The Alternate Stitch

Learn what it means to celebrate life the way Christian does. Christian is a incredible young individual happily living life due to his belief that you are defined by your actions and behavior, not your diagnosis. Read more about what the Darn Tough Sock Toss means to Christian.

A picture’s worth a thousand words. Pretty sure your socks are worth double that. We all make choices in life, and maybe we’re biased, but we think your sock choices speak volumes.

Full Circle is a story about post-traumatic growth after having a spinal cord injury, and it just so happens to be about my experience. In 2014, I broke my back in a snowboarding accident, leaving me paralyzed from the waist down. I am now a professional skier.

You can find some fascinating oddities and legends under the green veneer of Vermont, the Green Mountain State. There are cursed statues, mythical pigmen, and a multitude of haunted places. The most famous mystery would have to be Champ or Champy, the Lake Champlain Monster.

If you’re familiar with Darn Tough, chances are you’ve heard about our Unconditional Lifetime Guarantee. It’s what ensures our socks are the most comfortable, durable, and best-fitting socks on the planet.

Still not sure about Merino Wool? Check out our one stop guide about why we use it in our socks, learn about the benefits that come along using with it, and the history of Merino Wool.

If our socks aren’t the most comfortable, durable, best fitting socks you’ve ever owned, you can return them for another pair. We hear the most questions and feedback from you about the last piece of that promise – fit. Fit is constantly on our minds, and here's what we’ve learned about how socks should fit and why.

At Darn Tough, we back every sock with our Unconditional Lifetime Guarantee: if our socks aren’t the most comfortable, durable, and best fitting socks, you can return them for another pair. Durability sits in the center of that promise. But what makes Darn Tough socks so… tough?

Why does comfort matter, what is comfort, and lastly, how do we make Darn Tough socks so comfy that we’re confident in our promise that we knit the most comfortable socks and back it with a lifetime guarantee?

Moisture-wicking, durable, breathable, and thermoregulating, Darn Tough Tactical socks are first on foot for a reason and always your first line of defense. They help prevent blisters, thwart hotspots, and are the first – and best – choice for military and government personnel.

Years before owning Alpenglow Sports, Brendan Madigan’s experience in retail began like many other folks who’d moved to Lake Tahoe, chasing a powdery dream. What sets Brendan apart is a combination of thoughtful, compassionate focus on the greater good with the sort of drive it takes to skin thousands of feet up a mountain before clocking in to work the floor all day.

To understand how to prevent blisters while hiking, you first must understand what blisters are and what causes them to form. Blisters can develop almost anywhere, but if you’re hiking, backpacking, or long-distance walking, the most likely (and perhaps most adverse) location is on your feet.

In 2013, The Rut Mountain Runs started off as a 50k and 12k race. We connected with Mike Foote, event organizer for the Rut, to learn more about his passion for trail running and what it takes to pull off one of the largest trail running festivals in North America.

What makes Darn Tough hiking socks so good? And, with dozens of styles and designs to choose from, how do you pick the right pair for you? In this post, I’ll guide you through how to choose the best socks for your next hike, whether that’s a quick jaunt to your favorite local spot, or a several-thousand-mile-long trek.

We only make one thing — socks. And since ours are designed to last a lifetime, we’re jumping straight into the quirky history of what people have worn between foot and footwear over the last 5,000 years or so.

This is everything I’m doing to get me and my dog Lassen ready to thru hike the Oregon Coast Trail. If you’re planning on doing a thru hike with your dog, I hope you find this helpful.

We recently put together a gear checklist, we made sure to ask hikers about their gear – particularly which items have helped them the most and any they thought were unique or worth sharing.

I remember reading someone’s story about camping with a friend, and how they kept rolling over in their sleeping bag, unable to get to sleep. The friend, a grizzled veteran, woke up and muttered, “Change your socks.” The writer did just that, putting on a dry pair of socks, and fell asleep soon after.

The best sock is one you want to wear every day, and we can help you find it. The secret, they say, is letting the sock choose you. But for someone with a lifestyle as adventurous and spontaneous as yours, we feel you might need a little help.

Why do socks exist? Sounds like a question a fuzzy-eyebrowed professor might scrawl on a blackboard during a college philosophy course. Since we’re talking socks, let’s bring that navel-gazing proposition closer to the ground with the top five reasons why socks matter (We know you saw this spoiler coming: Socks do have a purpose. Multiple actually).

If you’re standing by the laundry wondering how to wash Merino Wool socks, you’ve come to the right place. Here's detailed washing instructions for at home and in the backcountry.