Name: Bob Sanders
Age: 48
Gender: Male
Height: 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)
Weight: 190 lb (81.6 kg)
Shoe Size: 11 U.S. 44.5 European
Email: sherpabob(at)mac(dot)com
City: Boulder, Colorado USA

Backpacking Background: I went on my first backpacking trip as a Boy Scout at the age of 16. Over the years I have hiked the Wonderland Trail in Washington and section hiked parts of the Florida Trail and the Appalachian Trail. In 2003 during a seven week period I hiked 740 mi (1191 km) of the Pacific Crest Trail. Best vacation I ever took. I continue to backpack and hike year round in the Colorado mountains. I have evolved from a heavyweight backpacker to a lightweight backpacker. My three day summer solo adventures (using a hammock) have me hovering around a 12 lb (6.8 kg) base weight.

PRODUCT DESCRIPTION

Manufacturer: Wilderness Wear
Year of Manufacture: 2005
Manufacturer Website: www.wildernesswear.com.au
Size: Fits Shoe Size (Aus & UK 7-11) (US 8-13)
Listed Weight: Unavailable
Measured Weight: 4.25 oz (120 g) per pair
Color: Black
MSRP: AU $18.95 (US $14.28)

Manufacturer's Specs (from website):
Australia’s best selling and most sought after technical outdoor performance sock. Made from Australian Pure Merino Wool (80% content), Nylon (15%) and Lycra (5%), “Y” Gore line seam in the heel held together with Lycra around the foot to keep the sock comfortably in place. The double welt band at the top reduces calf pressure and helps ensure leg comfort. The heel, toe and sole areas have full terry cushioning, with extra Nylon in the heel and toe for strength and reinforcement.

In my Initial Report I discussed my out-of-the-box impressions and a detailed description of these socks. In my Field Report I discussed and evaluated the field performance over the first 2 months of use. In this report I will discuss and evaluate the field performance over the past 2 months.

LONG TERM REPORT

Testing locations and conditions: I have continued to use these socks on almost a daily basis in and around Boulder, Colorado. Temperatures have been between 80° and 30 ° F (27° and 1 ° C) and elevations between 5000 and 9000 ft (1524 and 2743 m). I have used these socks to climb Mt Sanitas (numerous times), Green Mountain, Boulder Peak and on trails in Rocky Mountain National Park. I have also worn these socks on two backpacking trips. One in the Indian Peaks Wilderness Area and one in the Rocky Mountain National Park.

Between walking the dog, daily fitness walks, weekend hikes in the mountains and two backpacking trips I have put a lot of mileage on these socks.

Sizing/Comfort and Durability: Even after all the mileage the socks still fit my feet. They only become a little loose after wearing them for several consecutive days while backpacking. But after a good cleaning and air drying they do shrink back to a snug fit.

These socks continue to be soft and itch-free for all day wear. I would classify these socks as midweight. Being a midweight sock I would not wear these socks in temperatures above 70° F (21° C). Just too warm. For me wearing a sock that is too warm just means excessive moisture (sweat). Excessive moisture eventually increases the possibility of blisters. When my feet are dry I am usually blister free.

I am very pleased with the durability of these socks. Of the three pair I have been testing none of them have any worn spots and no unraveling.

CONCLUSION

Pluses: Overall I have been very pleased with these socks. Good fit, cushioning, durability and warmth. They have an excellent low stink factor even after wearing them for several consecutive days. Moisture is good as long as the weather is not too hot. For me this is an excellent late fall to early spring sock. I would not wear them during the warmer summer months.

Minuses: They pill excessively. To be fair, pilling in no way effects the performance of these socks, only the appearance. My experience is that all socks develop some pilling over time. These socks started pilling since day one. I have been overly sensitive of this because of the color of the socks I was sent to test. Black is not a color I would have chosen as a backpacking sock. In my opinion a lighter more neutral colored (gray heather) sock would have made the pilling less obvious.

I would like to thank both BackpackerGearTest and Wilderness Wear for the opportunity to test these fine socks.

Read more reviews of Wilderness Wear gear
Read more gear reviews by Bob Sanders

Long Term Report

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