Smartwool socks
Wool socks in Clothing & everyday carry
Socks people wear without daily washing, citing odor resistance, thermal regulation and fit. Some say they wear out faster than Darntough.
Socks people wear without daily washing, citing odor resistance, thermal regulation and fit. Some say they wear out faster than Darntough.
9 people gave an opinion
- recommend it
- 6
- criticize it
- 3
- approval share
- 67%
Recommended in 3 of 13 months
- November 2025: not recommended
- December 2025: not recommended
- January 2026: recommended
- February 2026: not recommended
- March 2026: not recommended
- April 2026: not recommended
- May 2026: recommended
- June 2026: not recommended
- July 2026: recommended
- August 2026: not recommended
- September 2026: not recommended
- October 2026: not recommended
- November 2026: not recommended (month in progress)
Why it doesn’t carry the badge
- 6 people recommend itNeeds 10 or more, not met.
- 2 recommenders for every criticNeeds 2 to 1 or better, met.
- Recommended in 3 of 13 monthsNeeds 4 or more, not met.
The same three rules apply to every product, and the badge can’t be bought. How the badge works
What people say about it
The reasons people give, with the number of comments that give each one. Open a reason to read what they said.
Why people recommend it
Each mark is one comment
Resists odor, wearable without daily washing
“no odor absorption so ability to wear without daily washing. Good thermal regulation as well.”
Comment from 15 Jan 2026 in “Ask HN: What are your best purchases under $100?” Good thermal regulation
“no odor absorption so ability to wear without daily washing. Good thermal regulation as well.”
Comment from 15 Jan 2026 in “Ask HN: What are your best purchases under $100?” Preferred fit
“I prefer the fit of Smartwool”
Comment from 20 Jan 2026 in “Ask HN: What are your best purchases under $100?” Better than Unbound
“Smartwool's socks are better than Unbound”
Comment from 15 Jan 2026 in “Ask HN: What are your best purchases under $100?”
What people warn about
Each mark is one comment
Wears out faster than alternatives
“Darntough socks last much longer than smartwool for me.”
Comment from 16 Jan 2026 in “Ask HN: What are your best purchases under $100?” “all burnt out pretty fast”
Comment from 14 Jan 2026 in “Why some clothes shrink in the wash – and how to 'unshrink' them – Swinburne” Reported quality decline
“They absolutely tanked both brands.”
Comment from 15 Apr 2026 in “Your Backpack Got Worse on Purpose”
What people recommend instead
The same counts for each, so you can compare like for like. The tick on each bar marks the 2 to 1 line the badge needs.
| Product | Recommend | Criticize | Approval | Months | Owned | Badge |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Darn Tough socks | 10 | 0 | 100% | 4 | — | Approved |
| Smartwool socksThis page | 6 | 3 | 67% | 3 | — | — |
What people said
7 of the 9 comments that mention it, newest first. Each links to the original comment.
“They absolutely tanked both brands.”
“I prefer the fit of Smartwool”
“Darntough socks last much longer than smartwool for me.”
“I went full smartwool after getting a pair for hiking. I never looked back!”
“Smartwool's socks are better than Unbound”
“no odor absorption so ability to wear without daily washing. Good thermal regulation as well.”
“all burnt out pretty fast”
Counts come from 1,795,640 Hacker News comments, November 2025 to November 2026. How we count. Report a mistake.