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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
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.
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.
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.
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.
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 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.
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 got some Ortis socks from Amazon that make my feet burn and itch. I like the fact that Darn Tough is American made. I wish you had mentioned place of manufacturing.
I don't think I said it, but I did show where they're made in the first table in the intro if you want to look back at it and pause your screen. To my delight, most of these socks are made in the USA.
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 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 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.
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 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 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 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.
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
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'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.
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
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.
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.
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.
Smart Wool, Darn Tough, and LL Bean mid-weight hikers. DT sizing is small for women, but is cushier than the others-- more protective against blisters? SW still holding up from 2008 hiking trip-- thinned, scratchy, but doing the job. LLB? Save your money. Bottoms thinned less than a year and not good for anything other than casual use. Good video.
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.
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
Very nice work! In the future if you're looking to weight the socks down maybe filling them with rice would work? Idk if you can fit 5 lbs of rice into a sock but it would simulate a foot stretching the sock out more better?
Are the costco socks you tested the same as the outdoor trail sock with merino wool that they sell? They look different than the gray outdoor trail socks.
I'm not sure. At my Costco they only have this one option for Men and a different Women's sock. You can see the packaging in the intro of the video for the ones I have. I think it has 2 black pairs, one navy blue, and one gray like the one in the video.
Great review. I wonder about the truth/accuracy of the Merino wool content. I am a long time fan of Costco MW socks. I use an over calf length for cycling in the winter. I have been looking for a ankle length mid weight MW sock to show up.
My husband definitely loves the Costco socks especially as work socks too. What do you recommend for heating up water for coffee or soups without using the bigger items? Like Which portable backpacking stove do you think does the best or is there other options u think would work better? Hope that makes sense Also any recommendations on a propane heater? Thanks !
A JetBoil Flash stove is a very convenient and efficient all in one backpacking stove that is well loved. I actually haven't used one much but a lot of folks like em. There's a knockoff that's pretty decent from what I understand called the Fire Maple something or other. I really like the MSR Pocket Rocket 2 with a 1 liter titanium pot. That's my go-to. But there are a million options. If you're car camping there's a lot of good and less expensive options that do the trick. I'm not a fan of propane heaters myself, so I'm not much help there. I prefer a wood stove.
You should graph wool content vs durability. I have a theory that high wool content (>60%) socks are way less durable and that's why you'll hardly find a darn tough model that's high wool content.
Don’t remember where I saw it, but saw someone on the tube do something like that. The conclusion was 70% wool was the sweet spot between durability and all the benefits of wool
I wish I would have had this video back when my Boys played football. Between youth and HS we did football for 21 years. Question though how do think these style socks would work with my Maderhorn winter boots?
Good question. Some of the taller options like the darn tough and Fox River would probably be great. The Costco's and Minus 33s aren't as tall, but Minus 33 does have taller options that would be awesome.
Missed opportunity when suggesting to buy Kirkland socks and invest the rest. "Socks and Stocks" 💰 Great video and nod to project farm. "That's impressive!"
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!
For those who only look at the total score... remember that total score is mostly pointless since people have different needs and wants out of their socks. If dry time doesn't matter, then you may as well remove it from all the totals. If your socks never get wet, remove that from your total. Then, say dry warmth is more important than other measures, you should be adding a slight modifier on it, like 1.25x or 1.5x. IMO, a total score shouldn't even be part of this video as anyone basing their purchasing decision on that may be disappointed. Personally, I'm attempting to reduce my carbon footprint by maintaining a cold house during the winter: the HVAC is set to 53 F. Having dry socks that are super warm is SUPER important to me because my feet are the part of my body that get the coldest. While the Costco socks are a great deal, having the least insulation may not fit my need at all, and would ultimately have one of the lowest scores. Also, if you want to get the most warmth out of your wool socks, wear a thinner sock under them. I personally wear thin dress socks with the wool socks over them. I also leave just a bit of extra slack at the toes to create an air pocket.
My hesitation for recommending the Kirkland Socks is that big box retailers frequently bid out the manufacture of their goods and the quality can drastically change when the make a switch. The Cablelas branded blue jeans are a prime example. I had 2 pair that I wore for more than 10 years. I went back for more and the two pair I bought didn't last 6 months.
Thank you for doing scientific tests of products. We need more ProjectFarm-esque reviews on UA-cam! This makes it much easier to evaluate the quality of products.
REI- get holes quickly WIGWAM- stretch fast COSTCO- did not dry fast DARN TOUGH- great all-around except price. WARRANTY 👍 FARM TO FEET- my favorite, my little piggy is starting to wear through. In my years of testing, my experience.
Is there a way you could show the Fox River sock that was the best performing? I looked online, and there are tons of them. So, could ya maybe say which model or whatever of Fox River ones?
Yeah, the product names are crazy to decipher. There is a link to the same ones in the description. They're called the Fox River Men's Wick Dry Tramper Medium Weight Crew Hiking Sock. Rolls right off the tongue. 🤪
Curious how the Meriwool socks perform in comparison? They're a bit more than the really cheap Amazon wool socks with funky names. But in my experience they've performed very well and kept my feet warm even in -20 degrees with my non insulated boots.
When did you buy the Kirkland socks? The recent reviews say they changed this year and are thinner and not as good. And on the US site they aren't showing up in search. Maybe they aren't offered in California for some reason? I can only find them on the Canada version of their site, but Amazon has them.
And for what it's worth, they appear and feel the exact same as the ones I've had for a few years. But they are different (better, I think) than the ones I bought there probably 10 years ago.
Noted. I actually had some I was gonna use, but they're not the same type of sock as the rest in this test and they're not much cheaper. But I'll hold on to them for a future test.
A few things I know about Costco Merino socks. They are comfortable, they seem to be holding up, now a few bad things I found, you have a Real Wool carpet they will attract fibers from it a lot of fibers. If you have a Siberian Forest cat they will find every hair your cat drops and clump it up on the socks. I don't know about other brands of Merino's? As far as warranty especially lifetime, they are not what they used to be. Companies like Duluth Trading did away with its Lifetime No Bull guarantee 😢 even if you have items grandfathered in they will give you a hard time. Costco won't do this when under warranty.
Should convert the time it took to dry and grams of water lost into an efficiency measure of “grams of water lost per hour” or something like that to better compare drying between the different socks. I think your method was fine, but just a thought. I have a couple different pairs of wool socks and they both perform very differently so this video piqued my interest. Good stuff!!
Ive bought both and still have each. Costco ones wear quicker and imo the darn tough are more comfortable from a temp perspective. My feet stay warm with the darn tough. The costco my feet can get too warm. That said I wear both.
OBSERVATION...luv coxtco, but you have to wash cold and hang dry or they shrink. The best wool socks i ever had were smart wool socks bought 10 years ago, but the new ones arent the same
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.
For a typical "hiking sock" the design criteria would not include high insulative capacity. personally, having a sock that retains heat would be a negative for dry/summer use. This seems to a common idea because wool is known to be a good insulator we assume thats an important characteristic.
Indeed, there are lots of different variations with targeted cushion or light cushion, different blends of merino and synthetic. I actually got a bunch more socks like that I was gonna test but it was too much for one video. So I opted to test just socks that were cheaper than the Darn Tough and advertised the same as mid weight and full cushion.
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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 ☺️
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.
Gread video, love your humor. This was like watching a Project Farm video, but funny.
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
Thanks for putting them through their paces
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.
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
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. 👍
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.
I feel ya on the cost! Glad I could help out.
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 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.
Great testing and analysis, this kind of thing makes me so happy to see. Subscribed.
Awesome! Glad you enjoyed it.
👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻 I love everything about your videos! You are fun and funny and informative!
Awesome, I'm glad you like the videos!
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 got some Ortis socks from Amazon that make my feet burn and itch. I like the fact that Darn Tough is American made. I wish you had mentioned place of manufacturing.
I don't think I said it, but I did show where they're made in the first table in the intro if you want to look back at it and pause your screen. To my delight, most of these socks are made in the USA.
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 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.
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 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 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.
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.
Been using Fox River socks since I was in the Army. Best socks i've ever owned.
Thank you for this information
I bought about 20 packs of the costco socks last spring when they were on clearance for $3.99 a 4 pack.
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 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 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 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.
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.
Thank you for the effort you put into making this review comparison
Well done. A lot of options covered.
I'm glad you enjoyed it.
Cool test! Thank you 😊
Thanks for watching.
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 happy the algorithm brought me to your channel today, and now I’m binge watching 🤣
Welcome! I hope you like what you see.
Awesome test sir. Very thoughtful and through.
I appreciate the kind words.
The Costco/kirklands are such a stellar buy. I buy a few packs every year.
That's a lot of socks!
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.
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
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'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.
bless you and the scientific method, sir.
And especially bless the quasi-scientific method.
Great job dude, immediately subscribed! My man is about to have the BEST hiking socks
Welcome! Glad you enjoyed the video.
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
You're doing what well all want the answers too but wont do oursleves, lol. Subbed.
Thanks for the sub!
Love Darn Tough, REI, and Smart Wool and wear them daily. I’d buy the Costco socks but cant find them in XL.
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. 🤣
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.
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.
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?
Wondering if you can also test merino socks from goruck (lifetime warranty) and duckworth.
Noted. Good idea.
Smart Wool, Darn Tough, and LL Bean mid-weight hikers. DT sizing is small for women, but is cushier than the others-- more protective against blisters? SW still holding up from 2008 hiking trip-- thinned, scratchy, but doing the job. LLB? Save your money. Bottoms thinned less than a year and not good for anything other than casual use. Good video.
Great insight, thanks for sharing.
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.
Nothing beats darn tough fo4 comfort
Good one.
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!
Dang! Love my Darn Tough but going out to buy Costco!
Very nice work! In the future if you're looking to weight the socks down maybe filling them with rice would work? Idk if you can fit 5 lbs of rice into a sock but it would simulate a foot stretching the sock out more better?
Good idea, I'll keep that in mind.
Can you please do the same comparison for women's socks? Men's socks are too wide for me to just wear those.
Are the costco socks you tested the same as the outdoor trail sock with merino wool that they sell? They look different than the gray outdoor trail socks.
I'm not sure. At my Costco they only have this one option for Men and a different Women's sock. You can see the packaging in the intro of the video for the ones I have. I think it has 2 black pairs, one navy blue, and one gray like the one in the video.
The s&p 500 tip had me laughing...and investing wisely. Thank you
Great review. I wonder about the truth/accuracy of the Merino wool content. I am a long time fan of Costco MW socks. I use an over calf length for cycling in the winter. I have been looking for a ankle length mid weight MW sock to show up.
Great video! Heading to Costco!
Happy to escort you in there with my membership.
Great video!! I find the Costco ones bigger and not as thick as the OmniWool ones I buy from Sam’s Club.
I would agree that the Omni-Wools feel thicker. Though the Costco ones fit my size 11 foot a bit better than the Omni-Wools.
The darn tough hunter sock is pretty great. Would be interested in that style reviewed.
Noted, thanks.
Great job. Thanks. Bob in Nevada
Glad you liked it, Bob!
I have never found a better pair of socks than DarnTough. Ive been wearing them everyday since my 2014 thru hike of the AT.
Well done! You're the "Project Farm" of outdoor clothing! ; )
Costco FTW! But I also love my Fox Rivers.
I'd like to try some different Fox River options.
Covert Thread👍😎
Noted, I'll check them out.
30 years Military service. Fox river for many years was the brand and still is for synthetic socks but the Darn tough is king for merino.
My husband definitely loves the Costco socks especially as work socks too.
What do you recommend for heating up water for coffee or soups without using the bigger items? Like Which portable backpacking stove do you think does the best or is there other options u think would work better? Hope that makes sense
Also any recommendations on a propane heater?
Thanks !
A JetBoil Flash stove is a very convenient and efficient all in one backpacking stove that is well loved. I actually haven't used one much but a lot of folks like em. There's a knockoff that's pretty decent from what I understand called the Fire Maple something or other. I really like the MSR Pocket Rocket 2 with a 1 liter titanium pot. That's my go-to. But there are a million options. If you're car camping there's a lot of good and less expensive options that do the trick.
I'm not a fan of propane heaters myself, so I'm not much help there. I prefer a wood stove.
@ thank you!
You should graph wool content vs durability. I have a theory that high wool content (>60%) socks are way less durable and that's why you'll hardly find a darn tough model that's high wool content.
Great idea. I think I have the data so maybe I'll chart that for the blog post on our website I'm working on.
Don’t remember where I saw it, but saw someone on the tube do something like that. The conclusion was 70% wool was the sweet spot between durability and all the benefits of wool
I wish I would have had this video back when my Boys played football. Between youth and HS we did football for 21 years.
Question though how do think these style socks would work with my Maderhorn winter boots?
Good question. Some of the taller options like the darn tough and Fox River would probably be great. The Costco's and Minus 33s aren't as tall, but Minus 33 does have taller options that would be awesome.
Missed opportunity when suggesting to buy Kirkland socks and invest the rest. "Socks and Stocks" 💰 Great video and nod to project farm. "That's impressive!"
Dang, totally missed that one. Where were you last week? I'll give you credit if I use that in the future. 😂
And yes, respect to Project Farm!
I’ve had wigwam last over 12 years!
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!
For those who only look at the total score... remember that total score is mostly pointless since people have different needs and wants out of their socks. If dry time doesn't matter, then you may as well remove it from all the totals. If your socks never get wet, remove that from your total. Then, say dry warmth is more important than other measures, you should be adding a slight modifier on it, like 1.25x or 1.5x. IMO, a total score shouldn't even be part of this video as anyone basing their purchasing decision on that may be disappointed.
Personally, I'm attempting to reduce my carbon footprint by maintaining a cold house during the winter: the HVAC is set to 53 F. Having dry socks that are super warm is SUPER important to me because my feet are the part of my body that get the coldest. While the Costco socks are a great deal, having the least insulation may not fit my need at all, and would ultimately have one of the lowest scores.
Also, if you want to get the most warmth out of your wool socks, wear a thinner sock under them. I personally wear thin dress socks with the wool socks over them. I also leave just a bit of extra slack at the toes to create an air pocket.
My hesitation for recommending the Kirkland Socks is that big box retailers frequently bid out the manufacture of their goods and the quality can drastically change when the make a switch. The Cablelas branded blue jeans are a prime example. I had 2 pair that I wore for more than 10 years. I went back for more and the two pair I bought didn't last 6 months.
Thank you for doing scientific tests of products. We need more ProjectFarm-esque reviews on UA-cam! This makes it much easier to evaluate the quality of products.
I'm glad you enjoyed it. Project Farm does an amazing job!
REI- get holes quickly
WIGWAM- stretch fast
COSTCO- did not dry fast
DARN TOUGH- great all-around except price. WARRANTY 👍
FARM TO FEET- my favorite, my little piggy is starting to wear through.
In my years of testing, my experience.
Thanks for the input, good stuff.
The reviewer we need but don't deserve.
Is there a way you could show the Fox River sock that was the best performing? I looked online, and there are tons of them. So, could ya maybe say which model or whatever of Fox River ones?
Yeah, the product names are crazy to decipher. There is a link to the same ones in the description. They're called the Fox River Men's Wick Dry Tramper Medium Weight Crew Hiking Sock. Rolls right off the tongue. 🤪
@@theoutdoorempireThanks
Curious how the Meriwool socks perform in comparison? They're a bit more than the really cheap Amazon wool socks with funky names. But in my experience they've performed very well and kept my feet warm even in -20 degrees with my non insulated boots.
I haven't tried them, but that's awesome to hear.
Camel city mill
The best I found hands down.
Noted, I'll check them out.
When did you buy the Kirkland socks? The recent reviews say they changed this year and are thinner and not as good. And on the US site they aren't showing up in search. Maybe they aren't offered in California for some reason? I can only find them on the Canada version of their site, but Amazon has them.
This was a brand new pack I just bought on Dec 19, 2024.
And for what it's worth, they appear and feel the exact same as the ones I've had for a few years. But they are different (better, I think) than the ones I bought there probably 10 years ago.
They are very comfortable and they haven’t stretched out like some socks do right away.
Would have liked to see how the Bombas merino socks fared.
Noted. I actually had some I was gonna use, but they're not the same type of sock as the rest in this test and they're not much cheaper. But I'll hold on to them for a future test.
3 dolares por unas medias es un lujo
Aqui en PeruGOD compras 10 medias por 3 dolares
Wow! Amazing price.
I find that letting the Costco socks air dry instead of tumble dry really keep them from shrinking.
Nice tip.
A few things I know about Costco Merino socks. They are comfortable, they seem to be holding up, now a few bad things I found, you have a Real Wool carpet they will attract fibers from it a lot of fibers. If you have a Siberian Forest cat they will find every hair your cat drops and clump it up on the socks. I don't know about other brands of Merino's? As far as warranty especially lifetime, they are not what they used to be. Companies like Duluth Trading did away with its Lifetime No Bull guarantee 😢 even if you have items grandfathered in they will give you a hard time. Costco won't do this when under warranty.
I have dogs and can confirm the attraction of these socks to hair. But I have noticed that with pretty much all my merino socks regardless of brand.
Should convert the time it took to dry and grams of water lost into an efficiency measure of “grams of water lost per hour” or something like that to better compare drying between the different socks. I think your method was fine, but just a thought. I have a couple different pairs of wool socks and they both perform very differently so this video piqued my interest. Good stuff!!
Good call. I'll have to add that to the next round of tests!
Ive bought both and still have each. Costco ones wear quicker and imo the darn tough are more comfortable from a temp perspective. My feet stay warm with the darn tough. The costco my feet can get too warm. That said I wear both.
Good to know, thanks for sharing your experience.
OBSERVATION...luv coxtco, but you have to wash cold and hang dry or they shrink. The best wool socks i ever had were smart wool socks bought 10 years ago, but the new ones arent the same
Interesting about your Smartwools.
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.
For a typical "hiking sock" the design criteria would not include high insulative capacity. personally, having a sock that retains heat would be a negative for dry/summer use. This seems to a common idea because wool is known to be a good insulator we assume thats an important characteristic.
Indeed, there are lots of different variations with targeted cushion or light cushion, different blends of merino and synthetic. I actually got a bunch more socks like that I was gonna test but it was too much for one video. So I opted to test just socks that were cheaper than the Darn Tough and advertised the same as mid weight and full cushion.
I’ve worn the Costco socks for years put hundreds of miles of miles on the fire line with them
i would recommend doing each test 3 times to get an average sample. One sample can be wildly inaccurate. Great information though.
Yep, that would be good. Also might make me tear up a little to rub a hole in so many perfectly good socks.