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Costco employee here. They will drop to $4.97 for the four pack just before Christmas every year. The women’s version we sell is about half as thick as the men’s and is perfect for working in the warehouse. Keep up the great content.
I can't find the socks on the Costco website at all right now. It doesn't even list them as out of stock. Do you know if I'm doing something wrong by chance?
Working in the trades, I’ve found Darn Tough socks to be amazing. Indoors, outdoors, from frigid single digit winter temperatures to over 110° summers, up and down ladders, across countless roof tops…. They are durable and comfortable
I work out doors too I’ve walked probably a few thousand miles in my darn tough socks and worn them out but the life time warranty works so new free socks is cool
I walked across America twice with only 4 pairs of Darn Tough. I began in 2016 and ended in 2018. I STILL own the original 4 pairs and have worn them every day since I took my first steps. They still fit and feel like new to this day. It's probably the best money I have ever spent on anything.
My Darn Tough has lasted 5 years so far and outlasted my Smart Wool and my Costco (Weatherproof) socks, lasted barely a year before holes appeared. My Farm to Feet have lasted 8 years so far. My REI socks are wearing out after 5 years.
Been wearing the Costco wool socks for almost a decade now and only just recently had to buy a new pack of socks. I wear them year round in shoe, boots, and my Keen Newport sandals. They keep my feet warm in the fall and winter and cool in the summer. I love them.
I wore 4 DT socks for a year, backpacking across Europe ended hiking across 5 countries, Israel ,UK, Portugal, Ireland, and Belgium. They were all used and all but one lasted the year. Returned to DT and got another pair when I got back.
Wore two pair on the Appalachian trail, 2200 miles, wore out 4 pairs of shoes. Every day they were wet and muddy or just full of sand. Were still in good condition when I finished. Darn Tough fan ever since
Love my Darn Tough socks. About $14 a pair and made in America for the ones I buy. I own about 8 pairs. They are only socks I own. 4 years later they are still all going strong.
@@michelevolz7769 its been a few years, didnt know they had gone up that much. I think I bought them on amazon black friday. Maybe 2019ish. I have the ultra-lights tho. I guess thats a good thing. I will probably still buy them over again if I ever need them in the future. They show little to no wear, discoloration or stretching after that many years of daily use.
I own 6 pair of Darn Tough, and my nephew owns 8 pair. We love them. They have a lifetime no questions asked warranty. I don't live anywhere near a Costco and don't belong, so that rules them out. The only thing I have with DT socks is, I wear a size 12 or 13 shoe, and 12-1/2 is the break point for them between a L and an XL sock, so I'm caught right there in the middle, but it really hasn't been a problem for me.
I recently went on a bit of a new sock quest after my years old Costco version of the Smartwool socks began to wear out. The Alvada from Amazon wore out in less than a year. The new Smartwool socks aren't made as well as the older ones or the older Costco clones. My Darn Tough socks last longer but aren't quite as warm to me and sometimes they make my feet sweat before my older Smartwool socks or the older Costco merino wool ones. I'm not impressed with any of the newer Costco cold weather socks and I own them all. After watching this video, I'm going to give the Fox River socks a try. Thanks for the video...
12 years ago I asked that the only gifts for me at Christmas were Darn Tough socks. 8 pairs in constant rotation and after 12 years it's time to retire them. They definitely lived up to their name!
Thanks! I went out and bought another pack of Costco socks after watching this, they are currently on clearance. Might be interesting to also add a cotton and a acrylic in the comparison and see how they compare.
I'd like to see a video about the warranty experience with all the socks with holes that have a lifetime warranty. since that seems to be the major selling point for Darn Tough.
Outstanding test video. I was already a subscriber but if I weren’t, this video would have converted me. And I like that you didn’t take a friggin’ hour and drag it out. Quick but thorough.
Awesome, glad you enjoyed it. Believe me, it was hard to shrink this video down. It took a ton of hours and several days to research, test, film, and produce. I appreciate you watching!
This video could not have come at a better time. I've used Costco socks for 3 years now, and still using all 3 original pairs (I'm using a Woman's that comes 3 pairs/pack) bought 3 years ago.. But I have an upcoming long hike, and have been pondering if I should get Darn Tough. I'm fairly frugal, and I just haven't felt like I could warrant shelling out that much money for one pair of socks, knowing I'd have to buy 2 pairs to have a spare in my pack.. Happy to see based on your testing that can I remain confident in sticking with Kirkland.
My favorites are actually the Red Wing Merino Wool Work Socks. I have found them to be more comfortable and better at reducing smell and moisture buildup than the darn toughs. Also, they come with the same warranty at DT, but with the added bonus that you can go into your local redwing store and drop off the worn-out pair and immediately get a fresh new pair.
I currently have every pair of Darn Tough socks I’ve ever gotten. The oldest pairs are now about 14 years old and are due for the free replacement (only one sock has a hole and it was a snag hole not a wear hole). I gotta say though, that I am probably going to try out those Costco socks now.
I've used Smartwool working in the Texas oil field in extreme heat and extreme cold. They've held up great for the 5 years that I've had them. I buy the light cushion for $19.99.
I have Smartwool socks that I've had for five years, I'm a stagehand and I do a lot of walking. I'm not switching, I have three thickness levels for whatever location I might be in.
This is great content. I'm an all risk firefighter, including wildland. I try new socks every year. I'll be trying the Costco brand thanks to you and my inner cheapskate.
Thanks for the lot of effort you put in this. I try to avoid the cheapest buys in general for my hiking gear - until a good video comes out with in-depth comparison.
I like my Costco socks but Alvada have been almost too hot at times for me. They do a great job staying dry. I applaud your tests and appreciate the effort and video.
I might be biased towards Darn Tough, I tried the cheaper brands and after awhile they get the crunch inside them. Then they are like walking on sand paper. The last 2 years I have worn darn tough for all outdoors activities, Hunting, Fishing, Hiking and scouting for Elk. Machine wash and toss in the dryer, I have yet to have a issue with them, But the warranty is more what I am buying. REI is close so if I have a issue, I can replace them by walking in the store. I guess at the end of the day, it is just what works best for each person. Cool video.
I bought my wife 6 pairs of the DT military coyote brown socks 5 years ago, and they are all still like new, I know that sounds weird, but she wore out a pair of boots in the same time. Take that with a grain of salt, spending 150.00 on socks seamed crazy, but I have worn out 5 pairs of the DT black ones and returned them twice in the same time. The coyote ones are high calf and the black ones were ankle length. Great video, I am going to grab some of those costco one next week.
I still have a pair of the Wigwam Merino socks I wore on my 1998 AT Thruhike. (Used as sleeping socks these days). I have 2pr of the REI socks that I mostly use with a liner sock in my XC ski boots that are 10+ yrs old. The heels are wearing out, but that’s somewhat expected. The Costco/Kirklands have become a new favorite for winter hiking. I’m 2 seasons into my first 4-pack, and these seem to compare favorably to the higher priced socks in terms of wear and comfort for my size 9 high arch foot. The Costco Weatherproof Vintage Men’s Crew Sock (5-pack) has become my new favorite summer sock. It is mostly synthetic, and works well with my sweaty feet that can overwhelm the mid-weight wool socks in this test.
I used to get the Costco socks but had to buy a fresh pack every year because they would all wear through. I had single pair of smart wool socks that lasted 5 years before a hole started. I bought my first 2 pair of darn tough sock 3 years ago and after daily wear 10,000+ steps a day, hundreds of miles hiking and backpacking, and 5 mountain summits, I finally started getting blisters in them on hikes after 2 years of wear. they are still going strong for daily wear and I bought another two pairs for backpacking 75 miles this last summer.
I bought fox river waaay back in my young Soldier days in 2011. I was never impressed by them. Darn Tough was the brand i found i loved the most even though i bought and enjoyed many pairs of the costco merinos too. This vid showed me Farm to Feet. I will def be trying them out soon.
Great informative video. I bought a pair of darn tough years ago which was a real eye opener (it also allowed me to keep boots in the house without killing everyone from the stench). After that I've been looking for cheaper alternatives, Smart wool is trash and uncomfortable, Time Will Tell is great but a little too thick for me, Danish endurance or something like that, is all right for shoes and summer wear but not great, but REAL TREE is by far the best fit, comfort and durablilty ideal for camping, hiking and hunting. Its between the REAL TREE and Darn Toughs as the goats with Darn Tough I'd say being best for hard labor jobs. Still great video👍
Great insight, thanks for sharing. In my research I listed out 55 different socks and the Real Tree didn't get on there. I'll add it for a possible follow up.
I wear merino socks for work. I don't need to worry about freezing temperatures since I'm in California, but I love merino because of the antimicrobial properties of wool, at the end of my work day, my feet are still fairly comfortable. I splurge on Darn Tough and Smartwool because I like to get cute socks since I don't get much chance to express my taste as I wear my company uniform all day and both of these brands have styles I like. I don't buy them often though, usually one new pair a year and I haven't needed to get rid of any of them yet, so I've got many pairs. And I just throw them in the machine, but my norm is to line dry clothes, so I haven't seen any real wear on them yet.
I wear both the Costco and Darn Toughs to snow shoe in Montana. They are both really warm and equally durable. I’ve had the no name Amazon ones too. They are ok for warmth, but wear out pretty quick.
Love this level of geeking out over gear! One thought on the temperature experiments -- it looks like some of the socks had more/less sunlight on the table. Depending on if that was caused by temporary cloud cover or a constant shadow from a tree/house/etc, that would be something to control for since that would have such a dramatic impact on the final temps in the toes.
I use darn tough socks for work (im a paramedic) and hiking and any other time im in a boot. My first pair of dark tough socks finally got a hole in them after a year or two short of a decade. They also have a lifetime warrantee. So darn tough socks can take my money
I love the Darn Tough socks made in Vermont. My oldest pair is from 2009 and they are still holding up. I wear them every week. The fabric is getting pretty thin at the ball and heel, so I may see if they will replace them. No holes yet in ANY of my pairs though.
I've been agonizing because I have one pair of Darn Tough and I just don't want to spend $300 on socks to wear them full time. Kirkland it is! Thanks for the excellent video!
Buy a couple pair here and there during sales. I built up an impressive year round Smartwool drawer within a year. That was probably 7 or 8 years ago and they are all finally starting to wear out. So now I'm about to start building up a Darn Tough collection that will last forever.
I have purchased many brands of socks, made from different materials throughout my life. If you’ve ever spent the money on Darn Tough socks, then like me you already know, there is no other sock. DT also has a forever warranty, which they always honor.
Darn Tough are my daily drivers when I need to wear socks. I’ve got seven pair, although three are actually kid’s XL socks with less padding. They are fine in closed shoes, unless it’s seriously cold. (Smaller people might want to give the largest kid socks a try, and they are great in summer) But, I’d like a couple more pairs and I’ll be looking at Fox River and Farm to Feet Boulders
my grandmother did thick merino socks in the 80's way better than all the nowadays socks in the entire market. the socks from my grandmother were as thick as shoes.
@theoutdoorempire i am talking about 1982 to 1996 i don't have any. my grandma died at 96 years old over a decade ago. my cousin has some. anyone can do it. just get a ball of real wool and 2 sticks. none of your socks are 100% wool.
I wear Keecow marino wool 80% socks from Amazon every day all year round. $10 those are for daily use as a plain clothes street worker....for outdoor use i have used Darn Tough 40 years
the kirkland merino wool socks are, unfortunately, currently not available. will be checking periodically to see if they reappear. great review though, never thought i'd be interested in a sock review but you made it interesting...subscribed
Glad you enjoyed the sock test. I never thought so much about socks until I decided to do this video. And I suspect those socks might be seasonal at Costco. My store still had some a couple weeks ago when I was there last, but maybe they're gone now too.
I'm in the UK, so the Kirkland socks are more expensive than in the US, but I've been wearing them for years, they are still a good price and last ages!
I've owned five brands tested. The cheaper ones I have owned (Time May Tell, Alvada, Omni-Wool) do wear out quicker than my Smart Wool and Darn Tough. However, at $5/pair or so when on sale at Amazon I don't feel ripped off. With that said, the cheap socks are more of a daily use for me. If I am traveling I take the good ones because I know they will hold up reliably.
Great review, thanks. I like the lifetime warranty of the Darn Tough socks, but don't like the high price. Over the years, I've found them on sale for as little at $5 a pair, but you have to watch/search frequently and only find those prices a few times a year at best... I think I'll give the Costco socks a try.
I wonder how the newer Camel City Mills work socks compare to these. They’re supposed to be competing with the Darn Tuffs for quality and market placement, but they’re so new that the independent reviews or torture tests aren’t there like they would be all of these. There’s also a Weatherproof branded wool sock blend at many Costcos that is potentially cheaper on Amazon (I haven’t got my order yet to see if they are knock offs or the real deal). They’re lower mid weight but have been a great daily sock for office and regular walking use. Great video. Thanks for sharing 👍
I own 3 pairs of Cloudline, 2 pairs of Darn Tough, 1 Smartwool, tons of Kirkland. For me personally, Darn Tough was a little too tight for all day wear. Cloudline are my favorite rugged/hiking socks I've tried. Smartwool are my favorite for casual use, most comfy. Kirkland are great for the price (I found some on sale for $5 for a 4 pack once), but I find that my feet are noticeably more stinky at the end of the day. Not sure why. They aren't particularly warmer than the other brands.
I get darn tough on sale every fall. Sometimes half off. They are great. I wear the ankle socks at work. Feet never smell. I still haven't worn out a pair yet, but when i do, they will get replaced for free minus shipping.
Like @Plugger1 this showed up in my feed. Glad it did. Enjoyable video. Relevant, entertaining, insightful. Going to check out more of your videos. Thanks
I've been wearing DT socks for years, specifically the coolmax boot sock version when I work all day long in my grass cutting business. They are pricey but I haven't found anything else that comes close to them. I also have serveral pair of their merino wool hiking socks and love them too! I was surprised to see the other brands that are made in the USA. I'm gonna rush over to Costco for some of these socks for 3.75 ... what a bargain!
I was also surprised that so many different brands of socks are made in the USA. It's the majority, by far. And even Minus 33 makes a lot of their socks in the US as well. I got their cheaper, more popular pair which is made in Romania, but they make a very similar (identical maybe?) sock in the US for a few dollars more.
@@theoutdoorempire The reason is that you don't really need to be a seamster / tailor or seamstress to make socks, they're pretty simple stitching patterns from the fabric. As much as people want to bring factory jobs back to the US, we no longer have a large body of people who actually know how to make clothing, and consumers are (generally) unwilling to pay the price for American-made tailored goods.
Great content loved the information. How about doing something similar with some active hoodies for hiking for example the Patagonia R1 fleece, the outdoor ventus hoodie, the USMC Peckham polartec fleece, and ARC’TERYX delta hoodie fleece just to mention a few. Just wondering how do they compare most weight around the 10 oz mark. Some being more expensive than the others, I know the usmc polartec you can find it for way less cost, just wondering how it would compare to the expensive brands
Thank you for doing scientific tests of products. We need more ProjectFarm-esque reviews on RUclips! This makes it much easier to evaluate the quality of products.
Dam good review Sir, only thing missing is the % of wool blend for each sock, I too have worn the Costco socks for years because they have a 65% wool blend, the most wool I had found in any brand
Glad you enjoyed it! I didn't spend time on it, but I did put the percentage of merino wool in each sock in the first table I showed in the intro, if you're curious.
It would be fantastic to have a comparison of merino T-shirts if you're looking for more ideas. Nice to see reviews for women's versions as they can be made differently.
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Costco employee here. They will drop to $4.97 for the four pack just before Christmas every year. The women’s version we sell is about half as thick as the men’s and is perfect for working in the warehouse. Keep up the great content.
Wow! Awesome tip, thank you.
I can't find the socks on the Costco website at all right now. It doesn't even list them as out of stock. Do you know if I'm doing something wrong by chance?
@@sloanNYC I can't find them on there either. I think it might be an in-store only item.
@@theoutdoorempire Why wouldn't they show it on the site to let me know they exist? So weird! Good to know I'm not crazy at least!
Great info good sir/madam, that's an awesome tip ☺️
Working in the trades, I’ve found Darn Tough socks to be amazing. Indoors, outdoors, from frigid single digit winter temperatures to over 110° summers, up and down ladders, across countless roof tops…. They are durable and comfortable
Sounds like you've put them through the paces!
I work out doors too I’ve walked probably a few thousand miles in my darn tough socks and worn them out but the life time warranty works so new free socks is cool
The Costco sock is king for me. Warmest best sock I’ve ever had. Durable enough for machine wash. Cheap enough for a blue collar guy like me
Fantastic value, for sure!
Agreed. They are great socks and not that expensive.
💯 I've been buying these for a while and they're the best 👌 I wear boots everyday
@@theoutdoorempire are the Kirkland/Costco socks available year round?
I love the Costco socks. The grayish ones and the thinner colored ones. They last quite some time and work well.
I walked across America twice with only 4 pairs of Darn Tough. I began in 2016 and ended in 2018. I STILL own the original 4 pairs and have worn them every day since I took my first steps. They still fit and feel like new to this day. It's probably the best money I have ever spent on anything.
Daggum, that's amazing! You're definitely getting your money's worth.
My Darn Tough has lasted 5 years so far and outlasted my Smart Wool and my Costco (Weatherproof) socks, lasted barely a year before holes appeared. My Farm to Feet have lasted 8 years so far. My REI socks are wearing out after 5 years.
I have 5 pairs of darn tough that have lasted about 10 years. They were my daily socks but have switched to gym socks and they still look good.
Gread video, love your humor. This was like watching a Project Farm video, but funny.
I’d like to see Project Farm do a video on socks.
That's impressive!
Been wearing the Costco wool socks for almost a decade now and only just recently had to buy a new pack of socks. I wear them year round in shoe, boots, and my Keen Newport sandals. They keep my feet warm in the fall and winter and cool in the summer. I love them.
For the money I love them also. But they seem to wear thin faster than my darn toughs and leave more loose wool on my feet.
I wore 4 DT socks for a year, backpacking across Europe ended hiking across 5 countries, Israel ,UK, Portugal, Ireland, and Belgium. They were all used and all but one lasted the year. Returned to DT and got another pair when I got back.
What a trip! Sounds amazing.
And that's why they're so expensive. People treat it like a lifetime sock subscription instead of a quality warranty.
@@F0XD1Ethat's what it's marketed as to be fair. "Free socks for life" is 7 pairs of darn tough socks as per their website.
@F0XD1E That's the same reason ll bean doesn't let you return whatever whenever anymore.
Wore two pair on the Appalachian trail, 2200 miles, wore out 4 pairs of shoes. Every day they were wet and muddy or just full of sand. Were still in good condition when I finished. Darn Tough fan ever since
Wow, that's amazing! Nice work on the AT and great testimonial on those Darn Tough socks.
Love my Darn Tough socks. About $14 a pair and made in America for the ones I buy.
I own about 8 pairs. They are only socks I own. 4 years later they are still all going strong.
DT is up to about $25/pair now
I’ve never gotten them for 14 bucks a pair they’re 25 and 30 now
@@michelevolz7769 its been a few years, didnt know they had gone up that much. I think I bought them on amazon black friday. Maybe 2019ish. I have the ultra-lights tho.
I guess thats a good thing. I will probably still buy them over again if I ever need them in the future.
They show little to no wear, discoloration or stretching after that many years of daily use.
@@terwonick Most products sold post 2020 are about 30% higher in price primarily due to rampant inflation.
Only socks I own, and now I don't buy socks anymore. One sock one time
I own 6 pair of Darn Tough, and my nephew owns 8 pair. We love them. They have a lifetime no questions asked warranty.
I don't live anywhere near a Costco and don't belong, so that rules them out.
The only thing I have with DT socks is, I wear a size 12 or 13 shoe, and 12-1/2 is the break point for them between a L and an XL sock, so I'm caught right there in the middle, but it really hasn't been a problem for me.
So did you choose the L or XL, I'm the exact shoe size so I'm curious what you thought
@@MarcinButzak I am the same size. Go with XL. They will not be even close to loose.
I am a size 11, and I wear XL Darn Toughs, and they are not even close to being loose. I wish they were even bigger.
I recently went on a bit of a new sock quest after my years old Costco version of the Smartwool socks began to wear out. The Alvada from Amazon wore out in less than a year. The new Smartwool socks aren't made as well as the older ones or the older Costco clones. My Darn Tough socks last longer but aren't quite as warm to me and sometimes they make my feet sweat before my older Smartwool socks or the older Costco merino wool ones. I'm not impressed with any of the newer Costco cold weather socks and I own them all.
After watching this video, I'm going to give the Fox River socks a try. Thanks for the video...
I wish you the best on your quest. May your feet find their way and their preferred garment.
12 years ago I asked that the only gifts for me at Christmas were Darn Tough socks. 8 pairs in constant rotation and after 12 years it's time to retire them. They definitely lived up to their name!
Sounds like a darn good deal to me!
@@theoutdoorempire Best. Christmas. Ever!
I’ve been wearing the Costco wool socks for over a year. Excellent socks that hold up and are very warm even when hunting in cold weather.
Thanks! I went out and bought another pack of Costco socks after watching this, they are currently on clearance.
Might be interesting to also add a cotton and a acrylic in the comparison and see how they compare.
That would be interesting to test different types against each other. Thanks for the suggestion.
@@theoutdoorempire I'll second that request. 👍
I have 3 pairs of merino wool socks i bought at Dunhams in the late 90s. They don't make things like they used to. I still wear them 😮
I'd like to see a video about the warranty experience with all the socks with holes that have a lifetime warranty. since that seems to be the major selling point for Darn Tough.
Definitely one of their key selling points. That could be an interesting video, thanks for the idea.
My first visit to your channel...appreciate the hard work you put into this video and your sense of humor, I'll be back for more.
I appreciate you watching! Hope you find the other videos helpful.
Outstanding test video. I was already a subscriber but if I weren’t, this video would have converted me. And I like that you didn’t take a friggin’ hour and drag it out. Quick but thorough.
Awesome, glad you enjoyed it. Believe me, it was hard to shrink this video down. It took a ton of hours and several days to research, test, film, and produce. I appreciate you watching!
My feet have been cold inside this winter in ankle height running socks. Time for some warmer options; your video came out timely for me! Thank you.
This video could not have come at a better time. I've used Costco socks for 3 years now, and still using all 3 original pairs (I'm using a Woman's that comes 3 pairs/pack) bought 3 years ago.. But I have an upcoming long hike, and have been pondering if I should get Darn Tough. I'm fairly frugal, and I just haven't felt like I could warrant shelling out that much money for one pair of socks, knowing I'd have to buy 2 pairs to have a spare in my pack.. Happy to see based on your testing that can I remain confident in sticking with Kirkland.
I feel ya on the cost! Glad I could help out.
My favorites are actually the Red Wing Merino Wool Work Socks. I have found them to be more comfortable and better at reducing smell and moisture buildup than the darn toughs. Also, they come with the same warranty at DT, but with the added bonus that you can go into your local redwing store and drop off the worn-out pair and immediately get a fresh new pair.
Sweet!
I currently have every pair of Darn Tough socks I’ve ever gotten. The oldest pairs are now about 14 years old and are due for the free replacement (only one sock has a hole and it was a snag hole not a wear hole). I gotta say though, that I am probably going to try out those Costco socks now.
I've used Smartwool working in the Texas oil field in extreme heat and extreme cold. They've held up great for the 5 years that I've had them. I buy the light cushion for $19.99.
Been using Fox River socks since I was in the Army. Best socks i've ever owned.
I have Smartwool socks that I've had for five years, I'm a stagehand and I do a lot of walking. I'm not switching, I have three thickness levels for whatever location I might be in.
Awesome.
I’ve watched a few of your videos now… This one earned my subscription.
I really appreciate that! I'm glad you're enjoying the content.
10/10 video! I love the s&p 500 idea! Actually very valid point. 16:42
This is great content. I'm an all risk firefighter, including wildland. I try new socks every year. I'll be trying the Costco brand thanks to you and my inner cheapskate.
Good luck out there and stay safe.
Thanks for the lot of effort you put in this. I try to avoid the cheapest buys in general for my hiking gear - until a good video comes out with in-depth comparison.
Agreed.
I’m happy the algorithm brought me to your channel today, and now I’m binge watching 🤣
Welcome! I hope you like what you see.
One thing I really like about the Minus33 ones is that they come in Ankle and No Show options as well which is nice for the hot Summers.
I like my Costco socks but Alvada have been almost too hot at times for me. They do a great job staying dry. I applaud your tests and appreciate the effort and video.
Love the project farm approach to outdoor gear reviews! I subscribed!!!
Awesome, thank you!
Thanks for the tests. As a suggestion, a warmth test again at the end of all the tests would be helpful.
Thanks for putting them through their paces
I might be biased towards Darn Tough, I tried the cheaper brands and after awhile they get the crunch inside them. Then they are like walking on sand paper. The last 2 years I have worn darn tough for all outdoors activities, Hunting, Fishing, Hiking and scouting for Elk. Machine wash and toss in the dryer, I have yet to have a issue with them, But the warranty is more what I am buying. REI is close so if I have a issue, I can replace them by walking in the store. I guess at the end of the day, it is just what works best for each person. Cool video.
It’s definitely a matter of personal preference, and a solid warranty is always a plus. "Get the crunch..." 😂
I bought my wife 6 pairs of the DT military coyote brown socks 5 years ago, and they are all still like new, I know that sounds weird, but she wore out a pair of boots in the same time. Take that with a grain of salt, spending 150.00 on socks seamed crazy, but I have worn out 5 pairs of the DT black ones and returned them twice in the same time. The coyote ones are high calf and the black ones were ankle length. Great video, I am going to grab some of those costco one next week.
👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻 I love everything about your videos! You are fun and funny and informative!
Awesome, I'm glad you like the videos!
I have about 15 pairs of alvada socks I love them. Yes they're a little bit on the cheap side but they have held up real well over the last 2 years.
I still have a pair of the Wigwam Merino socks I wore on my 1998 AT Thruhike. (Used as sleeping socks these days). I have 2pr of the REI socks that I mostly use with a liner sock in my XC ski boots that are 10+ yrs old. The heels are wearing out, but that’s somewhat expected.
The Costco/Kirklands have become a new favorite for winter hiking. I’m 2 seasons into my first 4-pack, and these seem to compare favorably to the higher priced socks in terms of wear and comfort for my size 9 high arch foot.
The Costco Weatherproof Vintage Men’s Crew Sock (5-pack) has become my new favorite summer sock. It is mostly synthetic, and works well with my sweaty feet that can overwhelm the mid-weight wool socks in this test.
That's a long time for a pair of socks! And I've got those Weatherproof Costco socks too.
I used to get the Costco socks but had to buy a fresh pack every year because they would all wear through. I had single pair of smart wool socks that lasted 5 years before a hole started. I bought my first 2 pair of darn tough sock 3 years ago and after daily wear 10,000+ steps a day, hundreds of miles hiking and backpacking, and 5 mountain summits, I finally started getting blisters in them on hikes after 2 years of wear. they are still going strong for daily wear and I bought another two pairs for backpacking 75 miles this last summer.
Sounds like you've put those socks through the ringer and they're still going! Awesome.
I bought fox river waaay back in my young Soldier days in 2011. I was never impressed by them. Darn Tough was the brand i found i loved the most even though i bought and enjoyed many pairs of the costco merinos too.
This vid showed me Farm to Feet. I will def be trying them out soon.
Glad you're giving Farm to Feet a shot! Hope you like them!
Great testing and analysis, this kind of thing makes me so happy to see. Subscribed.
Awesome! Glad you enjoyed it.
Thank you for the thorough science experiment/review.
Great informative video. I bought a pair of darn tough years ago which was a real eye opener (it also allowed me to keep boots in the house without killing everyone from the stench). After that I've been looking for cheaper alternatives, Smart wool is trash and uncomfortable, Time Will Tell is great but a little too thick for me, Danish endurance or something like that, is all right for shoes and summer wear but not great, but REAL TREE is by far the best fit, comfort and durablilty ideal for camping, hiking and hunting. Its between the REAL TREE and Darn Toughs as the goats with Darn Tough I'd say being best for hard labor jobs. Still great video👍
Great insight, thanks for sharing. In my research I listed out 55 different socks and the Real Tree didn't get on there. I'll add it for a possible follow up.
I wear merino socks for work. I don't need to worry about freezing temperatures since I'm in California, but I love merino because of the antimicrobial properties of wool, at the end of my work day, my feet are still fairly comfortable. I splurge on Darn Tough and Smartwool because I like to get cute socks since I don't get much chance to express my taste as I wear my company uniform all day and both of these brands have styles I like. I don't buy them often though, usually one new pair a year and I haven't needed to get rid of any of them yet, so I've got many pairs. And I just throw them in the machine, but my norm is to line dry clothes, so I haven't seen any real wear on them yet.
The Costco/kirklands are such a stellar buy. I buy a few packs every year.
That's a lot of socks!
I wear both the Costco and Darn Toughs to snow shoe in Montana. They are both really warm and equally durable. I’ve had the no name Amazon ones too. They are ok for warmth, but wear out pretty quick.
Dang, now the world has RUclips Evidence the Costco socks are a great deal. I’ve been buying them on clearance every year for $5 for 4 packs.
Love this level of geeking out over gear! One thought on the temperature experiments -- it looks like some of the socks had more/less sunlight on the table. Depending on if that was caused by temporary cloud cover or a constant shadow from a tree/house/etc, that would be something to control for since that would have such a dramatic impact on the final temps in the toes.
Good feedback thanks. It was mostly filtered sunlight through trees that moved. I think it started all shaded but then changed over the hour.
Socks, science and a super sense of humor! What’s not to love about this video? 🤣🤣🤣
Maybe ask Darn Tough.
Well… honesty is the best policy. And sometimes the truth hurts. Or at least it’s Darn Tough” to hear. 🤣
Well done! You're the "Project Farm" of outdoor clothing! ; )
He's a legend. I'm just trying to learn.
I use darn tough socks for work (im a paramedic) and hiking and any other time im in a boot. My first pair of dark tough socks finally got a hole in them after a year or two short of a decade. They also have a lifetime warrantee. So darn tough socks can take my money
I love the Darn Tough socks made in Vermont. My oldest pair is from 2009 and they are still holding up. I wear them every week. The fabric is getting pretty thin at the ball and heel, so I may see if they will replace them. No holes yet in ANY of my pairs though.
Sounds like a Win Win for both you and Darn Tough. Nice!
I've been agonizing because I have one pair of Darn Tough and I just don't want to spend $300 on socks to wear them full time. Kirkland it is! Thanks for the excellent video!
I feel your pain.
Buy a couple pair here and there during sales. I built up an impressive year round Smartwool drawer within a year. That was probably 7 or 8 years ago and they are all finally starting to wear out. So now I'm about to start building up a Darn Tough collection that will last forever.
@@samsneed7979 Why bother when you can have a whole drawer of Costco socks for just $30?
Great test. I've bought the Costco Kirkland socks for years
Very thorough! Thanks
Great review. Thank you.
Our pleasure!
I have never found a better pair of socks than DarnTough. Ive been wearing them everyday since my 2014 thru hike of the AT.
I have purchased many brands of socks, made from different materials throughout my life. If you’ve ever spent the money on Darn Tough socks, then like me you already know, there is no other sock. DT also has a forever warranty, which they always honor.
I wear them honestly every day. They’re perfect
Thanks for this review!
Darn Tough are my daily drivers when I need to wear socks. I’ve got seven pair, although three are actually kid’s XL socks with less padding. They are fine in closed shoes, unless it’s seriously cold. (Smaller people might want to give the largest kid socks a try, and they are great in summer)
But, I’d like a couple more pairs and I’ll be looking at Fox River and Farm to Feet Boulders
my grandmother did thick merino socks in the 80's way better than all the nowadays socks in the entire market. the socks from my grandmother were as thick as shoes.
Nice! If you can send me some of Grandma's socks I'll put em in the next round. 😉
@theoutdoorempire i am talking about 1982 to 1996 i don't have any. my grandma died at 96 years old over a decade ago. my cousin has some. anyone can do it. just get a ball of real wool and 2 sticks. none of your socks are 100% wool.
That’s a bold claim with no way to back it up. Plus, overly thick socks suck with boots. To much material.
@ChopperChad use 3 sizes bigger boots. of course you can proof it. DIY your own wool socks.
EXCELLENT ANALYSIS - thanks !!!
You're welcome! Glad you enjoyed it.
I wear Keecow marino wool 80% socks from Amazon every day all year round. $10 those are for daily use as a plain clothes street worker....for outdoor use i have used Darn Tough 40 years
Great job dude, immediately subscribed! My man is about to have the BEST hiking socks
Welcome! Glad you enjoyed the video.
the kirkland merino wool socks are, unfortunately, currently not available. will be checking periodically to see if they reappear. great review though, never thought i'd be interested in a sock review but you made it interesting...subscribed
Glad you enjoyed the sock test. I never thought so much about socks until I decided to do this video. And I suspect those socks might be seasonal at Costco. My store still had some a couple weeks ago when I was there last, but maybe they're gone now too.
That's impressive!!! I feel that I have heard that phrase before 🤔
Definitely a tip of the hat to the legendary Project Farm. Also, my mother.
@ very well played!
I'm in the UK, so the Kirkland socks are more expensive than in the US, but I've been wearing them for years, they are still a good price and last ages!
I've owned five brands tested. The cheaper ones I have owned (Time May Tell, Alvada, Omni-Wool) do wear out quicker than my Smart Wool and Darn Tough. However, at $5/pair or so when on sale at Amazon I don't feel ripped off.
With that said, the cheap socks are more of a daily use for me. If I am traveling I take the good ones because I know they will hold up reliably.
Awesome test sir. Very thoughtful and through.
I appreciate the kind words.
You're doing what well all want the answers too but wont do oursleves, lol. Subbed.
Thanks for the sub!
Great review, thanks. I like the lifetime warranty of the Darn Tough socks, but don't like the high price. Over the years, I've found them on sale for as little at $5 a pair, but you have to watch/search frequently and only find those prices a few times a year at best... I think I'll give the Costco socks a try.
Sounds like you've found some sweet deals. Thanks for watching.
Well done. A lot of options covered.
I'm glad you enjoyed it.
I wonder how the newer Camel City Mills work socks compare to these. They’re supposed to be competing with the Darn Tuffs for quality and market placement, but they’re so new that the independent reviews or torture tests aren’t there like they would be all of these. There’s also a Weatherproof branded wool sock blend at many Costcos that is potentially cheaper on Amazon (I haven’t got my order yet to see if they are knock offs or the real deal). They’re lower mid weight but have been a great daily sock for office and regular walking use. Great video. Thanks for sharing 👍
That's a great idea to compare to Camel City Mills - I'll keep that in mind!
I own 3 pairs of Cloudline, 2 pairs of Darn Tough, 1 Smartwool, tons of Kirkland.
For me personally, Darn Tough was a little too tight for all day wear.
Cloudline are my favorite rugged/hiking socks I've tried.
Smartwool are my favorite for casual use, most comfy.
Kirkland are great for the price (I found some on sale for $5 for a 4 pack once), but I find that my feet are noticeably more stinky at the end of the day. Not sure why. They aren't particularly warmer than the other brands.
Thanks for sharing your experience. That's really helpful!
I get darn tough on sale every fall. Sometimes half off. They are great. I wear the ankle socks at work. Feet never smell. I still haven't worn out a pair yet, but when i do, they will get replaced for free minus shipping.
Love this video and content - it Project farm for outdoor gear - perfect concept
I'm glad you enjoyed the video!
Cool test! Thank you 😊
Thanks for watching.
Great comparison, thanks!
Glad you enjoyed the video!
The s&p 500 tip had me laughing...and investing wisely. Thank you
Like @Plugger1 this showed up in my feed. Glad it did. Enjoyable video. Relevant, entertaining, insightful. Going to check out more of your videos. Thanks
I'm glad you enjoyed it!
I bought about 20 packs of the costco socks last spring when they were on clearance for $3.99 a 4 pack.
Wow! You should be set for life.
I bought a couple packs of costco socks and vacpack them in ones and twos for opening throughout the year
That's awesome. Feels like new socks every time.
I've been wearing DT socks for years, specifically the coolmax boot sock version when I work all day long in my grass cutting business. They are pricey but I haven't found anything else that comes close to them. I also have serveral pair of their merino wool hiking socks and love them too! I was surprised to see the other brands that are made in the USA. I'm gonna rush over to Costco for some of these socks for 3.75 ... what a bargain!
I was also surprised that so many different brands of socks are made in the USA. It's the majority, by far. And even Minus 33 makes a lot of their socks in the US as well. I got their cheaper, more popular pair which is made in Romania, but they make a very similar (identical maybe?) sock in the US for a few dollars more.
@@theoutdoorempire The reason is that you don't really need to be a seamster / tailor or seamstress to make socks, they're pretty simple stitching patterns from the fabric. As much as people want to bring factory jobs back to the US, we no longer have a large body of people who actually know how to make clothing, and consumers are (generally) unwilling to pay the price for American-made tailored goods.
Nothing beats darn tough fo4 comfort
bless you and the scientific method, sir.
And especially bless the quasi-scientific method.
The darn tough hunter sock is pretty great. Would be interested in that style reviewed.
Noted, thanks.
Great content loved the information. How about doing something similar with some active hoodies for hiking for example the Patagonia R1 fleece, the outdoor ventus hoodie, the USMC Peckham polartec fleece, and ARC’TERYX delta hoodie fleece just to mention a few. Just wondering how do they compare most weight around the 10 oz mark. Some being more expensive than the others, I know the usmc polartec you can find it for way less cost, just wondering how it would compare to the expensive brands
Great idea! Noted.
Just ran to Costco (in Michigan) and bought these Costco Kirland socks for $6.75 for 4 pair, less than 1/2 cost cited in this video.
Hot dang! Gimme some of that.
First time in my Algorithm…Definitely worth a Subscription.
Awesome, thanks for watching!
Thank you for doing scientific tests of products. We need more ProjectFarm-esque reviews on RUclips! This makes it much easier to evaluate the quality of products.
I'm glad you enjoyed it. Project Farm does an amazing job!
Dam good review Sir, only thing missing is the % of wool blend for each sock, I too have worn the Costco socks for years because they have a 65% wool blend, the most wool I had found in any brand
Glad you enjoyed it! I didn't spend time on it, but I did put the percentage of merino wool in each sock in the first table I showed in the intro, if you're curious.
Thank you for the effort you put into making this review comparison
You're welcome. Hope you found it helpful.
@ProjectFarm would be proud of these tests
I'm flattered, but he is a legend and I have no doubt that my tests are not yet as rigorous as his.
If you’re in Canada also consider JB Fields Hiker GX. Made in Canada so the price is 1/3 darn tough. Been through hikes from -30C to +30C
Nice tip. Sounds like I need to make a trip to Canada.
Where in Canada do you find them?
It would be fantastic to have a comparison of merino T-shirts if you're looking for more ideas. Nice to see reviews for women's versions as they can be made differently.