In this Made in the USA Performance Socks round-up I did last year, I talked about how I kept gravitating to my pair of Darn Tough Vermont socks.

I kept on wearing them until the weather got warm. They were perfect for battling the elements when I went sledding with my daughter, or when I was just walking around the house with no shoes on in winter. I expect I’ll still be wearing them five winters from now.

When I visited the company’s booth at the Outdoor Retailer show in January and showed the rep how a hole had just worn through another company’s pair of socks I was wearing he sighed and said, “That would just never happen with ours.” He hooked me up with a new pair I changed into right then and there: a spanking new pair of Cushion Boot Socks made with Merino wool. (Plus a side order of Nylon and spandex to make them stretchy.)

And you know what? I believe him. Darn Tough Vermont is not just a catchy company name. They’ve been making socks for three generations and they still own the mill that’s cranking them out today. No Chinese factories staffed by $1-an-hour workers  and a cargo ship trip across the Pacific for these guys. Despite all that, and the 100 or so American workers they employ, their prices are in line with the Asian-made competitors.

This Hike/Trek Boot Cushion sock model is at the high end of their range for around $20 and is the top dog in a line varied socks for trekking and hiking. The features setting these apart from many lesser brands include more stitches per inch, abrasion resistant yarn, and terry loops that stay lofted instead of getting compressed. This all adds up to socks that are super-comfortable, have lots of cushioning, and—using the best Merino wool—they’re temperature regulating and odor-resistant.

These guys aren’t just making utilitarian workhorse socks for skiing and hiking though. They hired a designer who founded Isis and are rolling out lots of colorful styles and patterns for running and biking. So now the lifetime guarantee and dependability will come with some extra pizazz as well. I like Merino wool a lot when it’s cold, but you can also get their cushioned socks in a Coolmax version, also with an unconditional lifetime guarantee.

As one retail buyer I overheard at the conference say, “It’s hard to get excited about socks, but these guys make really good ones.”

The Darn Tough Vermont Merino Wool Cushion socks come in boot, 1/4, and crew versions and retail between $12 and $20. There’s also a version for kids.

Check prices on the Merino Wool Boot Sock Cushion at RockCreek.com or at Amazon.