Staff Picks: Cabot Hosiery Mills Founder, Marc Cabot

If you were to gather all the sock experts in the world around one table for an evening of stories and tactful exchanges of trade secrets, you’d want to pull up a seat for Cabot Hosiery Mills founder, Marc Cabot.

Ask An Expert

First and foremost, Marc’s a hosiery man. The OG sock-father. Quite literally the father of Darn Tough founder Ric Cabot.

Marc got into the hosiery mill business as a partner of a Mill in Hickory, NH, back in 1964 and opened his own mill in 1978, right on Main St. in Northfield, VT. This set in motion a series of hosiery-related events that led all the way to today.

He still runs his own sock brand, Cabot & Sons, and spends the rest of his time connecting with family and friends, or pursuing his other true love, Atlantic Salmon fishing.

Hosiery

Noun - /ˈhōZH(ə)rē/

Also referred to as legwear, “hosiery” describes garments worn directly on the feet and legs. The term originated as the collective term for products of which a maker or seller is termed a hosier; and those products are also known generically as hose.

Marc’s Picks

Marc has spent the past 64+ years thinking about, working on, and refining socks. If he vouches for a pair, you can bet they’re worth more than their weight in wool.

Marc’s Fishing Socks

Marc’s Pick: The 1466 Hiker Micro Crew Sock

The 1466 is by far our bestselling sock. It hits all the sweet spots: cushion where you need it, Merino Wool for comfort and durability, and many unique colors (including limited editions). At least this seems to be where Marc’s head is at.

“I love color. I dress by color. This style has so many colors that no matter what I wear I can find something that will work. It’s the right weight. I’m a fisherman, so I know what socks to wear under my waders.”

And here’s where everything circles back to fishing…

“One of my favorite Salmon fishing rivers is the Matapedia River in Quebec. We’ve had this sock for a long time, but it’s only last year that in traveling back from the pool we were fishing I happened to notice a kilometer sign on Highway 132. I see it’s right opposite the pool where I caught my first fish on the Matapedia River, Johnson Pool. I know I caught a 27 pound fish there… Forty-something years ago. And it was at kilometer number 1466.”

What??? Serendipity is right. A miraculous coincidence. There’s some cosmic alignment going on with these socks. Just imagine what they’ll do for you…

Marc’s Hiking-to-Go-Fishing Socks

Marc’s Pick: VanGrizzle Boot Sock

Sometimes you want a little more sock, and that’s where the VanGrizzle comes in. Boot height, cushion underfoot and up the leg, oh and we made one with a cute fish on it. Maybe that’s why Marc likes it so much.

“I like this. This is a basic hiking sock. This is like a long version of the 1466. It’s got a little cushion throughout the foot. I’m not an avid hiker but I spend a lot of time outdoors hiking salmon pools and fishing all around New Brunswick and Quebec. These will suffice underneath waders and keep my feet warm and dry, and it comes in a plentiful amount of colors.”

Socks are personal. Even the name VanGrizzle, which comes from our product line manager’s trail name. For many, they’re the perfect sock for long treks through the mountains. For Marc, they’re just what he needs to stay warm and cozy in his waders on the river.

Whatever you’re into, the VanGrizzle is a great pick if you’re looking for a little extra cushion to maintain comfort and cover that whole lower leg region.

Marc’s Marathon Socks

Marc’s Pick: No Show Tab Running Sock

Darn Tough’s first sock was a running sock. That’s just a fun fact, but it complements Marc’s passions as both a Hosiery Man and an avid runner. He appreciates performance, especially in design features. 

“For running. I like this pair with very light cushion. This is what we call our No Show Tab. It fits great. I have a size 9 foot and I wear a medium. It’s nice and snug. I can feel the elastane working in my instep and arch, and my toe is right to the end.”

Marc has indeed ran two New York City Marathons, and approaches the task of perfecting the running sock with the same verve he applies to everything.

“All our heel pockets, for those of you that like to be a little technical, we put extra courses in the heel and toes. When these machines make the heels and toes, they reciprocate back and forth. They’re not doing a full 360 like in continuous knitting. Many people will shortcut that time by doing less reciprocations. Time is money, but we don’t think that way here. We’d rather give you a bigger heel pocket, so it doesn’t slip when you’re running.”

From the comfort of a no-slip blister-free experience to the durability benefits of those extra courses in the heel, we’re looking out for your feet in every way we can. That’s the mentality that Marc instilled in his mills, sock designs, and relationships. The little details matter and are worth the time and resources to get just right.

Marc's Everyday Office Socks

Marc’s Pick: Druid Crew Sock

We did a quick sock check on Marc during our conversation. Sure enough, he was rocking these classic lifestyle socks, perfectly color coded with the rest of his earth-tone dominant outfit.

Did we mention that Marc’s office is on the knitting floor? It’s a little nondescript cubicle in the back, decorated with some artwork from his grandson Ben, a gifted quilt (featuring fish patterns, of course, a holiday gift from his coworker Raelene), and some other personal items. Otherwise, it’s pretty bare bones. He comes in every day to check how his machines are running and contribute to various meetings.

Long story short: these days, Marc’s as much an office man as a mill man. And for those days walking up and down the rows of knitting machines and cubicles, these lightweight Merino Wool classics hit the spot.

Far more durable than your average dress sock, and packing some stealthy details like temperature regulation (thanks to those Merino fibers), arch support, and a seamless toe, the Druid is a lifestyle improvement that goes wherever you do. Oh, and like every other sock we make, it’s backed by our Lifetime Guarantee.

Enjoy More Sock Lore

Thank you, Marc, for the stories and choice nuggets of wisdom. We could have gone down the whole line together and made this blog post a novel. (Should we?) Heck, we didn’t even get to his favorite ski socks, the RFL. There’s always next time…

Learn more about Marc’s history in the Sock Capital of the World, or Darn Tough’s journey from a dream of hosiery in the 70s to a commitment to making socks backed by an Unconditional Lifetime Guarantee.