The Alternate Stitch

Gingerbread is tough. Our socks are tougher. And unlike most cookie castles, what we knit never crumbles. Guaranteed for Life. Remember: your gift says a lot about you. So, instead of making them wince, why not get them something they’ll actually wear?

While most people don’t really want to talk about their sweat, or hear about other people’s sweat, there is a lot of value in speaking from experience and learning lessons from others. 

Merino Wool has many natural benefits, including thermoregulation, durability, breathability, softness, and an unbelievable ability to manage moisture. Though other moisture wicking materials exist, we’ve found the best moisture wicking socks are made with Merino Wool.

There are a lot of types of socks; trust us, we know. Working at a sock company, you quickly learn that there are so many different types of socks, with no shortage of ways to group and categorize them. To make things a little bit easier, we made a (mostly) comprehensive, no-nonsense guide on all types of socks. 

If your socks make an impression (beyond just what people think of them) then you’re going to want to read this article. We’re covering performance socks: what they are, how to ensure they fit, the benefits they offer, and the marks they (might) leave behind.

 

As a company dedicated to knitting the absolute best socks out there, it’s probably no surprise Darn Tough views socks as all-season wardrobe essentials - yes, even in summer. Let’s bust the myth that wool is just for winter and consider five reasons why wearing wool socks in summer is awesome.

In November 2024, I ran my third 100-mile trail race. It was my slowest and hardest. It hurt a lot — and I still loved it. It’s nearly a year past the race as I write this — so why now? 2025 was a great year – backpacking, trail running, and a personal best in a road marathon– but I also feel that I missed the unique challenge a 100-mile race provides.

Think your winter adventures are tough? Our socks are tougher — guaranteed. We’re revealing some of our team’s most embarrassing winter "Darn It." moments. Check out why our socks are the MVPs, saving more toes and spirits than we can count....

At Fourbital Factory, what we make tells a story, and that story starts with how we choose to make every beanie. So when our neighbors at Darn Tough reached out with an idea — to take excess yarn from their sock production and turn it into a small batch of winter beanies for their Black Friday gift with purchase — we jumped at the opportunity.

Gifting season is here, so we asked six sock experts from the Mill to spill the eggnog on the worst gift they’ve ever received... and the Darn Tough sock they'd recommend gifting instead. Turns out our crew has seen some questionable gifts, but these gifting Darn It stories prove one thing — lifetime guaranteed socks never disappoint.

Most socks? They’re background noise. You don’t think about them until they bunch up, slip down, or rub your heel raw. That’s not performance. That's a distraction. Performance socks are different. They don’t just sit there; they work. They wick, regulate, cushion, and support. Quietly doing their job so you can focus on yours. 

Slippers might be cozy, but they don’t hold a candle to a thick wool sock built for survival in the high alpine. Our Mountaineering socks are cushioned from heel to toe, insulated with heavyweight Merino Wool, and tough enough to handle more abuse than any slipper ever dreamed of... so we knit a Lifestyle version for around-the-house wear.

I am Marcos Biggs, and I have been a passionate snowboarder since 1993. In 2003, I moved to Vermont in search of snowy mountains and a community with a shared passion. For the new Steep Lines ski and snowboard sock, I was lucky enough to serve as both designer and developer.

Have you ever wondered if there was a proper name for a particular part of your sock? Great news, sock nerds, there is, and it’s time we shared our notes! I’m Liz, I work on the Product Team here at Darn Tough, and today I’ll walk you through the anatomy of a sock.

They say a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. For me, those journeys typically begin with a month of extreme procrastination, followed by two days of frantic packing. That’s how I found myself, just a few hours before my flight to Nepal, walking the seven minutes from my house to the Darn Tough offices in Waterbury, Vermont.

In a completely unbiased take, we think socks make the perfect holiday gifts. More specifically, we think Darn Tough socks are the perfect gift. Not only are our Merino Wool socks super comfortable and functional for anybody, but they’re also made to last forever.

From Vermont’s tallest peak to the middle of nowhere in Moab, we had so much (too much) fun handing out socks on 1466 Day. Big thanks to everyone who joined us in celebrating our best-selling Hike sock.

We have fantastic, world class sock designers here at Darn Tough. But once a year they open it up to the rest of the Darn Tough team to dream up designs for a limited edition Knit to Give sock. My name is Sarah, and this year, I’m excited to introduce my Grain or Shine sock, and the inspiration behind my design.

What does a lifetime warranty actually cover? At Darn Tough Vermont, every sock we knit is unconditionally guaranteed for life, so we get how “Unconditionally Guaranteed for Life” is a big claim. And what about other warranties — lifetime, limited lifetime, and otherwise — that you see out there in the market place? 

When was time to update our hunting socks line up, we knew we needed to incorporate input from the people who put these socks to the test in the field. We’re thrilled with the improvements in our newest Hunt socks, and even better, so are actual hunters. Here’s what we updated,  the fun we had getting input from Northwoods Whitetails.

The 1466 Hiker Micro Crew sock has racked up more miles than some people put on their cars (probably). It’s summited mountains, forged streams, slogged through knee-deep mud, and still showed up for work on Monday. Those are the kind of qualifications that, in our book, earn this sock a holiday.