The Alternate Stitch

8 summits. 40 miles. And too many socks to count. Thank you to everyone who participated in our first annual 1466 Day. The 3rd Thursday of September is 1466 Day – a made-up holiday celebrating our #1 Hike sock. In 2024, we visited popular trailheads (and some iconic summits) around Vermont surprising hikers with FREE socks.

There's a handful of people still here who witnessed the birth of Darn Tough all those years ago, people here from day one that are still coming into work day-in and day-out. Of those people, no one has been here longer than Laura.

We invented a holiday. On September 19th, join us in celebrating 1466 Day, a holiday honoring our best-selling Hiker Micro Crew. This sock is Darn Tough’s bestseller, and for several darn good reasons. It’s so great we’ve deemed it worthy, if not necessary, to create a special holiday just for this sock.

The height—or should we say length?—of your running socks plays a crucial role in both your performance and comfort, whether you're navigating snowy trails or sprinting around the block.  So, why do people wear long socks when running?

We believe, together, we can create a universal shift in adventure sports that expands what is possible for those who have faced life-changing injuries. Since its inception in 2009, The High Five Foundations has helped over 480 athletes and veterans. 

What makes an athlete? Is it the way we carry ourselves, the competitive mindset, the camaraderie and community of a sport? Is it the results, the numbers, the data, the ability to push ourselves to the edge of the human body’s limits on a weekly basis? Or, is it simply the way we look and how society portrays us?

Let’s face it… we knit a flock ton of socks. And some of our “best” pairs don’t always make it as best sellers. For this round of Staff Picks, we asked our employees which pairs they think don’t get enough attention, and more importantly, why they think they should.

I’m a birder, and you can often find me walking around Montpelier, VT, with a pair of binoculars around my neck looking into the North Branch Winooski River or up in the trees for birds and wildlife. I also design Darn Tough socks. 

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.

Darn Tough socks are meant to last for extreme use and to stay comfortable for their whole lifespan. This is backed up by our Lifetime Guarantee. If you want to test the limits of your socks' durability, here are 10 ways you can do so (Although we don't recommend it.)

Now this isn’t an attack ad against cotton. This is more an informative piece, informing you that when it comes to what you should wear on your body while being active indoors or outdoors, it’s neither cotton’s time nor place.

If you previously thought tactical socks weren’t for you, read this post. We’re breaking down everything you need to know about Darn Tough socks generally, the specifics of our tactical lineup, and sharing some intel on choosing the right tactical socks to meet your needs. Let’s proceed:

In this post, we will dive into the knitty gritty (pun intended) of how to find the best socks to fit your needs. We will consider your footwear, as well as the many heights, weights, cushioning levels, and tech features.

People often ask me how I got my trail name, Sir Owen VanGrizzle, Duke of Beartown. It all happened at the Stratton Pond Shelter on the Appalachian Trail and Long Trail in southern Vermont, waaaay back when my best friend Ben and I hiked the Long Trail for our first time in 2010.

Inspired by the International Mountain Day theme, "Women Move Mountains," we proudly present the Darn Tough ‘Trailblazer’ sock. This design honors the incredible women who have played vital roles in the protection and stewardship of our mother earth, past and present.

We spoke to three long-time employees who’ve been with us for all 20+ years of Darn Tough’s history. We asked them what life was like before Darn Tough, what’s kept them here, and why they’ve always believed in the brand.

Hello — This is Kate Crocker, the Product Development Manager at Darn Tough Vermont. I have been working for this amazing brand for 5 years and counting, as of writing this. The story I’m about to tell you is not about how I started working for the company though, but about how I was first introduced to Darn Tough socks.

When we were first approached by the “nice Cabot Mills folks” to see if we would be willing to bring in a few pairs of their new brand of high-end Merino Wool socks, we did it more to support a local manufacturer than anything else.

We’ve been knitting Darn Tough Merino Wool socks for 20 years, and some of those socks from that first batch we knit 20 years ago are still being worn today. Which got us thinking… of the socks we’re knitting right now, which ones have the best chance to outlive the next 20 years?

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.

Buckle up buttercup, and put on your fanciest detective hats (or socks, in this case). We're diving headfirst into the Reddit rabbit hole, armed with nothing but a fresh pair of Darn Toughs and an age-old enigma that haunts runners more than Boston’s Heartbreak Hill: Are running socks worth it?