@ John,

I too purchased a pair of the Darn Tough 1/4 mesh socks, be aware, they will not hold up anywhere near as well as Rogers DTV Boot Socks held up. I'll post up some pictures of my blown out Darn Tough 1/4 mesh socks after only 4 days of stream crossing and dusty mesas. I swear by Darn Tough Vermont socks and own several pairs and styles, best ones I've had, but the mesh version are definitely more suited for trail running and mountain biking.

best running socks I have ever used and the only ones my choco lab can chew on for an hour without destroying...

Thanks for the reply Jason. Great comparison for me between the two socks. I'll have to get my self a pair of the Darn Tough for a Shasta trip I have coming up next month to see how they work out.

Darn Tough socks are on sale now Backcountry Gear. 20% off.

http://www.backcountrygear.com/apparel/Socks.cfm

Better deal can be had at:

http://www.clothesbuy.com

Darn Tough Vermont Boot Sock Full Cushion 1405 (2 Pairs)

$39.95

FREE SHIPPING AND NO TAX

3 pack for $47.99 + free shipping

Note: I've never ordered from this company.

Roger, has anyone done a wash test on these or other wool socks? I where wool socks everyday regardless of the activity and wash them everyday. My questions is- am I washing them too often? Could/should I wear the socks for two days or more then wash them less often. Which will give me better wear? I also don't want any grunge factor (smelly/dirty feet), so that has to enter the equation.

Tad, for what its worth, I'll wear a pair of socks more than once before washing as long as I didn't wear them for long periods of strenuous activity, or they got dirty. I just let them air out overnight to allow any moisture to evaporate, and they're good as new in the morning!

Thanks Chris for the 3-pack deal heads up. I liked these so well that I ordered a 3 pack for myself and a 3 pack for my wife. That should do us for many, many years. My cheap Wal-mart merino wool $7 socks barely last a year with light use. I never could bring myself to pay $17 for a pair of socks but I would not mind paying much more for wool long underwear and other wool garments. Funny, now I see the value of the all important wool sock. Especially one that lasts and lasts! I have seen the light!

like most of us, I've tried lots and lots of different socks- about two years ago I gave Darn Tough a go and haven't had the need to try anymore

I use the Micro Crew Cushion for hiking, I recently replaced all of my work socks (I wear boots everyday for work) w/ the Boot Full Cushion ones- they are great as well

I follow DT's advice and wash them in cold, inside/out and then let them air dry- I should get lots and lots of life out of them

>I follow DT's advice and wash them in cold, inside/out and then let them air dry- I should get lots and lots of life out of them

Hmmm, I didn't know they recommended that. I've just been washing in hot water and putting them in the dryer! Will their method really prolong the life of the socks?

Took two pair with me last year for the Sierra High Route and not a single worn spot or hole on the sock. They look brand new even today.

Hi Tad

Just got back last night from an extreme trip of 5 days. I wore the same pair of DTVs for the full 5 days (inside the New Balance MT910GT joggers), and they didn't seem to have changed much in that time. Just as padded as ever. I had only taken one pair anyhow. Sue wore her first pair for 4 days and them changed them because she had a second pair with her - 'why not?' she said.

I do normally change my socks every 3 - 4 days and wash the old ones - at least rinse them off, on very long trips like our several months in Europe. But on an extreme trip like this one, washing socks was not high on our list of priorities. Actually, finding enough water to drink was more of a priority!

If you wash them frequently you should use a very mild detergent at low concentration on the wool. You should definitely wash and dry them inside out so the loops can fluff up. Some people recommend a small amount of fabric softener: in small quantity I don't think it would hurt.

How much your socks and feet smell - very personal!

Cheers

Since we're on the topic, I usually wash all my wool, darks, and synthetics together on cold with Doctor Bronner's and tumble dry med heat perm press. Doctor Bronner's is a great laundry detergent. Multi-use in the home!

Alright, so now Eugene has made me concerned about using the meshes for a CT thru-hike. I'm also considering the Defeet wooleators that Skurka likes, has anyone had both those socks?

EDIT: FWIW, I just compared DTV Low cushion, DTV 1/4 mesh, and Defeet wooleators in a store. The DTV mesh and the wooleator were very close as far as thickness and lack of cushion. The DTVs do have an elastic arch, which I like.

Edited by Jaddleman on 05/02/2010 12:36:22 MDT.

I wear my Darn Tough socks everyday - I've pretty much given up on all the other socks in my drawer. So far they hold up much better than my smartwools. While I have tried to get better at wearing slippers in the winter, I do sometimes still pad around the house in my wool socks.

The BEST place to get DTV for a good price is to go to their factory sale, in Northfield VT, in November. Cosmetic blems wool hiking socks in the $7-8 range.