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Post by downriver on Nov 9, 2021 15:15:49 GMT -8
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zeke
Trail Wise!
Peekaboo slot 2023
Posts: 9,879
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Post by zeke on Nov 9, 2021 16:25:21 GMT -8
Not all of them are made in the US. All of Darn Tough socks are made in Vermont.
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Post by trinity on Nov 9, 2021 16:51:01 GMT -8
Not all of them are made in the US. I've always thought of Balega as based in South Africa. I could be wrong. They make great socks.
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Post by downriver on Nov 9, 2021 17:12:56 GMT -8
Not all of them are made in the US. All of Darn Tough socks are made in Vermont. Darn Tough has huge contracts with the US military. That’s why they’re made in the USA. It’s been really sweet for Darn Tough over the years. I use to like Darn Tough in the past, but their quality has slipped and I find I wear out their socks very quickly. Plus, they don’t breath as well as some of their competitors. Regards, DR
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Post by downriver on Nov 9, 2021 17:20:09 GMT -8
Not all of them are made in the US. I've always thought of Balega as based in South Africa. I could be wrong. They make great socks. From their website: All Balega running socks are manufactured with the best U.S.-made performance yarn in state-of-the-art facilities in Cape Town, South Africa and Hickory, North Carolina. balega-socks.implus.com/the-balega-socks-differenceRegards, DR
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zeke
Trail Wise!
Peekaboo slot 2023
Posts: 9,879
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Post by zeke on Nov 9, 2021 17:41:44 GMT -8
I find I wear out their socks very quickly. Darn Tough has a lifetime warranty. Send any worn out ones back.
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Post by downriver on Nov 9, 2021 20:20:06 GMT -8
I find I wear out their socks very quickly. Darn Tough has a lifetime warranty. Send any worn out ones back. Yes, I know about their warranty program. I posted about it along time ago at the old BPer forum site. Not interested in their socks anymore. Much prefer Balega. Thx. Regards, DR
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jazzmom
Trail Wise!
a.k.a. TigerFan
Posts: 3,059
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Post by jazzmom on Nov 10, 2021 7:43:05 GMT -8
I guess it's unavoidable that manufacturers are "improving" the performance of natural fibers by increasing the synthetic content but I'm of the opinion that it's actually a cost-savings strategy and generally not a fan. I like wool socks and it's getting harder and harder to find truly 100% merino wool content.
Not obvious on the Balega website what the content ratio is but I don't particularly like the sound of their "Drynamix" material, which is based on polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) which I think is teflon. I accept that there's an incredibly wide range of useful applications for teflon but I, for one, don't need it in my socks.
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ErnieW
Trail Wise!
I want to backpack
Posts: 9,884
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Post by ErnieW on Nov 10, 2021 13:45:19 GMT -8
I am so old school. I wear light polypro liners under Wig Wam rag wool socks year round. In the summer I push down the rag socks above my boot and pull up the liner. It seems to increase wicking of the polypro to expose it like that and it keeps my feet cooler and drier. In the winter both get pulled up. Sort of a poor man's Smartwool but I think better. On longer treks being able to wash and dry the liner fairly quickly and easily is a plus. A second set of liners is a lot less than a second set of socks. The rag wool soaks up a surprising amount of bottom of the foot impact.
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Post by JRinGeorgia on Nov 10, 2021 14:25:02 GMT -8
I like wool socks and it's getting harder and harder to find truly 100% merino wool content. +1.
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Post by Coolkat on Nov 11, 2021 7:22:30 GMT -8
All my years of backpacking I've done the merino wool sock thing. Until last year and this year. I've stopped concerning myself over wool socks. I've stopped wearing them. Well that isn't entirely true I take a pair of wool socks to wear to bed if the weather is cold. For me wool socks take entirely too long to dry out so I just wear whatever thin synthetic socks I have. Admittedly my disdain for wet feet is what has lead me down this direction. Now my shoes and socks dry a ton faster and I do have a pair of wool if I absolutely need them. Maybe I'd go back to wool socks if I wore boots but I ditched boots back about 5 years ago. My feet are much happier now. If I did winter packing then I'd probably wear wool socks but my hiking season is done usually by the end of October.
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Post by downriver on Nov 11, 2021 10:56:04 GMT -8
All my years of backpacking I've done the merino wool sock thing. Until last year and this year. I've stopped concerning myself over wool socks. I've stopped wearing them. Well that isn't entirely true I take a pair of wool socks to wear to bed if the weather is cold. For me wool socks take entirely too long to dry out so I just wear whatever thin synthetic socks I have. Admittedly my disdain for wet feet is what has lead me down this direction. Now my shoes and socks dry a ton faster and I do have a pair of wool if I absolutely need them. Maybe I'd go back to wool socks if I wore boots but I ditched boots back about 5 years ago. My feet are much happier now. If I did winter packing then I'd probably wear wool socks but my hiking season is done usually by the end of October. Are you using trail runners now in-lieu of boots? If so, what make and model? Regards, DR
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Post by downriver on Nov 11, 2021 11:01:15 GMT -8
I am so old school. I wear light polypro liners under Wig Wam rag wool socks year round. In the summer I push down the rag socks above my boot and pull up the liner. It seems to increase wicking of the polypro to expose it like that and it keeps my feet cooler and drier. In the winter both get pulled up. Sort of a poor man's Smartwool but I think better. On longer treks being able to wash and dry the liner fairly quickly and easily is a plus. A second set of liners is a lot less than a second set of socks. The rag wool soaks up a surprising amount of bottom of the foot impact. I have not worn rag wool socks for twenty years..! Don’t think they would fit well with my Italian trail runners. Much too tight. Keep hiking, old school... Regards, DR
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Post by Coolkat on Nov 11, 2021 11:12:41 GMT -8
Are you using trail runners now in-lieu of boots? If so, what make and model? I sure am. I'm on my 2nd pair of Hokas. My current pair are Speed Goat 3's I think they have since moved on to Speed Goat 4's now. I absolutely love these shoes. Super comfortable, drain and dry fast. I've walked through streams and fully submerged these and they will be practically dry after 3 or 4 hours of hiking. When I first converted to trail runners I was still using wool socks which just kept my feet wet and now that I use thin synthetic things are even better. Also when I moved from boots to these, 95% of my blister problems went away. I've hiked in AZ, CO and wet Michigan with them without any issues. However, I will say if I did another desert hike I'd be tempted to use some kind of gaiter to keep debris out. Oh... just don't go around kicking cactuses as they will not protect you like a full leather boot would.
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Post by downriver on Nov 11, 2021 11:19:30 GMT -8
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