The Alternate Stitch

A Smugglers’ Notch Ski Patroller Talks On-Hill Foot Care

My name is Chris, I'm a Full Senior ski patroller, and this will be my 43rd winter wearing a red jacket with the white cross. Besides a love of skiing, I’ve got some opinions about safety, my socks, and how people can take care of their feet up on the mountain. I might just tell you about my favorite place to ski, also.

The Salmon Sisters’ Favorite Darn Tough Socks to Give (and Get) as Gifts
The holiday season is coming, and one of our family traditions is to gift good socks to everyone on our list. We've been wearing Darn Tough socks for years now and love them for their warmth and moisture-wicking Merino Wool.
Teaching Avalanche Safety & Giving Back: Q&A with Pro Skier Michelle Parker
SAFE AS are one-day clinic teaching intro to avalanche safety. We started it to encourage more women to get the education needed and that quickly developed into a full-on program for everyone. 
What to Wear Hiking
Before heading out for a hike, you may think about what you should wear, considering trail difficulty and weather forecast. We will cover what materials are best for hiking, the clothing, shoes, and accessories and what to wear by the season as you set out for your hike.
How to Guarantee a Sock for Life (Unconditionally)
We get a decent stream of mail and comments asking how can we possibly offer an Unconditionally Lifetime Guarantee on our socks. So, let’s get right into the how and why behind making socks with a lifetime warranty.
Merino Wool's Less-Discussed Benefit: It Makes Fire Resistant Socks

When you consider the benefits of Merino Wool, the fact that it makes great fire resistant socks probably isn’t one that you’ve put much thought into. But if you’re a wildland firefighter or flying with the Air Force, this less-discussed benefit of Merino Wool might rank high on your list.

How to Darn Socks, Sweaters, & More
Nobody wants holey socks, yet I’m willing to guess you’ve worn them at least once. You know the feeling of cold toes or chilled heels, maybe debated whether it was better to leave your shoes on. Darning your socks is surprisingly simple - here's how.
Single & Ready to Mingle: What to Do with Single Socks

Laundry day. We’ve all been there. Everything is going great until you reach the end of the pile and see one lone sock sitting there. What to do with the lone survivor... what do you do with single socks?

Mutual Crush: Developing Work Socks with the Salmon Sisters

I can trace my crush on the Salmon Sisters all the way back to 2018. Needless to say, I was beyond excited when I heard they reached out, and even more excited to work with them on developing a new Darn Tough sock.

Sock 201: How to Design and Develop Socks

We take you on a closer look into how we design socks, from the research and development to knit-downs and fit testing. No worries, we’ll walk you those terms in a moment, but first let us show you.

Staff Picks: Our Favorite Socks for Summer

Summer in Vermont is often considered a sock-less season. But at our Mill, we know better than to assume people are strictly shoes-off. And, like you, we’re curious which Darn Tough socks offer the best fit for summer, so we turned to our experts.

Enchantment on the Appalachian Trail - Darn Tough Does Trail Magic
A group of us at Darn Tough had the opportunity to participate in Trail Magic this July, and this is our story. But first, let’s pull back the curtain a bit to uncover what secrets aid in the pull of Trail Magic’s supernatural attraction.
Hand in Glove: A Century of Textile Manufacturing Right in Vermont
Employees guide goat leather through industrial-grade needles. The dance of hand-making leather gloves rewinds the clock to an era when nearly all textile products purchased in the US were produced in the US. The front sign says it all: “Vermont Glove Since 1920: Actually Made in Randolph, VT."
How I Found the Right Mountain Bike Socks
My name is Brandon Sauer, and I am the Digital Project Producer at Darn Tough. In my free time, I enjoy mountain biking, gravel biking, and hiking in the beautiful state of Vermont. From Cotton to Merino At first, I always associated wool as a material you would wear when you wanted to stay warm. Typically, I thought o
Can't Hide from the Truth — No Slip No Shows

The premise for this test was ridiculous. It was formulated accidentally a few years ago when Darn Tough first started knitting casual no shows. Sitting on a deck admiring a mowed lawn, shoes were kicked off, and we realized the no shows hadn’t budged. There’s more to it, and we’ll get to that in a minute.

Beyond Upcycling: Bobolink Yarns & Darn Tough Vermont
To me, the coolest aspect of this project is that it sets aside the “compromise” nature of some upcycled products. This isn’t a conversion of some old jeans into a bag or a yogurt container into a flowerpot: This is a primary-use manufacture that puts wool waste from Darn Tough Socks at near-zero. 
Why You Should Be Wearing No Show Socks
Meet the No Show sock. Our go-to in the spring and summer, on a run, hiding beneath a stylish sneaker or loafer, or sauntering around a golf course (golfers saunter, and you know it). Hopefully it goes without saying that although the No Show is minimal, it still has our trademark Merino Wool for the comfort, quality, and protection you know and love.
Unconditional Giving: Introducing Knit to Give
Introducing ‘Knit to Give’ – a series of socks giving all profits directly to the Vermont Foodbank. You’ve seen us commit to a few days a year where we would donate profits from the website, which was wonderful don’t get us wrong – you helped us donate one million meals that way – but we wanted more.
Ring Das Bell: Running the Broken Arrow Skyrace

For a race that only started in 2016, Broken Arrow has grown to become one of the best trail races in America. Specifically, it boasts a deep field of elite runners vying for spots on team USA and a large prize purse. The marquee events include a vertical kilometer (VK), 52k and 26k. I’ll be running the VK and the 26k.

The Mirnavator Comes to Vermont: Q&A with Ultra Runner Mirna Valerio
Ultra-runner, public speaker, mother, force of nature – Mirna Valerio inspires us. If you haven’t heard her story, check it out. We were pumped when she moved to Vermont a few years back and decided to get her thoughts on...
How to Pair Our Socks with Your Weird Dad

Dads can be the hardest to buy gifts for. We never want anything, or at least can never think of anything we want. But socks. I love socks. I think most dads would. Depending on what your dad is into, or what he’s like, here are some Merino Wool recommendations for this Father’s Day.