Heel in the heel pocket
Settle the heel before pulling up the cuff.
Recheck the fit if: The heel pocket rides up the back of your ankle or cannot reach your heel without pulling hard.
Find your hiking-sock size in the right brand chart
A medium in one chart can mean something different in another. Use the chart for your chosen model, then check the fit in your footwear.
Example: UK 8 in the Darn Tough men’s and unisex chart.
M
Darn Tough men’s and unisex chart
XS
S
M
L
XL
XXL
2.5691216
UK
Darn Tough advises sizing up between sizes. Chart coverage does not mean every model is sold in every listed size.
Check this size in your hiking shoes.
| Sock size | Shoe range |
|---|---|
| XS | 2.5–4.5 |
| S | 5–7 |
| M | 7.5–9 |
| L | 9.5–11.5 |
| XL | 12–14 |
| XXL | 15–16 |
Use the size of your foot
If you buy larger hiking shoes for extra space, their label can produce an oversized sock. Enter your actual foot’s size in the published US, EU or UK system. This field is not a foot length in centimetres.
Choose the chart for the exact model first, then its US men’s, US women’s, EU or UK column. Those columns are numbering systems; a model’s men/women/unisex label identifies its chart family. See foot measurement and chart examples.
Check the result in your shoes
A letter size gets you to a pair to try. Put on both socks, then the footwear and insoles you plan to hike in.
Smooth fabric at the toes
Smooth the toe fabric and flex your toes.
Recheck the fit if: Loose fabric folds over your toes, or the sock pulls so tightly that toe movement feels restricted.
Comfortable around the arch
A close-fitting knit should move with your foot. Keep shaped left and right socks on the intended feet.
Recheck the fit if: Fabric bunches under the arch or the band feels uncomfortable. Reposition it, then reconsider the size or sock shape if that persists.
Cuff and shoe checked together
Lace both shoes as you intend to wear them. Walk indoors and move your ankles.
Recheck the fit if: The collar touches bare skin where you wanted coverage, your toes feel crowded, or the sock slips out of position.
If the chart gives you overlapping sizes, keep its between-size instruction with the result. Do not average the labels or borrow a rule from another brand. An unsupported shoe-size system still needs that maker’s help.
Toe sleeves and left/right shaping need their own checks. See how the sock shapes differ, or compare a change in padding or height in the hiking-sock table.
When the chart does not settle the choice
An overlapping boundary can produce two results. Use that chart’s between-size guidance rather than averaging two sock sizes. A gap or unsupported size system stays unanswered; this tool does not invent a shoe conversion.
Match the chart to the exact model and check heel position, toe room and cuff height in your footwear. A published range is a starting point, not a promise about how a particular knit will fit. Use the hiking-sock fit checks before comparing extra cushioning or another layer.
Your entered shoe size stays in this browser. The page address never includes it.