How to Choose Hiking Socks

Wear Darn Tough Hiker Quarter Cushion men's socks when "equipment failure" is not an option. A Performance Trail fit means no bunching, slipping or blisters. Side vents deliver superior breathability.
Made in USA.
View the Darn Tough Hiker Product LineView all Darn Tough Men's Hiking SocksBest Use | Hiking |
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Fabric | 61% merino wool/37% nylon/2% spandex |
Sock Height | Ankle |
Sock Cushioning | Medium Cushioning |
Quick Drying | Yes |
Moisture Wicking | Yes |
Gender | Men's |
S | M | L | XL | XXL | |
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U.S. Men's | 5.5-7.5 | 8-9.5 | 10-12 | 12.5-14.5 | 15-17 |
EU | 38-41 | 41-43 | 43-45 | 46-50 | 50-53 |
For socks, please use shoe size.
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I wore these for 9 days on the PCT. These things kept my feet comfortable, dry, and warm. I like the idea of super thin socks, but they just don't do it for me, even wool ones. These are the perfect weight in my opinion - a little bit of cushiopn, but breathable and not excessively hot. I washed them and rang them out and let them dry in the sun halfway through - took about 1 hour to dry. These smelled better after those 9 days than most of my socks after 1 day. Also looked and felt great. No signs of wear whatsoever. They were not stretched out at all after wringing them out either. I'm typically size 11.5 and the Large were perfect balance of well fitting but not constricting, although my preference is a little on the tighter fitting side.
I was really looking forward to receiving these sock and hiking with them on the Appalachian Trail (AT) after reading so many good reviews. I bought multiple pair, washed them prior to hiking. However, while hiking the tops of the socks stretched out causing sand/dirt to get into my socks. I changed my socks each day with a new pair and each pair did the exact same thing, which was very annoying. To combat the tops of the socks stretching out I had to tape the top of my socks at least three time a day; ridiculous after 5 days/52 miles of hiking. I would not recommend the low cut / ankle height Darn Tough socks.
I have purchased Darn Tough since 2013. I own 12 short pairs and 16 long pairs. You can count on the toes not tearing. I walk 8-10 miles a day and the older pairs are still in good condition.
Was in the store getting some last essentials for a section hike on the AT. Decided to glance through the socks. After picking up a couple different pairs a guy suggested I look at these. Thought at first he worked there. He didn’t. Was just a lover of the product preparing for a trip of his own. Well they’re great. I can say after hiking 13 miles they weren’t nearly as soaked as my other pair would have been. Recommend completely. You won’t regret it.
I've heard about these socks for years, but have always owned other brands (which I like). I decided to splurge some birthday money on some new hiking/backpacking socks and picked up these DT quarter cushion socks, and just recently used them on a strenuous hike around the Mt Sterling Loop in GSMNP which is not super long at ~17 miles, but includes >4,000' of elevation gain to Mt Sterling, and then back down, so a good sock is important. On the almost trivial side, but important to me, these socks slide on really easily. I hate trying to wrangle super tight socks onto my feet! But, though they go on nice, they aren't loose which could induce blisters. Also trivial, they match my La Sportiva Wildcats pretty well ;) In terms of actual performance, they were fantastic. I never thought about my feet being hot or cold, which is a nice thing not to think about. And while I started to feel a bit of a hot spot on my big toe in the last mile or two of the hike, I never got a blister. I should note that I try to keep my pack <22-23 lbs and hike in trail runners. If you're a more "traditional" backpacker with weights closer to 30 lbs or up, these socks may not have enough cushioning for you. As far as their famed durability goes, I guess time will tell, but I'm very happy to have these in my sock quiver now.
I work as a rowing coach and for race days we are out all day (usually about 5AM-6PM) in all types of weather. I recently bought these before our spring season started and after the first race day decided to wear these at every regatta after! They kept my feet warm when it was cold/cool, not too hot when it was warm, comfortable, and dry even when it rained all day long (which might also be because of my boots). They felt soft and didn't slip at all during the day. They felt great in both my sneakers and my boots. Definitely buying another pair!
I started at looking Darn Tough socks, when I noticed all my REI socks kept failing me, and getting holes, way to soon. I am talking like multiple pairs, not just a bad set. So immediately I noticed a difference between the two, with my eyes and feet. I don't know if there is such a think as thread count for socks, but that is what it seemed like. DTS were much denser. You can see it and feel it. They feel fine and seem to hold up good. They are a little extra $$, but I am okay with that.
Absolutely love DT... this is my 2nd pair+ I bought a 3rd women’s pair to introduce my mother to quality & she loves them too. The bottom medium weight cushion is perfect & very dense. The L was too snug on my size 12E foot. The top of the foot is like an ultra lightweight, which is nice for very active people or in the heat as this allows the foot to vent. Have noticed DT’s statement on packaging of 1,441 stitches per sq inch... & I did some research & found out they use a 168 needle machine@19.5micron... & that got me thinking how many stitches per inch the Farm to Feet technical seiries competitor has? Btw F2F has the same unconditional lifetime warranty & are just as good & usually can find at two discounted price at Rei. F2F uses a 200 needle machine @ 19.5 micron so there’s is somewhere in the neighborhood of 1715 stitches per sq inch,maybe I’m wrong. I’ve been a huge promoter of high% merino wool socks since I blindly tried my 1st F2F pair in 2017... & since have thrown out all my cotton socks & loaded up with quality merino wool. These DT’s are my fav 1/4 length socks I own. I just bought them 2 weeks ago so time will tell how they hold up. but so far they are never smelly, launder well, & have improved my foot health. can’t go wrong with this sock when on sale.
I bought these for Christmas and my wife got me 2 pair of Columbia socks. I normally hike 4-10 miles per day. The Columbia socks didn’t last a month and the Darn Tough socks are now my everyday hiking socks. They have no wear on them at all and don’t smell bad.
So, I'm 55. I've been wearing socks for a long time. I have no complaints about Darn Tough, as they're great socks, they're comfortable, and great to hike in. But, I have a problem. I grew up wearing tube socks (in the 70's), and crew socks pretty much the rest of my life. It feels weird to me to actually feel pants rubbing my legs above my ankle. Is that weird? I suppose. Since these are hiking socks, and I usually hike in shorts, I suspect it's a non-issue. I wore these with jeans, and it just feels weird to me. Guess I'll just have to learn to adapt. Someone needs to "OK, Boomer" me now...