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Item Receipt:
For this test series Wilderness Wear have supplied three
pairs of the Kosciuszko sock in black. They also supplied a pair of
Wilderness Wear Merino Fleece "technical boot length sock." The focus
of this report and the test series is the Kosciuszko sock. What was I
expecting given my review of the product on the Wilderness Wear website? A
not too heavy boot length sock. What did I receive? A not too heavy boot
length sock. When I say not to heavy I am thinking a sock which is not a
full on winter sock, but rather one good for autumn and milder winters such
as I experience here in Western Australia. My first impressions of the sock
fit this thinking and is of a thickness I would purchase from an outdoor
retailer. So it is fair to say I have received a sock along the lines my
research suggested I would. That said, I did expect, given the photo on the
website (same as used in this report), a more externally pronounced toe
seam. I should have read the detail more carefully. The website does suggest
a flat toe seam and the sock does have one, so my impressions given the
photo have proven to be unfounded.
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First Impressions:
As I indicated above, my
impression of this sock is of a mid-range sock, one that I would be
comfortable wearing in my spring and autumn and summer as well if I plan on
doing any bushwalking. In the depth of my winter, I would more likely go
with a heavy sock. I am making these comments to try and put into context
the "weight" of the sock. On to the sock itself.
The sock on the outside, appears to be of fine weave, that
is it has a "polished" feel about it. The surface is smooth rather than
rough which one might experience with socks of a higher wool content. There
are no obvious externally pronounced seams. The sock has some elasticity (5%
Lycra) and a welt band at the top of the sock. Other features of the sock,
e.g., nylon reinforcing, air channel are not physically obvious.
I mentioned that there are no obvious externally
pronounced seams, however the toe seam, described on the website as being
flat is pronounced within the sock. Is this going to be an issue? Testing
will tell.
How do the socks feel on? These comments are based on
wearing the socks for a few hours in my New Balance 805 trail runners whilst
driving and geocaching on a warm summer's day (temperature peaked at 34 C
(93 F) ). The socks are within the size range I would normally purchase and
therefore I expected them to fit comfortably and they do. I find the
Kosciuszko socks fit firmly and comfortably. They come up approximately 150
mm (6 ") above the ankle. A nice comfortable length for me. The
aforementioned toe seam has not noticeable during this early wearing. I have
on this initial usage found no evidence of them shifting on my feet and I
did not find them hot or uncomfortable to wear.
Further testing should give me a better understanding of
how the socks function in varying conditions and footwear. Which leads me to
my testing strategy:
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Testing Strategy:
The primary focus of my testing over the next four months
will focus on:
- The comfort of the socks when worn in my trail runners and
when worn in my boots and the same in varying weather conditions;
- Durability of the socks, particularly in the high wear areas of
the heel and toes;
- Extent of support provided by the socks and the extent of any slippage;
- Smell management; and
- Subject to weather, how they go in wet weather walking conditions.
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