The Alternate Stitch

Courtney isn't the only one at Darn Tough with plenty of those classic Mom "Darn It." moments. So, as you settle in to celebrate a mother in your life this year, take some time to reflect on all the "Darn It." moments our beloved Moms handle every day.

Natalia is part of a research team that works in the McMurdo Dry Valleys of Antarctica, one of the coldest and driest deserts on Earth. If you zoom in on photos from her Antarctic field season, you’ll see a lot of ice, a lot of windburned faces, and if they packed right, a lot of very good Merino Wool socks.

We interrupt our regularly scheduled programming of which sock is more crunchy to bring you, well, something different. Sure, we knit our socks for hiking, for running, and everything in between. But one of the “in between” activities we did not have on our bingo card was music festival…ing?

The Luna sock design began with the idea of storytelling and the quiet poetry of cycles… cycles of growth, repair, and transformation seen through pattern and symbolism. This sock design brings together luna moths, lunar phases, and Sashiko motifs.

An introduction to ski touring: what it is, why we do it, and how you can get started. And there’s arguably no one better to provide pro tips than Noah, who has built his career around moving efficiently through the mountains — one step, one skin track, one day’s work at a time. 

This might be a controversial opinion to some; we get it, socks are personal. Some people only like black socks, or patterned socks. At Darn Tough, we love all socks. Period. We’ll break down what it is about white socks that people love, their unmatched versatility, and how and when to slide a pair on your feet.

At Darn Tough, we don’t just give a darn — we donate, volunteer, and recycle them, too. We do it together, as a family. And we let our values lead the way. From donating socks around the world to feeding hungry Vermonters and their families, here’s how we supported those in need in 2025.

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.

We open our eyes in the middle of Longwood Forest, New Zealand. The hut we’re sharing with six others smells like dirt, firewood, and something suspiciously akin to dead possum. Wind whistles through the cracks in the wooden walls. 

Made in Vermont is part of our brand mission, and we found a partner in Jake Blauvelt who understands its meaning. Jake is a highly-respected and accomplished snowboarder, constantly captivating audiences with his smooth, creative, and effortless riding style. 

Foot care is a very important part of a thru-hike. Most folks on a thru-hike will be averaging anywhere from 15 to 35 miles a day through dust, sand, pine needles, twigs, mud, snow, rivers, and streams. So you can imagine how vulnerable your doggies are going to be through all those conditions day in and day out.

From climbing poles to digging holes, lineman are outside on their feet all day in all elements. Montana power lineman Dustin shares the rigors of lineman work and the importance of having gear you can depend on, especially footwear. 

Together, we all win. And together, we’re creating something that people are passionate about. We don’t have a great story; we are a great story. It’s more than just about knitting socks or making a living. The responsibility of Darn Tough stretches across multiple disciplines.

Our opinion doesn’t mean much without the backing of our dedicated customers who put socks like the Number 2 Hiking Sock through its paces. So, let’s take some time to acknowledge some of our favorite second opinions, written by some of our favorite happy customers.

Without your support, our contributions would have been minuscule. So, as we round up the end-of-year data on how we gave back, we do so with gratitude to you.  From local initiatives to global outreach, here are some of the most significant ways we made an impact in 2024:   

It’s once again the time of year to set goals and make resolutions. Whether that’s getting outside more, finishing that stack of books or investing in some new Merino Wool socks, now is the perfect time to set some sock-related resolutions to give your feet the best in 2025.

Nothing excites us more than seeing our socks out in the wild, whether in our own Vermont backyard or a totally different country. Of course, sometimes we’re the ones wearing those socks – and we’re happy to share with you where we went, what socks we packed, and some personal tips and tricks.

Here at Darn Tough, we have an adage, “You don’t outsource for quality.” While typically we are referring to the socks we make, this statement rings true in all areas of our business, especially in regard to our Customer Service Team.

We have officially walked through two states so far on our journey on the Continental Divide Trail! Our southbound hike started at the Canadian border in Glacier National Park mid-June and has since taken us 1,200 miles through Montana and Wyoming to the Colorado state line.

For the past 4 years, a small group of volunteers and myself have been fundraising, strategizing, and jumping through all the necessary hoops in order to be granted the space to construct a state-of-the-art concrete skatepark at Hope Davey Park in Waterbury Center, VT.

We believe in our socks. A lot. So much so that we back them up with an Unconditional Lifetime Guarantee. No matter how hard your socks get put through the wringer, we’ll replace them at the end of their lifecycle. Life is tough. Our socks are tougher.