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Wilderness Wear Kosciuszko Socks
Long Term Report April 30, 2006
Tester's Information
Name: Liz Neely
Age: 37
Gender: Female
Height: 5 ft 8 in (1.73 m)
Weight: 145 lb (65.8 kg)
Email address: liz at armory dot com
Location: Santa Cruz, CA, USA
Tester's Background:
I've been day hiking for many years, and started backpacking in 2005.
My hiking and backpacking has been primarily in the San Francisco Bay
Area of California, on designated trails, with occasional stream
crossings. I've been on six weekend backpacking trips, all in state
and national parks in the San Francisco Bay area. The temperatures I
encounter range from 25 F (4 C) to 75 F (24 C), the elevations are
between sea level and 3500 ft (1067 m), and my pack weight is between
30 to 35 lbs (13.6 to 15.9 kg).
Product Information:
Manufacturer: Wilderness Wear
Year of Manufacture: 2005
URL: http://www.wildernesswear.com.au/
Materials: 80% Australian Pure Merino Wool, 15% Nylon, 5% Lycra
Listed Weight: not listed
Measured Weight (size 7-11 Aust & UK; 8-13 US)*: 4.5 oz (127.6 gm)
* The
packaging and website do not mention whether these sizes are men's or
women's, but, based on fit, my guess is that these are men's sizes.
Available Colors: Black, Blue, Bone, Brunswick Green, Burgundy,
Cappuccino, Cherry, Cobalt, Eggplant, Electric Pink, Ensign Blue, Gold,
Graphite, Grey Marle, Gun Metal, Jade, Lilac, Magenta, Natural, Navy,
Oatmeal Fleck, Purple, Red
MSRP: 18.95 AUD (14.08 USD based on
exchange rate on March 7th, 2006)
Care: Turn socks inside out, machine wash warm, do not bleach, do not
tumble dry
Product Description:
These socks are Boot Length Socks made primarily of Merino wool, with a
small amount of nylon and Lycra for durability and stretch-ability.
These socks are heavy-duty outdoor socks, ideal for hiking and
backpacking.
Here are the features the manufacturer highlights on their website:
- Flat toe seam
- Y Gore seam keeps the heel in place
- Nylon reinforced high abrasion areas
- Full Terry cushioning
- Ventilation zones
- Lycra in the ankle and arch areas for support
- Forward flex support
- Double welt band at the top reduces calf
These are some additional features that were advertised on the
packaging the socks were in:
- Fully reinforced heel and toe provide increased durability and
wear
- Ribbed arch for maximum support and stability
- High density cushioning for extra comfort and protection
- Heavy wicking action draws moisture way from the foot and
prevents rubbing and odor
Initial Impression:
To read about my initial impression of these socks, before field
testing, please read my Initial
Review.
Impression after two months of use:
To read about my impression of these socks after two months of field
testing, please read my Field
Report.
Field Information during four month test period:
In addition to the uses of these socks described in my Field Report, I
have worn these socks on three ski trips, one backpacking trip, and a
few more days at work.
On the ski trips, the elevations were between 6230 to 9400 ft (1899 to
2865 m) and the temperatures were between 25 to 32 F (-4 to 0 C). On
the backpacking trip, the elevations were between 1150 to 2600 ft (351
to 792 m) and the temperatures were between 45 to 68 F (7 to 20 C).
Over the course of the full four month test period, I have worn these
socks
for approximately 80 mi (129 km) of backpacking, hiking, and
walking, plus three full days of downhill skiing. The 80 miles (129
km) includes 52 mi (84 km) of
backpacking carrying a 30-36 pound pack, 19 mi (31 km)
of day
hikes carrying minimal weight, and 9 mi (14 km) of short
walks on city
streets and sidewalks. I have worn them in weather varying from sunny
to heavy rain to snow, temperatures ranging from 25 to 70 F (-4 to 21
C),
and elevations ranging
from sea level to 9400 ft (2865 m).
Overall Feelings About These Socks:
Comfort/Fit:
One situation I had not tested these socks in until my most recent
backpacking trip was hiking in them while wet. On my most recent
backpacking trip, I spent two days hiking in these socks while they
were completely wet. Even while soaking wet, they remained very
comfortable. They still provided enough padding to keep my feet
comfortable while carrying a heavy pack, and they still kept my feet
warm. I did not get any blisters or sore spots during the first day on
which I wore them completely wet for the entire day, which was
approximately nine and a half hours of backpacking. On the third day of
this backpacking trip, I spent about half the day in these socks
entirely wet, walking through water for several hours. I feel that
these socks performed as well wet as dry, however, I must mention that
I did find two worn spots on my feet at the end of this day. My feeling
is that these spots were due to my skin being so soft after four days
of hiking in wet boots, and were not related to the performance of
these socks.
In addition to my opinion that these socks perform well when wet, my
impressions about the comfort and fit of these socks remain as I
reported in my Field Report; they are ideal for me in temperatures from
30 to 55 F (-1 to 13 C), there is no problem with itchiness, and, while
they are not snug, they fit well and do not fall down or slip around.
Durability:
These socks have now been machine washed 13 times, and hand washed a
few times. They have not shrunk or faded at all, and the only wear they
are showing is the pilling noted in my Field Report. The pilling now
looks about the same as it looked in the photo included in my Field
Report; it does not appear to have gotten any worse, and has not
affected the performance of the socks at all. Additionally, none of the
stitching or fabric on the socks is showing any signs of wearing out or
breaking down. I feel that these are very durable socks.
Convenience:
In my Field Report, I commented that these socks took a very long time
to air-dry in my humid environment. During the long term test period, I
had the chance to air dry them during a day when the humidity was
slightly less humid, and I found that they did dry faster. The outside
humidity was 55 percent, and while I don't have a way to measure my
indoor humidity, I would guess that is was similar. I found that in
this lower
humidity, the socks dried in about one day, hanging outdoors for
several hours, and indoors the remainder of the time period.
I also had the opportunity to try washing and drying them during my
most recent backpacking trip. I washed them in the morning, then hung
them off the back of my pack to dry while I hiked. I found that this
worked fairly well, and at the end of the day, they were only slightly
damp, certainly dry enough to wear the next day. I believe that washing
them on the trail is something that will work for me at any time of
year other than winter, when the temperatures are too cold and the air
too wet to allow them to dry in one day.
Conclusion:
I would recommend these socks for someone looking for
durable, comfortable, well padded socks for use in cool temperatures,
or for someone looking for socks that perform well when wet. I would
not recommend these socks for use in warm temperatures because they do
tend to make my feet hot when it's warm outside.
Thanks to BackpackGearTest.org
and Wilderness Wear for giving me the
opportunity
to test these socks.
Read more reviews of Wilderness Wear gear
Read more gear reviews by Liz Neely
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