I recommend Merino wool socks rather than cotton or synthetic socks for field use. Merino wool provides better moisture control, better insulation when wet, and better odor-resistance than cotton or synthetics.
I recently had the opportunity to test four pair of Camel City Mill Ironside Merino Wool Work Socks. They proved to be excellent. The socks were comfortable, durable, warm, they breathed-well, and were order-resistant.
Camel City Mill is one of a half dozen or so American companies that sell outstanding Merino wool socks that are made in the U.S.A. When so much manufacturing has been moved overseas, it is great to know that some of the world’s best Merino wool socks are being made in the United States.
At the time of this writing Camel City Mill socks cost $26.99 per pair for over the calf socks, $25.99 for boot length, $23.99 for crew length, and $21.99 for ankle length at camelcitymill.com . Those prices represent a good value for high-quality, American-made, Merino wool socks.
Background
Those who read my reviews on a regular basis may have noticed that I write about socks and gloves on fairly often. Socks and gloves may not seems as exciting as items like firearms and knives, but they are just as important to success in the field. If mobility is hindered by blisters or frozen toes, you may not be able to get where you need to go. If dexterity is hindered by blisters or frozen fingers, you may not be able to do what you need to do when you get there. The ability to function effectively in the field is highly dependent upon well-cared-for feet and hands.
I was not previously familiar with Camel City Mill. When I ran across the company online, I was interested to see another company selling American-made Merino wool socks. I contacted them to see if they could provide me with a sample for testing and evaluation. They provided much more than I asked for. They provided me with four pair of socks in all: one pair of boot length socks in black, one pair of boot length socks in grey, one pair of crew length socks in black, and one pair of crew length socks in grey.
First Impressions
The socks arrived via USPS Ground Advantage in a black plastic envelope that measured approximately 11 X 8 x 2.5 inches. The envelope contained four pairs of socks and a packing list.
Each of the four pairs of socks came in a cardboard sleeve that was imprinted with helpful information.
All four pairs of socks were identified as “Lightweight.” I generally recommend lightweight socks for field use. Lightweight socks tend to breathe better, wick moisture better, and stay comfortable longer under extended wear. If extra insulation is needed, two pairs of lightweight socks can be worn rather than a single pair of heavyweight socks. If less insulation is needed, wearing just one heavyweight sock is not a viable solution. The socks are made of 54% Merino wool, 42% Nylon, and 4% Spandex. That is within the range of the ideal wool/synthetic fiber mix. If the blend is less than 50% Merino wool, it tends to sacrifice some insulating value and odor-resistance. If the blend is more than 65% or so Merino wool, it tends to sacrifice some durability and elasticity.
The washing instructions imprinted on the cardboard sleeves recommend machine washing cold and hanging dry. My wife, “Kari”, repeatedly used the warm setting on the washing machine and partly dried the socks in the tumble dryer. Over more than a month of regular washing, this produced no noticeable ill effects.
I like the simple, utilitarian design of the socks, without the extraneous patterns and colors which so often characterize socks designed for sporting use. These work socks are designed to appeal to users who are more concerned with function than with frou-frou.
The socks are made in North Carolina. They have a 10-year durability warranty. If they develop a hole during that period, you can ship them back to Camel City Mill and receive a new pair for free.
My Testing
I began my testing with the grey crew socks. I wore them every day for eight days in a row. I did this because extended wear sometimes becomes necessary during field use. If you need to wear a pair of socks for eight days in a row, it is good to know how they hold up under those conditions.
The socks remained comfortable and odor free throughout the initial testing period. Finally on the eighth day, I wore them under a pair of moccasin slippers when I went outside on a rainy day. Moisture soaked through the sole of the slippers and into the socks. I decided that it was time for a change.
Next I tried the grey boot socks. I wore them every day for four days in a row. They also remained comfortable and odor free throughout the testing period. On the fourth day, I stepped in a puddle of water on the basement floor, so I threw the socks in the laundry.
The black crew socks were the next in line for testing. I wore them every day for five days in a row. The fifth day was Thanksgiving Day. Our children and grandchildren came over for dinner. The grandchildren tracked a lot of snow into the entryway when they arrived. After the snow melted, I accidentally stepped into a puddle of water when I went to put on my hiking shoes to walk the dog and stoke the outdoor wood boiler. So those socks found their way into the laundry as well.
Then I began testing the black boot socks. I wore them every day for four days in a row. On the fourth day, my right ankle began to itch. I threw the socks into the laundry in case the itching was due to some irritant that was stuck in the fabric. The ankle irritation continued even after I changed into a pair of cotton socks. The itching was apparently due to an insect bite.
Over the ensuing month, I continued to wear the Camel City Mill socks almost exclusively. I wore them for periods of between two and seven days, with the average being 4.13 days and the mean being 3.5 days.
I wore the socks clearing snow, moving firewood from a wood pile to the wood shed, bucking logs, splitting wood, playing outside with the grandchildren, writing sermons, singing Christmas carols to the shut-ins of our church, putting up Christmas decorations, taking down Christmas decorations, roasting hot dogs with the grandchildren by a campfire in the snow, walking the dog, running the vacuum cleaner, changing the sheets on beds, helping to change the oil in my daughter, “Rivka’s” car, leading Bible studies, hauling trash, and a host of other tasks. The socks remained comfortable and kept my feet warm throughout whatever I was doing.
About Camel City Mill
Camel City Mill appears to be a subsidiary of Peacoat Media, which was founded in 2020 by William Barton of Winston-Salem North Carolina and Dean Stephens of Zillmere, Queensland, Australia.
Camel City Mill does not manufacture their socks themselves. I was not surprised to learn this, since everything that I could find out about Peacoat Media seemed to reflect more skill and experience in marketing and media than in manufacturing.
Instead, Camel City Mill works closely with a manufacturing partner in the Piedmont Triad of North Carolina. Due to a non-disclosure-agreements with that mill, which produces items for a number of well-known brands, Camel City Mill is not at liberty to reveal the identity of their manufacturing partner. By not sharing that information, Camel City Mill also hopes to protect some of their own trade secrets related to the exact machinery used to produce their socks. Whoever the manufacturing partner for Camel City Mill is, they make some really excellent socks.
On their website, Camel City Mill lists their address as 101 N Chestnut Street STE 232, Winston Salem, NC 27101. This is located in Albert Hall, a converted tobacco factory that was renovated into office, lab, and residential space in 2001. Albert Hall was originally built in 1915 to manufacture Prince Albert Pipe Tobacco for the R. J. Reynolds Company. For many years, tobacco and textiles were the primary industries in Winston Salem, which received its nickname “Camel City” from the manufacture of Camel cigarettes.
Camel City Mill’s email address is [email protected] . Their phone number is (336) 590-6021.
Conclusions
Camel City Mill Ironside Merino Wool Work Socks are outstanding socks for everyday wear or field use. They are warm, comfortable, breath well, and resist odors. They are priced well for high-quality, American-made socks.
I am glad to have these socks in my drawer and on my feet. If you need some good Merino wool socks, take a serious look at the socks sold by Camel City Mill.
Disclaimer
Camel City Mill was kind enough to provide me with four pairs of their Ironside Merino Wool Work Socks for testing and evaluation. I tried not to allow their kindness to interfere with my objectivity in this review, and I believe that I have succeeded. I did not receive any other financial or other inducement to mention any vendor, product, or service in this article.
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