How to Choose Hiking Socks

Darn Tough Mountaineering socks are made for hearty souls who laugh at subzero windchill. Sleet, freezing rain, snow? Keep it coming. The streamlined performance fit keeps up when trails get rough.
Made in USA.
View all Darn Tough Women's Hiking SocksBest Use | Mountaineering Hiking |
---|---|
Fabric | 72% merino wool/26% nylon/2% spandex |
Sock Height | Knee-high |
Sock Cushioning | Heavy Cushioning |
Quick Drying | Yes |
Moisture Wicking | Yes |
Gender | Women's |
S | M | L | |
---|---|---|---|
U.S. Women's | 4.5-7 | 7.5-9.5 | 10-11.5 |
EU | 35-38 | 38-41 | 41-43 |
For socks, please use shoe size.
Adding a review will require a valid email for verification
My son gave me a pair of Darn Tough socks for Christmas. I bought these because I love knee socks. And I am a hiker. I LOVE these. I had planned to use them when we hike this spring. But I haven’t taken them off since I got them! Literally, as soon as I got out of the shower they go back on. I wear the socks he got me for Christmas when I wash these. But then, they go back on. I just ordered another pair. REI is the only place I have found these. And I didn’t want to miss out on getting a second pair. I’m slowly adding to my DT collection and will never buy any other brand. I’m size 7 shoe size and a small is perfect! They don’t fall down when I wear my boots either.
I admit I don't often take the time to write reviews, but I have to share my experience with these. For many years of hiking and backpacking, I've endured blisters. I've tried many different boots, socks, sock liners, etc. I'm training now to climb Mt. Rainier and have little choice but the mountaineering boots than I already own. These socks are amazing. They are so comfortable and warm (but not too warm). Best of all, no more blisters, not even hot spots (after applying moleskin covered by duct tape, my standard protocol which wouldn't always work with other socks). I've liked Darn Tough for years because the smalls fit my feet perfectly (size 7 in street shoes, 7 ½ in running shoes and hiking boots, 8 in mountaineering boots) unlike the Smartwools in which the small are too small and the medium too big. I highly recommend.
The small fits perfectly and sits just below my knee. I’ve used them for tree stand hunting and for fall/winter hiking. Originally, I purchased a medium in the mountaineering sock and the hiking sock. I wear size 7.5 and the hiking sock fit perfectly. The mountaineering sock was almost 1” too long. The sock also pulled up over my knee. I have short legs (5’3” with legs of a 5 footer) so this would not be a problem for many.
These sox plus a good pair of winter boots saved my feet in a nighttime below zero photography class. My feet were warm for hours of standing out in -25 weather.
I’m training to climb Mt. Rainier, and I had chronic issues with blisters and cold toes - until I found these socks. The fit perfectly inside my mountaineering boots, keep my toes warm (enough), and help keep the blisters at bay. I was already pretty addicted to Darn Tough for street socks and these mountaineering socks only cement the relationship.
I bought these socks to visit Wisconsin in December, and they did not disappoint. They're very soft inside, and made of a dense wool that kept my feet and lower legs nice and toasty without feeling bulky. The REI employee also mentioned that Darn Tough has a lifetime guarantee, which is a cool bonus.
I have been using the smartwool mountaineering socks for a few years and thought they were okay. This was gifted to me this past Christmas and I used it climbing 6 peaks in Ecuador this month and man oh man, this is excellent! Warm, it provides some compression, i love the color as well.
Excellent socks! Very warm and thick. Right on the edge of being too tall/long, but I prefer that to too short (for reference, I'm 5'6.5", with relatively long limbs and short torso). For some reason, when I hit middle-age, all intermediate-length socks started falling down; now it's no-show or ankle in summer and knee-highs in winter. I'm happy these are made in Vermont and backed by Darn Tough and REI.
I got these as part of an array of different sock styles for a ski trip to Fairbanks and thought I might have to return them because I have some pretty serious calves that thwart a lot of boots. These were fine! They are very beautiful. They did not save me from a blister I got one day but I don’t think anything would have.
I wore them for three days of snowshoeing at Lassen Volcanic National Park and my feet stayed nice and toasty the entire time. I usually wear a size 9 shoe and I have pretty big calves, and the size medium fit well. Well worth the price!