Ranger Review:  Darn Tough Socks @ Fort Yargo State Park

As a Ranger for The Dyrt, I occasionally receive outdoor gear to review.  During my stay at Fort Yargo State Park, I tested Darn Tough socks and fell in love with them.  

Campground Review: 

Fort Yargo State Park has lots to do. There is disc golf, nature programs, gift shop, putt-putt golf, playgrounds, hiking, mountain biking, and a 260-acre lake offers swimming, boating, paddling, and fishing. Overnight accommodations include fully equipped cottages, adventure cabins, yurts, and campsites. We visited in late April and could only find a campsite during the week. Despite Covid-19, the park was open for day-use and overnight guests. The visitor center was closed but bathrooms were open. 

We loved the hiking. Most of the trails are mixed mountain biking and hiking but when we were there, we only saw two mountain bikes. We took a picnic lunch with us and found one of the many picnic areas to have lunch and enjoy the lake views. 

The roads are a little hilly and twisting but if you have a big rig and go slow you will be fine. All the campsite driveways are angled so backing in is pretty easy. The campground is treed and many sites have nice shade. Sites 7-12 in Loop 1 are very nice with lake views and access. They are also close to the boat launch. We did not have trouble getting level in our site (#17). We enjoyed the beautiful spring weather which was sunny during the day and cool enough at night to have fires. The campground was very peaceful during the week when we were there but can imagine it gets pretty busy on the weekends and during the summer. Most of the sites have pretty good separation between them so you don’t feel like you are on top of someone. There are train tracks nearby so expect some train noise. This is a great campground and definitely worth a visit.

......................................................

Gear Review: Darn Tough Socks

I really LOVE these socks! I know, having a love affair with socks is weird but they are so amazingly soft and make my feet feel so good. Darn Tough socks are 100% made in America (Vermont to be exact) and stand out among other brands because they have an unconditional lifetime guarantee (which I actually tested). If the heel wears out, they get a hole in the toe, or they simply are not the most comfortable sock you've ever worn, just send them back and they will be replaced, no questions asked. With a guarantee like that, you know they have to be comfortable and well-made socks. 

Darn Tough socks come in an array of heights, thickness, styles and designs (many of which have cool outdoorsy themes). So whether you want a thicker hiking/working sock or a thinner running sock you will find it. If you like low cut socks to prevent tan lines or need a high calf sock to fit in your tall boots, they have those too. Their website has a nice guide to sizing and sock height so you know exactly how they will fit and look which is helpful for choosing the right sock for you. Free shipping on orders of two or more pairs is an added bonus.  My socks arrived in a cardboard box so it can be recycled. 

Darn Tough socks fit perfectly. I wear a size 8 so I land in the middle of the medium size which covers (7.5– 9.5). Sometimes socks are too long, bunch up in the toe, too wide and sloppy, or slide down in the back, all of which have never happened with any Darn Tough socks I own. They are made with a seamless toe stitching which eliminates bulkiness in the toe box which causes a tight, cramped fit. After multiple washings, they still look and feel the same with no fading or shrinking. I like the fact that these socks are made from Merino wool which is not itchy on your skin like other types of wool. A couple other great features of Merino is that they are insulating in the cold but function great in hot weather as they are breathable and wick moisture from your skin. I find that these socks dry very quickly and even when they get wet on hikes I’ve never gotten blisters. Merino wool is said to naturally repel odor and bacteria which is a great feature of a hiking sock where your shoes constantly get wet and dirty. 

I was curious why these socks are so soft, so durable, and just so perfect so I turned to their website to get the story. According to their website, Darn Tough socks “are knit on small needle, fine gauge knitting machines. This approach produces durable, high density stitching without bulk. Less bulk means a better fit. The better the sock fits, the longer it will last.” So there you have it. 

I tested a variety of Darn Tough socks in different shoes and during different activities. For the days when I am standing on my feet for hours in Danskos, I chose the bridge no show light. The no show socks are just that, one’s that do not show in your shoe. These socks are thin enough to fit perfectly in shoes that don’t have much room to play around.  During the eight hours I wore them they never slipped in the heel and stayed perfectly in place. The no show light cushion sock is perfect for my 3-4 mile runs. The sock has enough cushion that I never got blisters but not too thick to cramp my feet. Compared to the bridge no show sock this particular style did show a little bit above my running shoe. For hiking, I prefer more cushioning and a slightly taller sock so I choose the hiker¼ cushion sock. This sock has added cushioning that fairs well for long hikes scrambling up and down hills and mountains and over rocks.  Despite the hot weather and six miles, my feet never felt “hot.”  The¼ hiker is the perfect height to cover the high tongue on my hiking shoes. 

Alas, I found a problem and had to test their warranty with the treeline micro crew cushion socks that I ordered.  One sock was considerably taller than the other. You can file a warranty claim on the Darn Tough webpage but I didn’t want to have to pay for the packaging and shipping cost to return these brand new socks. So I clicked on the online chat box and was in touch with someone from customer service immediately. I explained the issue and sent a few pictures illustrating the discrepancy. The representative agreed there was a problem and offered to send me a new pair and within ten minutes of ending my chat I received an email confirming a new pair was on the way.  The representative asked if she could follow-up with email (of which I agreed) and said that the quality control team may want to examine them (of which they would pay for shipping). This is the first time I have tested the Darn Tough warranty and was quite pleased with the process and result. 

From now on the only socks I will buy are Darn Tough. The price is comparable to other name brand wool hiking socks but the feel and quality are so much better. And, the 100% guarantee seals the deal.  I think you will find these to be the most comfortable, well-made socks on the market.