Australian Hiker

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Darn Tough Light Micro Crew Light Cushion Sock Review

When I originally posted this review I was a week away from a 1000km (621 mile) 5-week thru hike on the Bibbulmun Track in Western Australia. Over the past few months I had been scrutinising every piece of gear that I own looking at the weight, comfort and performance of each item as I want to ensure than on a hike of this length that I have the perfect piece of gear (for me). While each piece of gear is important ultimately footwear, including socks, is critical on a long hike whereas on short hikes you can get away with less than perfect. So after reading various online reviews I decided to try out the Darn Tough Light Micro Crew Light Cushion Sock. After using these socks for a number of years these are only one of a couple of sock options that I take on long distance hikes and here’s why.

These socks are a blend of Merino Wool (56%), Nylon (40%), and Spandex (4%). The construction of this sock can really be split into two seperate parts. The sole of the foot which has good padding and the top of the foot which is very lightweight. For me this is ideal as I don’t usually wear socks for warmth unless I’m wearing mountaineering boots. If I wear a full wool sock my feet will overheat.

The other thing that I like about this sock was that when they get soaking wet they retain their compressive nature unlike other socks that go limp and start to bunch. I’ve taken to standing in steams or deep puddles and letting the sock saturate to see how they perform and in this case when I did this with the Darn Tough’s I just wrung the out, put them back on, and and kept on going with a sock that was damp but not wet. The sock retained its fit and still hugged my foot after this punishment which is a big bonus.

Darn Tough also advertise their socks with as ‘Unconditionally Guaranteed for life’. If you go on line to their website they have a guarantee form to return the socks and if you live outside of the US or Canada you need to foot the postage (pun intended). I think any company that is willing to do that really believes in their product. From my perspective I’d just buy another sock but this piece of mind is excellent.  Over the past few years I have managed to put holes in these socks but in all honesty I’ve worn them for around 4000-5,000km in some varied an hard conditions and based on this they are a winner.

The construction of this sock is also very well done with the material being a very fine weave. Darn Tough advertise this as antimicrobial which means they they won’t smell as bad as other socks. I found that this does work but given enough days use any sock will smell. The socks are also seamless which means you don’t get that uncomfortable ridge that so many of the cheaper socks tend to have.

Now the one and only negative for me is that you really do need to purchase these socks from a US website. Amazon Australia do sell them but at the time of this review they were AUD $49 RRP (I have seen them advertised as high as AUD $210AUD per pair!). I think I need to go into the sock business at this price.

Darn tough do make a number of other socks but I just lucked it when I chose this version and while I still have a number of other socks reviews still to post you won’t go wrong with this particular choice.

We Like

• Moisture wicking fabric keeps your feet relatively dry on hot days to minimise blisters
• Breathable lightweight top to minimise overheating and sweating – this helps to minimise blisters
• Seamless which helps minimise blisters
• Cushioned soles keep your feet comfortable where is needed day after day
• Extremely comfortable
• Lifetime guarantee
• Good range of sizes 5.5-17US mens meaning that they will fit most womens feet as well

We Don't Like

• Good stock of these socks are hard to come by so buy them when you come across them at a good price
• They are a very good sock but sometimes they can be a bit expensive so keep an eye out and buy them when they are the cheaper end of the range

Best Uses

• A great sock when you’re not wandering snowfields. It’s very comfortable, very durable and will keep your feet dry in all but the most extreme heat

Buy One

You can purchase the Darn Tough Light Micro Crew Light Cushion Sock from Amazon Australia

Disclosure:  We may earn a small commission, at no additional expense to you, if you click through and make a purchase. Please note that our affiliations do not influence, in any way, the independence of our reviews. If we don’t like a product, you’ll hear about it from us!

If you have used the Darn Tough Light Micro Crew Light Cushion Sock or if you have questions, we’d like to hear from you. Post your comment or question below

Investment

AUD$49.00- $62.00 RRP+ delivery (When you see them on sale but a few pairs). As good as they are don’t buy them at the higher pricing but wait until they are one sale

Other Versions

Darn Tough produces a wide range of socks for hiking and other outdoor activities.

Darn Tough Light Micro Crew Light Cushion Socks comes in a range of colours and a big range of sizes to fit the biggest foot. At size 15US, I use the XL size and there is still an XXL above that

Testing the Darn Tough Light Micro Crew Light Cushion Sock. Step one rollup the pants; step two stand in a deep puddle and until the shoes are filled with water and the socks are drenched; step three keep on going!

Disclaimer

This review was done with product purchased online by Australian Hiker

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