Darn Tough Ultralight Cushion Socks Review

Maaan I had this whole article planned, I was going to compare a few different types of merino socks available on the market that I've been testing recently, but GOD DAMN these Darn Tough socks are the best things I've ever stuck my feet into. They are so good I've scrapped that idea and am now just going to rave about them instead.

The Previous Champion: Bridgedale T2 Lightweight Merino Socks

The Bridgedale T2 Lightweight Merino socks were my previous favourites for long distance trail running. These were well padded, dried well, felt nice underfoot and I'm yet to put a hole in any of them despite 100's of miles.

However, they've always been a bit stuffy, they tend to over fill my shoes, and need a good deal of space which means they don't work well in more snugly fitting models.

Previously I've tried a few alternatives: namely Feetures, Balega, Injini, Creepers, yet none of them quite gave me the right balance of cushion and comfort. I've got the missing toenails to prove it.

Enter Darn Tough

I picked up a few different versions having been interested in trying Darn Tough for a while. Specifically the Lightweight Cushion and Ultralight No Cushion variants (and some Creeper socks, but they ended up not working for me).

For a start, all Darn Tough socks are 40-50% merino wool, over double that of the Bridgedales. Merino wool is great for socks: as a material it regulates temperature, staying cool in the heat, and hot in the cold, whilst having good wicking properties for moving sweat away from your feet. They dry fast and, unlike synthetic fibres, don't hold onto odors as much, so can be worn over longer periods.

Their socks come in a few weights:

• Ultralight: A second skin style fit, very thin barely there feel
• Lightweight: Slightly thicker, a better winter running sock
• Midweight: More a thick hiking sock, good for deep winter walks, less for running

And two modes of cushion:

• No Cushion: Keep the socks super thin at the expense of any padding, a better choice for road running
• Cushion: Targeted cushion, the top of the foot remains a thin breathable layer, but the back of the heel, under the foot and around the toes are well padded, a better choice for trail running. On the below picture the darker grey and black areas are the cushioned regions.

Initially I started with the Lightweight Cushion socks. These feel lovely, and surprisingly didn't run too warm even in hot weather, however had a similar problem to the Bridgedales: over filling the shoe and feeling stuffy as a result.

The Ultralight No Cushion socks had a lovely barely there feel to them, but I could tell the lack of padding would cause issues after a few miles of downhill running.

Then I tried some Ultralight Cushion socks.

And these things. Holy shit these things, let me tell you, are the BEST SOCKS EVER.

I mean it, they are simply perfect.

That thin comfortable breathable design twinned with merino wools means they feel light and airy even in this crazy heatwave we've had in the UK.

Yet the padding is substantial, much more than I've seen in a lot of ultralight socks. As it's targeted around the toes, heel and under your foot it doesn't add much bulk, yet protects my toes more than the thicker, heavier Bridgedales felt they did.

Here's a link to the ultralight cushion socks currently available in the UK

Testing So Far

Have taken them on a few long runs, including a mountainous one in very hot weather, and was super happy with how my toes felt after.

The majority of shoes I've tried them in were a good fit, it helped give me lots of toe room whilst still providing good cushion.

The only shoes they didn't work in were shoes with a sloppier fit to begin with (notably the Altra Mont Blanc Speed), for those I'd opt for thicker socks that fill the space more.

Any Downsides

Well...yes. The price.

In the UK these range from £21 to £25 per pair. They are an investment for sure!

To ease that blow a bit, they have an unconditional lifetime guarantee, you can return a pair at any point to receive a replacement.

Next

So I pretty much only wear these now, even if my savings account took (another running related) knock.

Would definitely recommend giving a pair a go.