Sport Socks have been essentially odor-free during this test. While wearing them every day or every other day during my lunchtime walks, the socks were laundered only once a week. I didn't notice any odor problems even during warmer weather. When the socks were soaked through by rain, they did give off some "wet sheep" odor for a few hours while drying, but it wasn't objectionable.