Gear Review: Darn Tough Vermont Socks and Why Choosing the Right Socks is Essential

Testing the Darn Tough Vermont
Women's Wool No Show Light Cushion Sock.

One of my most painfully learned lessons over past years is that when you're hiking, backpacking, or running, some of the most important decisions you'll make when it comes to gear involve your feet. Having an innovative backpack and clothes that let your body breathe are important, but if something happens to your feet, things aren't going to end well.

On one of my first trips to the Adirondacks in 2006, I ended up with half dollar-sized blisters on my heels from improperly broken-in footwear and the wrong socks. As a result, my partner and I had to forgo a hike up Mt. Colden after a six hour drive and a long hike in. I'll never make that mistake again (and thank goodness for Moleskin). Since that fateful trip, I've been overly conscious of the shoes I buy, but don't always spend enough time considering socks. Friends, all socks are not created equally. When Darn Tough Vermont offered to send complimentary socks for me to test, I couldn't wait to try them out.

Filmmaker Interview and Giveaway: An Inside Look at 'Tell it on the Mountain' and Hiking the Pacific Crest Trail

Scroll down for your chance to win a copy of Tell it on the Mountain!

Last week, we learned there are eleven National Scenic Trails covering nearly 19,000 miles in the United States. And now, thanks to Tell it on the Mountain producer Shaun Carrigan and director Lisa Diener, those of us who haven't hiked one of the eleven trails have a chance to experience one of them first hand. 

Tell it on the Mountain is a new documentary film about the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) focusing on hikers during different stages of their lives with different experience levels. But it's more than just a film. After spending nearly two hours glued to the screen, I felt as though I truly got to know a handful of amazing people, people I'd love to hike with someday. From Scott Williamson, PCT speed record holder, to Billygoat, a 67 year old John Muir look-alike, Shaun and Lisa give us a chance to see what being on the PCT is really like. I had the chance to ask the filmmakers more about what it takes to make a film along 2,663 trail miles.

Infographic from REI: 11 National Scenic Hiking Trails in the United States

The AT passes right through the Delaware Water Gap
National Recreation Area, one of my favorite hiking areas.

Early April marks the time when most intrepid thru-hikers are advised to start their journey on the Appalachian Trail (source). They'll spend five to seven months on the trail and cover approximately 2,200 miles. Combine the AT with the Continental Divide Trail (3,100 miles) and the Pacific Crest Trail (2,663 miles), and you'll achieve the sought-after triple crown of long distance hiking in the United States. But there's more to long distance hiking than just those three popular options. 

With nearly 19,000 miles of trail available, the 11 National Scenic Trails in the United States provide endless opportunities for exploration. And as you'll see in the infographic below, there's something for hikers in most parts of the country. As of this post, the Appalachian Trail is the only one of these National Scenic Trails I've hiked on, but it's a life goal to try part of as many of them as possible.  

An Introduction to the Outdoor Research Insight Lab (#ORInsightLab)

At the end of March, I received a mysterious tweet about participating in a gear testing project with Outdoor Research.  I'm a long-time admirer of the company, the apparel they produce (still love the Women's Transfer Jacket two years later) and the projects and people they support. Intrigued by the tweet, I followed up, listed the activities I'm participating in most regularly these days (backpacking, hiking, some running and CrossFit), and waited. Then, lo and behold, a box full of Outdoor Research apparel and stickers arrived last week and marked the official start of my participation in the Outdoor Research Insight Lab!


So, what is #ORInsightLab? The idea is to gather a group of what the #ORInsightLab manager calls "influential folks...who are diverse athletes and dynamic social story-tellers" to help share performance insights about products from three specific categories. But it's more than a gear testing project.

The Complete Guide Gear Reviews on Adventure-Inspired

Powerdrains from Columbia undergoing testing
as part of the #Omniten program.

I was invited as a guest on the In Ice Axe We Trust (IIAWT) podcast last week, and aside from it being an absolute blast, it really got me thinking. One of the first questions hosts @thepeakseeker and @last_adventurer asked me was about how I review gear. Specifically (paraphrased):

"Do you feel beholden to the companies that send you gear? If you get a piece of gear that doesn't perform the way it's supposed to or performs badly, would you write a scathing review, or would you feel like you need to temper the review?" 

It's a great question and one every gear reviewer should have an answer to. It got me thinking about the process I go through with each piece of gear I receive and how I put reviews together here on Adventure-Inspired. One of the greatest things about running your own blog is that you're in charge of every process, every decision, and every word you publish. But it can incredibly valuable to share as much of certain processes as possible with your audience. With that in mind, in this post, I've included as much as I could think of related to how I do gear reviews on Adventure-Inspired, and if you have questions, I'm glad to answer them in the comments section!