I'm 66, so I've been around for awhile, and having hiked the AT and traveled the world, I've tried a lot of socks. I've tried natural fibers, cotton, silk, Merino wool and all manner of synthetics. And I've tried lots of different brands. Now, the only socks that I wear are Merino wool by Darn Tough. As a kid, I never excited about a sock, but I didn't know about Merino wool and Darn tough back then. These days, I give Merino wool socks by Darn Tough as Christmas gifts and a lot of people have told me later that they ended up buying more Merino wool socks by Darn Tough. If one hasn't tried these socks then they should be one's bucket list. Some have told me that, at first, they seemed a little pricey but, in the long run, I can't afford to buy anything else.