Darn Tough Vermont Team Micro Crew UltraLight and Small Stripe Crew Lite Review

When a company is named Darn Tough Vermont, and offers an unconditional lifetime guarantee on their socks, they have to be bulletproof. Socks also need to be comfortable and supportive, so do Darn Tough Vermont’s measure up to other cycling socks out there? We had a chance to test their Team Micro Crew UltraLight, and they threw in a pair of Small Stripe Crew Light for the office.

Socks have been in the Cabot family for three generations. Ric Cabot, President and CEO, is following in the footsteps of his grandfather, who was a rep for mills in New Hampshire and North Carolina. Ric’s father Marc, started the Cabot Hosiery Mills in 1978, after also spending time as a rep. Socks have been the main product for the family owned company, specializing in making private label socks for other brands.

Ric took a similar path as his father with his studies in journalism, but joined the company in 1989 after working for a New York publisher. He started on the production floor, learning the smallest details about how their socks were made. He eventually moved to the sales team, and helped continue to drive the Cabot & Sons brand and private label business. In 2004, they knew they needed to diversify even further to avoid moving production overseas. That’s when Darn Tough Vermont was born. To this day, all of their socks have been produced in Northfield, VT.

What it comes down to is Darn Tough Vermont believes they are using the best materials, the best production methods, the most stringent QC checks, and have the best people making the best socks in the industry. That is why they guarantee their socks for life. Not 6 months and no fine print. If you can put a hole in their socks, ever, send them back and they will replace them, free of charge. That’s a challenge I am looking forward to taking.

Back to the socks. Darn Tough Vermont offers socks for cycling, running, hiking, hunting, skiing, and the office.  The Team Micro Crew UltraLight is classified as a cycling and running sock, perfect for cyclocross, mountain biking, or road riding. Team denotes the graphics of the sock, Micro Crew is the height, and UltraLight is the amount of cushioning, which is minimal. This sock is ready to race, but will work well for training and all around wear. The fine gauge Merino Wool used in the blend is a true all weather material, keeping you cool in the summer, warm in the winter, and quick to dry, keeping your feet comfortable. Merino Wool is naturally antimicrobial, which will keep the socks funk free. The rest of the blend is 35% nylon for durability, along with 7% Spandex for some stretch.

“We strive to consistently produce socks that outperform everything else on the market with a quality that exceeds customer expectations and we have done that again with our latest bike socks,” said Ric Cabot in a recent press release. “Many bikers strive for lighter and thinner socks to improve the union that is created with their shoes. Our UltraLight socks have always been a fan favorite, while our Light Cushion line continues to grow thanks to technology that offers durability and cushion in a light weight sock.”

Besides quality materials that go into the socks, the construction methods make these socks incredibly comfortable. Darn Tough Vermont utilizes some of the most advanced knitting machines in the world to make their socks. The Team Micro Crew UltraLight uses a True Seamless construction to eliminate that uncomfortable seam at the toe that causes blisters and irritation. The rest of the sock is made with an ultra high stitch count to provide a perfect fit. They have stayed in place very  well and have been blister free through a full season of cyclocross.

I’ve had the chance to wear these socks in warm, and frigid conditions, and have no complaints. At Nittany Lion Cross in September, conditions were dry and warm, with temps in the 60’s at race time, and keep my feel dry and comfortable. Later on in the season, as the temperatures dropped, they kept my feet reasonably warm and dry, with and without neoprene socks depending on how prepared I was. Besides some stains from mud on the white portions of the socks, the socks still look great, with no signs of wear.

The Micro Crew comes in four different styles, with two colors each. A solid black or white are available, along with the Team, Herringbone, and Road Warrior designs. My personal favorite is the Team in white and jalapeno, which matches the Cannondale green accents on my SuperX well. There are four sizes available to fit anywhere from a Men’s 5.5 through a 12.5 and larger. Women’s and kid’s sizes also available.

When I’m not riding, the Small Stripe Crew has made days in the office a little more bearable. Just because this is a lifestyle sock, Darn Tough Vermont hasn’t skimped on the comfort and durability. Other than tweaking the blend of Merino Wool, Nylon, and Lyca, they offer the same great features as the Team Micro Crew UltraLight in a taller sock and a little more cushion under the foot. They are perfect for commuters, with the same super high thread count and True Seamless construction for comfort, the Merino Wool for funk free feet to keep your coworkers happy, and the look of a dress sock to keep your boss happy. In over three months of weekly wear, the Small Stripe Crew is just as comfortable as the first day I slipped them on.

For me, the search for my perfect socks are over. Comfort and style are wrapped up into a durable sock, with an unbelievable guarantee, from a family owned, American company. There really is not much more I can ask for. Unless you need a personalized team sock, it’s hard to think why you would not wear these socks all the time.