Darn Tough Annual Factory Sale - this weekend and next weekend

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peakbagger

In Rembrance , July 2024
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For those fans of Darn Tough Socks, the annual factory sale is going on this weekend and next weekend in Northfield VT. It is right up the road from Norwich University and not that far from I-89. This is a real popular sale with Vermonters and waiting in line is part of the deal. Basically any darn tough sock irregular or second you can think of is at least half retail price. They also make a lot of private label socks, including LL Bean. They also supply the US army with Merino Wool socks with the similiar blend of fibers as Darn Tough Socks. The military socks appear to be the best deal, 12 pairs for $18 for seconds.
Its real hard to figure out what makes the socks seconds.

I have slowly been switching over from Smart Wool to Darn Tough as I like to support local manufacturing if at all possible plus their lifetime guarantee is pretty attractive. The actual corporate name of the buisiness is Cabot Hosiery Mills, and everything is made in Northfield VT.

For those trying to locate the place, remember Norwich University is not located in Norwich VT (which is 45 miles away). One you are in Northfield there are plenty of signs.
 
Are the Cabot Hosiery Mills owned or operated by people associated with the Cabots of Boston and or New York?
 
No idea, I met the president this morning at the sale, he has been running the business for 53 years and was quite proud of it. I have read they cant keep up with demands and are expanding.
 
I went to this sale when I lived in VT a few years back, and loaded up on so many Darn Tough and other types of socks that I still have about ten pairs still in their packaging. They do indeed last a heck of a long time! And that factory sale is a rockin deal. Wish I could make it up there this time around. Ah well. Glad to hear it's going on now, though. Thanks for the heads up!
 
I had heard about it for years but its kind of hard to justify a drive over. I now expect my sock needs are covered for several years after this trip. They have lots of kids styles and colrs and styles. I expect someone with a family could pick up a lot of christmas presents.
 
I have bought there pair of their AT socks about a year ago and they have been my goto socks ever since.
 
I went over on Saturday with a friend. They didnt have early bird hours this year. We waited 1 1/2 hours in line to get in (it is a quite popular event). Plenty of selection on the first day. The best deal is their US military sock seconds, they are a merino wool synthetic blend. They have a couple of deals but the best is buy 2 bags of 3 pairs each for $18 and they throw in two more bags for a total of 12 pairs of socks for $18 ($1.5 per pair). They have some defects, usually a missed row of stitching but are perfectly functional and lifetime guaranteed. I find they are slightly more durable than the regular Darn Tuff socks.

I used to use Smart Wools but have switched over entirely to Darn Tuffs.

The Darn Tuff hiking socks tables gets most of the action. The "firsts" of various types at $6 to$8 per pair. They sort by size but the types are mixed. They also have skiing socks of various types plus bins of dress socks of various types. There are running socks mixed in the bin but a low ratio

The sale runs next weekend. I have only gone on the first weekend so I do not know how the inventory is the second weekend.
 
A reminder for those nearby is that the annual Darn Tuff factory sale in Northfield should be Nov 14th and 15th this year (2015) and possibly the weekend after. I have not seen it announced but they normally line up with the first weekend of VT deer season. They generally do not advertise the sale much in advance, at best they may do a post on their facebook page and will advertise in local papers.

Hard to beat the prices but the long wait in line is something that locals are used to it but somewhat daunting to newbies.

I still have a bag of unopened socks from a prior sale so I will miss the next few years.

Even their seconds are guaranteed for life.
 
They don't advertise it very well, Its usually the first weekend of Deer season in VT (which would be this weekend). They usually post something last minute on their facebook page. I am still working off my last trips socks. It may be worth asking the question on Facebook.
 
I stopped by on Sunday. Far less of a crowd than in past years. Plenty of hiking and ski socks, but fewer dress type socks than in the past. The 1/2 price red dot military sock deals are no more. They still have the military seconds that seem to have slightly higher durability than the standard socks. Plan on $8 to $6 a pair for the vast majority of the socks on sale. They no longer do the lifetime guarantee on seconds. They still have the table with the mounds of single socks out back for those who really want the best deal.

The last two days of the sale are this weekend.
 
I believe the annual sock sale is this weekend. First day of VT hunting season. They really dont advertise it much due to the popularity. I read they expanded to a new facility in Northfield and the sale is at the new place. I missed a few years and my inventory is getting low so will try to make a run over. Not sure if they still are doing two weekends. It usually starts at 8:30 AM
 
I went over this AM, got there just after opening. By the time I left at 10 there was line across the parking lot into a large warming tent outside the door. There was little of no mention of the sale on social media but word gets around. The sale runs on Sunday and next weekend. Darn Tuff socks of various types are $8 to $11. The military versions which I find have a bit more durability and better for winter hiking. Three pairs for $10 three additional pairs are $18 (for irregulars).
 
Was there @ 8:30 myself. rode the shuttle bus over and arrived at warming tent around 8:45. Over an hour to get in but well worth it.
Never been to one before. It was 10 deg there this morning. By the time we checked out around 11 the line was 3 times longer just to get to the warming tent.
Being a rookie, went a little crazy. Didn't even know how many pair of hiker crew heights I bought till I got home.
Don't laugh but ended up with about 15 pair of hiking socks, a 3 pack of the military merinos and 3 or 4 pair of low cuts that turned out to have 2 pair in each pack.
Felt a little gluttonous but it seemed most people coming out before us had at least as many each. Don't want to go every year (2 hr ride each way)so stocked up on about 10 years worth. Micro crew cushion hikers were going for $8 a pair and received another 10 % off for going over $100 total so really only $7.20 a pair. All other styles were similar discounts and they had tons of most styles. They don't appear to limit your qty and do this for 4 full days!
Oh and they are seconds so no lifetime guarantee included
Oh yeah my wife purchased almost as many as I did
 
Wow we must have passed each other. Most of the participants are groups of two or three so they can combine a purchase to meet the magic $100 for the extra 10% discount. One tip is the employees are usually real helpful and will point out tips on specific model numbers if asked. I have been using them for years and rarely if ever have I had one fail for a defect. I think they are pretty careful on what they put out on the tables, the defects are cosmetic usually a skipped row of weaving or an odd transition between colors or sometimes just an odd color match. The military socks are usually the cold weather ski sock style with a smooth exterior and then rows of wool loops on the inside, the defect will usually be a row where the wool loops were skipped so it looks like a line around the perimeter of the sock. They used to have the the deep discount table where they dumped boxes of single socks of many types and colors for a buck a piece. Customers would crowd around and try to make pairs. It slowed up the traffic through the building and I expect some sleazebags were breaking up pairs from elsewhere in the sale and calling them singles.

It was a sunny day, a bit cold but I find everyone that I meet at the sales are having a fun time although the first timers usually do not dress warm enough. I think many Vermonters use it an an unofficial kickoff to winter and the holidays. I made it a day and headed over to the town of Norwich and hit the King Arthur's store (20% off until Nov 30th).

I keep them "on inventory" and I wear them all the time, when they wear out I just grab a new pair.
 
Yeah we blew thru the 10% discount threshold in about 10 minutes. The sun felt great when we got out and we hoofed it backed to the car much quicker than waiting for the shuttle bus.
We did dress warm enough but feet still got a little cold in that tent which was snow/ice covered on the ground.
I convinced my wife who had buyers remorse and guilt that these are to be kept in inventory for years to come and save quite a bit of money for the next several years. Even so spending almost $300 on socks seems almost comical like some seinfeld episode. Though half of hers were for friends, my size 14 shoe means they will most likely remain all mine.
Haven't inspected them closely enough to see any evidence of defects but doesn't really matter to me anyway.
Took a while just to get a spot at the sorting tables.
You are right the employees were very helpful and everyone was friendly and civilized.
We made a day of it as well and had lunch at Sarduccis in Montpelier which is a great place and our waitress mentioned Mr Cabot is in there a lot and gives them a great discount as well.
We drove 2 hours each way so wanted to make it worthwhile.
 
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