[Techs Mechs] Darn Tough Socks: Hammer in Style

The only perk of having a husband who is almost as married to his blog as he is to me is that occasionally I get some stuff. Usually it’s leftover Podium Café gear that you all didn’t buy. But last December he tossed me three pairs of Darn Tough socks with instructions to write a review for the site. No problem. Here in the northwest, socks are the it accessory this year and I’m always happy to have more pairs. According to this New York Times article, socks are big in Silicon Valley too.

If you look on the Darn Tough website, there are socks for people who ski, hike, bike, run, hunt, and fish. There are kid socks and life style socks, which I guess means you wear them when you are not doing any of the above. There are even "field tested, combat proven" socks, which apparently have been worn by members of the military during missions.

I received two life style pairs and one run/bike pair, all in attractive colors and patterns including orange and yellow stripes and blue and grey squiggles. The first thing I noticed about these socks is that they keep my feet warm. We live in Seattle, where the cold, wet weather leaves me with chilly hands and feet in the winter. I appreciate a sock that takes the edge off my partially numb toes.

The life style socks are made out of a combination of high quality materials: Merino wool, nylon, and LYCRA. For some mysterious reason, the socks contain these materials in slightly different ratios. The orange striped socks have 65 percent Merino wool, 33 percent nylon, and 2 percent LYCRA, while the blue and grey squiggle socks have 67 percent Merino, 31 percent nylon, and two percent LYCRA. The difference was lost on me.

The run/bike socks shown here are made out of other materials including Coolmax polyester, which is a high-tech fabric that according to the manufacturers’ website, could really give a boost to your life. "Besides its technical performance, Coolmax improves your comfort and therefore influences your well-being and your state of mind," the site says. "With Coolmax you feel fresher, more focused, ready to tackle the next challenge."

I can’t say for sure that the socks improved my state of mind, but the run probably did and I enjoyed wearing the Darn Tough socks while I was out there. I experienced no blisters, even on long runs, and my feet stayed warm enough without getting over-heated.

One notable feature of all of the Darn Tough socks is the tight stitching. The company, which is based in Vermont, explains their "high density knitting" technique: "More knit stitches per inch equates to durability and cushioning without bulk." I would agree with this. For a sock that keeps my feet warm, they are surprisingly thin.

These socks are a bit pricey. A quick search at online retailers that carry them, including REI and Campmoor, show they cost between $15-$20 per pair. The company does offer a lifetime guarantee for a full refund or another pair if you are not satisfied with the comfort or durability. I think you will be. And thanks for the schwag.

[Chris's Wife is better known as Stacey Schultz. She is a freelance writer and blogs at Jubuhoo.com.]