In June of 2016, I threw out all of my socks and replaced them with half as many pairs from Darn Tough Vermont. Soft and cozy Merino wool plus a dab of Spandex with various levels of cushion, they ain’t cheap but they have an unconditional lifetime guarantee. They’re warm in the winter, cool in the summer, and keep your feet smelling fresh. Even if you wear ’em multiple days in a row.
No, even Darn Tough’s Tactical Socks, which you’ll find on U.S. Military and LE feet around the world, aren’t gun-related. Sorry. But as most of us are (or try to be) outdoorsmen, we’ve all learned the importance of good socks when hiking, hunting, camping, and otherwise being on our feet.
Plus, what’s more tactical than my ankle carry tourniquet as seen in a pair of my Darn Toughs above? In a Sticky Holster Mag Sleeve, the RATS TQ never budged despite climbing, crawling, jumping, swinging, sliding, rolling, and running through that insane play structure with the kids (my own kids; no Hollywood stuff).
Through the end of 2017, all orders on DarnTough.com ship for free as part of their Holiday Free Shipping promotion. No coupon code needed. The specific model I purchased and have been very happy with are the “Hiker Boot Sock Cushion,” which have the medium level of cushion under the foot only. Other models offer more or less cushion in different areas of the sock, plus different heights, fabric blends, and more.
Darn Tough’s five top sellers are:
• Hiker Boot Sock Full Cushion
• Mountaineering Over-The-Calf Extra Cushion
• Mountaineering Micro-Crew Extra Cushion
• Paul Bunyan Over-The-Calf Full Cushion
• John Henry Boot Sock Cushion
Spending $18 to $25 on one single pair of socks used to seem patently insane to me. But I had heard people sing the good word of Darn Tough for years, and with a new pair of cowboy boots that needed breaking in, I bought one pair to help me through. That did it. A month or two later and my sock drawer was emptied out and replaced with eight more pairs of Darn Toughs. I still have all nine pairs, and wear ’em every day. Yes, I fully admit that I usually wear the same pair a couple days in a row. The natural wool just doesn’t smell and feels clean way past the point where cotton socks get gross.
Highly recommended for hunting, hiking, shooting, fishing, running, work, trade show duty, daily carry, tourniquet carry, skiing…you name it.