I've always had sweaty feet, and because of that, I've spent years trying just about every sock I could find: merino wool, yak wool, llama wool, synthetics, cotton, and different blends in hopes of finding the perfect sock. After hearing good things about the Forged in the Backcountry (FIB) socks, I figured I'd give them a fair shot and bought three pairs and pitted them against my current selected sock.
What I Evaluated
Test Method
I wanted to eliminate as many variables as possible, so I wore one FIB sock on one foot and one DT sock on the other for 12–14 hours a day over several weeks. The next day I'd switch feet so each sock spent equal time on my left and right foot.
Testing was done in temperatures from about 55° to 90°F while doing everything from normal workdays to indoor and outdoor workouts, range sessions, dirt bike riding, scouting, yard work, and general everyday use. Some days I changed footwear during the day, while other days I stayed in the same boots.
Both sets of socks were washed weekly throughout the test.
Comfort/Fit
The FIB socks are definitely a lighter-weight sock.
If your boots are fit around heavier socks or you normally wear a liner sock, you may notice a little more movement inside the boot. They're also noticeably thinner, so you give up some cushioning compared to the DTs. That said, I never found them uncomfortable, even after wearing them all day, but I would give the edge to DT after a long ruck.
I wear a size 10 EE boot and bought the Medium based on their sizing chart. Fit was spot on.
Winner: Darn Tough
Moisture Management
This was the category I was most interested in because sweaty feet are my biggest issue.
Wearing one of each sock at the same time made the comparison pretty obvious. The damp, clammy feeling was consistently more noticeable in the FIB sock regardless of what footwear I was wearing. The Altras obviously breathe massively better than the other boots I used, but I think the extra material in the DT sock simply does a better job of separating moisture from my foot.
Winner: Darn Tough
Drying Time
This is where the FIB sock absolutely shines: its drying speed.
These things dry incredibly fast. Once out of my boots, they were usually dry in less than five minutes, and it did not matter if they were still on my feet or hanging/sitting on something, and if there was a breeze, they dried out even faster.
The DT socks took roughly three times longer to dry, although they actually dried faster while still on my feet than when they were hanging or sitting on something, unless there was a decent breeze.
Winner: Forged in the Backcountry
Odor
Probably not that big of a deal, but after 12–14 hours, both smelled like sweaty feet.
Winner: Neither; it’s a Draw
Durability
This is the one area where I have concerns.
The DT socks I used for comparison are about four years old. They've been worn roughly once a week for hundreds of miles and still haven't packed out or shown much wear.
After only several weeks, the FIB socks already have some light pilling on the sole and a little fraying. It's minor and doesn't affect performance, but when I compare them to a four-year-old pair of DTs, I have a hard time believing they'll have the same lifespan.
Time will ultimately tell, but my initial impression is that they probably won't match DT for long-term durability. Which may or may not be important to you.
Winner: Darn Tough
Final Thoughts
If your feet don't sweat much and you want a lightweight sock that dries incredibly fast, I think the FIB socks are worth looking at.
For me, though, moisture management while I'm actually wearing the sock is more important than how quickly it dries afterward. Even though my feet sweat in everything I've tried, DT merino wool socks and imported yak wool socks still do the best job of keeping my feet from feeling like they're standing on a wet sponge.
The downside is they take longer to dry, but that's easy enough to manage by rotating socks or drying a pair during breaks.
For my feet, DT is still the benchmark. The FIB socks impressed me with how quickly they dry, but they didn't move enough moisture away from my skin to replace my current setup.
Note: I did not evaluate the FIBs against the yak wool socks.
What I Evaluated
- Comfort/Fit
- Moisture Management
- Drying Time
- Odor
- Durability
- Darn Tough (DT) Hiker Boot Sock
- Crispi Briksdal MTN (uninsulated) w/ Sheep Feet insoles
- Crispi Lapponia Pro (uninsulated) w/ Sheep Feet insoles
- Hoffman Lineman (uninsulated) w/ Sheep Feet insoles
- Altra Lone Peak Hiker 3 w/ SOF Sole insoles
Test Method
I wanted to eliminate as many variables as possible, so I wore one FIB sock on one foot and one DT sock on the other for 12–14 hours a day over several weeks. The next day I'd switch feet so each sock spent equal time on my left and right foot.
Testing was done in temperatures from about 55° to 90°F while doing everything from normal workdays to indoor and outdoor workouts, range sessions, dirt bike riding, scouting, yard work, and general everyday use. Some days I changed footwear during the day, while other days I stayed in the same boots.
Both sets of socks were washed weekly throughout the test.
Comfort/Fit
The FIB socks are definitely a lighter-weight sock.
If your boots are fit around heavier socks or you normally wear a liner sock, you may notice a little more movement inside the boot. They're also noticeably thinner, so you give up some cushioning compared to the DTs. That said, I never found them uncomfortable, even after wearing them all day, but I would give the edge to DT after a long ruck.
I wear a size 10 EE boot and bought the Medium based on their sizing chart. Fit was spot on.
Winner: Darn Tough
Moisture Management
This was the category I was most interested in because sweaty feet are my biggest issue.
Wearing one of each sock at the same time made the comparison pretty obvious. The damp, clammy feeling was consistently more noticeable in the FIB sock regardless of what footwear I was wearing. The Altras obviously breathe massively better than the other boots I used, but I think the extra material in the DT sock simply does a better job of separating moisture from my foot.
Winner: Darn Tough
Drying Time
This is where the FIB sock absolutely shines: its drying speed.
These things dry incredibly fast. Once out of my boots, they were usually dry in less than five minutes, and it did not matter if they were still on my feet or hanging/sitting on something, and if there was a breeze, they dried out even faster.
The DT socks took roughly three times longer to dry, although they actually dried faster while still on my feet than when they were hanging or sitting on something, unless there was a decent breeze.
Winner: Forged in the Backcountry
Odor
Probably not that big of a deal, but after 12–14 hours, both smelled like sweaty feet.
Winner: Neither; it’s a Draw
Durability
This is the one area where I have concerns.
The DT socks I used for comparison are about four years old. They've been worn roughly once a week for hundreds of miles and still haven't packed out or shown much wear.
After only several weeks, the FIB socks already have some light pilling on the sole and a little fraying. It's minor and doesn't affect performance, but when I compare them to a four-year-old pair of DTs, I have a hard time believing they'll have the same lifespan.
Time will ultimately tell, but my initial impression is that they probably won't match DT for long-term durability. Which may or may not be important to you.
Winner: Darn Tough
Final Thoughts
If your feet don't sweat much and you want a lightweight sock that dries incredibly fast, I think the FIB socks are worth looking at.
For me, though, moisture management while I'm actually wearing the sock is more important than how quickly it dries afterward. Even though my feet sweat in everything I've tried, DT merino wool socks and imported yak wool socks still do the best job of keeping my feet from feeling like they're standing on a wet sponge.
The downside is they take longer to dry, but that's easy enough to manage by rotating socks or drying a pair during breaks.
For my feet, DT is still the benchmark. The FIB socks impressed me with how quickly they dry, but they didn't move enough moisture away from my skin to replace my current setup.
Note: I did not evaluate the FIBs against the yak wool socks.
