Darn Tough Socks

Review by Erin Trail

Darn Tough offers a wide range of socks made in their Vermont mill.  Darn Tough stands by their name – offering a lifetime guarantee on the socks should the rip or become unwearable.

Darn Tough is also dedicated to sustainability.  The socks use recycled materials, where available, and the Merino Wool is 100% RWS-certified.  Even the shipping materials are thoughtfully sourced with sustainability in mind.

And finally – the socks are FUN. Darn Tough offers a wide range of socks: hiking, running, lifestyle, snow, hunting, and work.  And within those offerings are socks that fit nearly every color palate.

Detailed Review

I received the following socks for testing:

• Women’s Run Quarter Cushioned Ultra-Lightweight Running Socks
• Women’s Coolmax® Run No Show Tab Ultra-Lightweight Running Socks
• Women’s Mirnavated Micro Crew Ultra-Lightweight Running Socks
• Women’s Animal Haus Crew Lightweight Lifestyle Socks

I do a wide variety of activities: running, hiking, road cycling, mountain biking, and strength training.  I have a pretty solid variety of different shoes to go along with all of these activities.

Women’s Coolmax® Run No Show Tab Ultra-Lightweight Running Socks

The Women’s Coolmax® Run No Show Tab Ultra-Lightweight Running Socks are made from 49% Nylon, 48% Coolmax Polyester, 3% Lycra Spandex to maximize moisture wicking and ventilation. These socks have a generous cushioned tab in the Achilles area, which helps with that shoe contact point.  I’ve been wearing these socks running, weight lifting, and for casual wear.  These socks never moved while I was using them, even during speed intervals or HIIT work.

The cushioning and feel of these socks is pretty similar to Balgea Ultraglide socks (I tend to wear holes in the toes or heel of Balegas). Since Darn Tough offers a lifetime guarantee, I’m pretty sure that the Darn Tough Coolmax® Run No Show Tab Ultra-Lightweight Running Socks will be my new running BFF.  I like a light cushion in running socks and the Darn Tough ones feel really good underfoot.

Women’s Run Quarter Cushioned Ultra-Lightweight Running Socks

The Women’s Run Quarter Cushioned Ultra-Lightweight Running Socks have been the socks that I’ve been reaching for the most over past 8 weeks of testing. They are so cheerful with a bonus of being very comfortable. I’ve also been wearing these socks running, weight lifting, and for casual wear.  They look especially good with my low hiking shoes – the little rainbow pop is perfectly placed. The quarter height cuff hits me just above the anklebone, giving a little protection and cover to those boney protrusions.

These socks are made from 50% Merino Wool, 45% Nylon, 5% Lycra Spandex with a medium cushion that goes from the toes up to the Achilles area.  These socks have been especially great on hikes where I didn’t want to wear tall socks but wanted the feel of Merino and a bit of cushion.

Women’s Animal Haus Crew Lightweight Lifestyle Socks

The Women’s Animal Haus Crew Lightweight Lifestyle Socks are just plain fun. I LOVE fun socks and when those socks feature a cute animal riding a bicycle?!?!  Yes please!  These are lightweight socks made from 59% Merino Wool, 38% Nylon, 3% Lycra Spandex.  They hit me mid-calf and are plenty stretchy to accommodate my athletic sized calves. I’ve been wearing these with casual shoes to work, although I have spotted them being worn by some mountain biking friends on the trail as well.

Women’s Mirnavated Micro Crew Ultra-Lightweight Running Socks

The Women’s Mirnavated Micro Crew Ultra-Lightweight Running Socks are probably my favorite of the 4 socks that I received for testing.  They have a medium cushion, extending from the toes to the back of the Achilles, and are made from  49% Merino Wool, 47% Nylon, 4% Lycra Spandex. These socks are inspired by Mirna Valerio (who is amazing) and proceeds from the sale of this sock benefit Come Alive Outside. Also: they match my bike!

These socks are a smidge shorter than the Lifestyle socks (above) but are more cushioned. I’ve been mostly wearing them while mountain biking.  They fit really well, being supportive and don’t move around.  The jury is still out on how the cuffs stand up to mountain biking with flat pedals.  I have a few snags in the cuffs from where the pins of the pedals hit the socks.  So far no holes have formed, but they seem a bit more delicate than other brands of socks (The Sock Guy, as an example) that I use for mountain biking.

These socks would be fantastic for trail running, as the cushion is just right for running and the higher cuff coverage keeps dirt out and protects skin from scuffs.

I love these socks because of their vibrant colors and that they bring a bit of the Mirnivator to my adventures.

Closing Thoughts

Darn Tough offers fun and playful designs that offer serious performance.  They’re thoughtful about sustainable practices, from source materials to manufacturing to shipping. The Darn Tough socks have been really great to wear during my nearly 8 weeks of gear testing, wearing comfortably during all of my activities while providing a bit of fun and whimsy along the way.

Darn Tough offers socks to both men and women for a wide range of activities, sock heights and colors.

Erin Trail

Trail Boss of Stoke