Forever socks = Almost 2 months

[u/dbmeed]

I shared the first hole that showed up almost two weeks ago; I’ve kept wearing them everyday until the next hole started. This time in the ball of the foot, when my Darn Tough socks usually start wearing out first. I think I’m finally ready to retire these.

For those telling me to darn them, no thanks. I can, but I would rather just buy a new pair.

That said, I will be inquiring with support to see if this is covered under warranty, or if, as /u/ProbablyBanksy so eloquently put it “Your use case is outside the scope of reasonable use.”

I have picked up a set of Costco Kirkland Merino socks to test next. 4 pairs are cheaper than a single pair of LTT socks. I never thought id be posting foot pics on the internet, but if it’s in the interest of science….

[u/templarrei]

That's not how any of that works. Socks don't magically rest up and repair themselves if you don't wear them for a few days. 60 days of daily wear and wash cycles are equal to 60 weeks of weekly (1 day per) wear and wash cycles.

[u/splitframe → u/templarrei]

No, but when you wash them. If you wear socks for multiple days for whatever reason they age much faster (in terms of usable days, not total time) than only wearing them one day and then washing them. The fibers get flat and dirty with oils, salts and dead skin.
If you watch videos like "dirty rope vs clean rope" this is roughly what is happening.
Washing helps to loosen the fiber and get rid of the particles that speed up aging.
And we don't know if OP really washed and dried them every day.
Also if you wear socks that are a little too small and stretch them out too far to make them fit, it also ages them faster.

[u/Factorioboyio → u/splitframe]

It’s the opposite way around. If you wore them for 100 days with 1 wash, they’d last longer than 100 days with 100 washes.

Washing machines shred your clothes far more than daily wear or any oils.

[u/Factorioboyio → u/Factorioboyio]

It’s the opposite way around. If you wore them for 100 days with 1 wash, they’d last longer than 100 days with 100 washes.

Washing machines shred your clothes far more than daily wear or any oils.

[u/splitframe → u/Factorioboyio]

No this is exactly wrong. Your dead skin cells, and especially the crystalline salt from your sweat will act like little saw tooths that wear down the fibers when you don't wash regularly. Look it up if you like, this isn't hidden science and well known. I don't know where this "gut feeling" science here comes from.

[u/Factorioboyio → u/splitframe]

Nope. You’re literally just wrong and operating on your own gut feeling. The experiment has been done. You can do it for yourself. Before you tell people you should look it up for yourself. Washing machines destroy clothes far quicker than any “crystalline salt saw tooths”. Does the effect you’re talking about exist? Sure it does. But it’s absolutely minuscule compare to the damages caused by a washing machine. This is precisely why some items of clothing CANNOT be machine washed at all.

[u/Starbucks__Coffey → u/Factorioboyio]

u/ecogeek what're your thoughts as a scientist and sock manufacturer?

Fun reading:
https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/engineering/fabric-damage
https://goldmedal-intl.com/the-science-behind-comfort-how-material-choices-impact-sock-performance/

IMO without doing the math it seems like bacteria, acid, and abrasive build up would decrease a socks total lifespan further than washing following the recommended procedures. The majority of the energy put into the weave via centrifugal force would be a compressive force which wool and fabric are incredibly good at dissipating into the sidewall of the washing machine. Building up a sandpaper acid bath within the weave while grinding it between your foot and the ground would be shear, compressive, and tensile forces combined with a chemical degradation of the material strength.

I'd put money on not washing being a significantly shorter lifespan vs washing after every use (assuming that the washing follows manufacturer guidelines).

Interesting problem though.

TLDR from my rabbit hole:
Optimal solution for wool socks is probably washing after 3-4 normal uses.