DARN TOUGH VERMONT - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Member of the Thru - Hike Syndicate Team
About: Allie is a skier, filmer and adventurer who was born and raised in Vermont, just like Darn Tough socks! Growing up in Warren, Vermont quickly helped Allie learn that playing in the woods was a great way to spend her time. Skiing has always been a huge part of Allie's life, so naturally she was drawn to the Rocky Mountains for college. Allie attended Whitman College in Walla Walla, Washington from 2007-2010 where she earned a BA in Art. She ski raced NCAA her Freshman and Sophomore year, but after taking an Avalanche course realized it was backcountry skiing she was after. Allie learned to tele-ski during her last years at college, and upon graduation, decided to pursue an outdoor life. Four years later, Allie is now living in Jackson, Wyoming and is still living the majority of her days outside - skiing in the winters, guiding on the Middle Fork of the Salmon River in the summers.
Kudos: Allie has competed on the Freeride World Qualifier competition circuit for the past two years with a 2nd place finish in Telluride, Colorado in March 2014. She plans to ski in Grand Teton National Park a lot next winter, where she has been slowly, but appropriately gaining the skills and knowledge to ski some serious peaks. Allie is also working on the all female ski film, "Pretty Faces" which will release fall 2014 to help spread awareness and the representation of women in sports.
On the Socks: Growing up in the harsh Vermont winters, Allie always struggled with extremely cold feet. She found that Merino wool was the answer and that Darn Tough makes the best socks on the market. Durable, quick drying and warm, Allie would not be able to do what she loves doing without Darn Tough. Allie is proud of where she come from and the fact that she can say her socks were made there too.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Thru - Hike Syndicate Team
Job Titles:
- Member of the Thru - Hike Syndicate Team
Job Titles:
- Member of the Thru - Hike Syndicate Team
About: From Burlington, Vermont, Ben comes from an active family and community and has always enjoyed an outdoor athletic lifestyle. He started cross-country ski racing in high school, never expecting anything special to come of it. However, through four years of hard training and steadily rising in the Vermont public high school rankings, he grew to love this challenging and gratifying sport.
By the time Ben graduated from Burlington High School, he had achieved several top-ten finishes at the U.S. Junior Olympic Championships and two state championship titles. He continued his path of improvement at Middlebury College, one of the top colleges in Division I skiing, where he was a two-time Team Captain and a two-time Ski Team MVP. He rose through the ranks of collegiate racing, qualifying four times for the NCAA Championships, achieving two All-American NCAA finishes and competing at national and international championships. Looking forward, Ben will be cross-country skiing competitively with Olympic aspirations.
Kudos: This year, Ben had two top-10 finishes at the 2014 US Senior Nationals in Utah, where he qualified as the second American U23 to go to U23 World Championships. He went on to have two top-35 finishes at at U23 Worlds. At the US Senior Nationals in 2012, Ben was the Junior National Champion for the 10km Classic and the 2nd American Qualifier for the Junior World Championships. Ben is a four-time NCAA Qualifier and a two-time EISA All-East First Team award receiver.
On the Socks: Ben wanted to work with Darn Tough not only because they are a local Vermont company whose products are made in the USA, but also because of their incredible quality. There's not much worse than cold feet during fall and winter training or during a ski race, anyone who skis can attest to that! The variety of socks that Darn Tough provides gives Ben options for every sport in every condition that he trains in, from hot summer runs to rainy road bike rides and freezing nordic ski workouts. Plus, Ben loves merino wool socks for their incredible temperature regulation properties and because they keep his feet feeling fresh.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Thru - Hike Syndicate Team
Job Titles:
- Member of the Thru - Hike Syndicate Team
About: Born and raised in St. Louis, Missouri, Eric is an ultrarunner now living in Flagstaff, Arizona. From the Cross Country and Track & Field Teams in college to placing within the top-10 in various marathons, he still strives to improve his longer distance running. He also has a Masters in Philosophy from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Eric is a journalist and avid traveler.
Kudos: Eric is a three time course-record holder as well as a five time 1 st place finisher for ultramarathon distances. When he's not running, Eric writes about it. He has over a dozen publications including iRunFar.com and UltraRunning Magazine.
On the Socks: Darn Tough makes the most durable and comfortable running socks Eric has found on the market. Even the lightest cushioned socks keep his feet protected and warm in cool temperatures, while staying breathable in warmer temperatures. Eric uses DTV socks since they are truly all-season and last for many, many seasons!
Job Titles:
- Member of the Thru - Hike Syndicate Team
Job Titles:
- Member of the Thru - Hike Syndicate Team
About: Grayson Cobb is a long-distance backpacker, ultra-marathon runner, kayaker and all-around adventurer from Richmond, VA. In high school and college, he was involved in many competitive sports, but needed an outlet from that. That is where is love of backpacking formed. In 2009, he attempted a winter thru-hike of the Appalachian Trail, but abandoned in Virginia due to cold conditions and deep snow. This, however, awakened in him another new passion: solo expeditions. Grayson is currently training to complete the Appalachian Trail faster than anyone ever has.
Kudos: Grayson was awarded All-American for triathlon in 2011 and 2012. In 2013, he started competively sea kayaking, and in 2014 he became the first person to paddle a kayak from Key West to The Dry Tortugas, an open ocean crossing of over 70 miles. In the summer of 2014, Grayson competed the John Muir trail in just eight days.
On the Socks: Grayson finds Darn Tough socks to be by far the best! He is always amazed they can handle every beating he puts them through. After seeing the durability and unmatched comfort of these socks, he knew they would be his go-to socks for all his trips. Since he depends so entirely on his feet being in healthy condition, Darn Tough socks enable him to cover long distances faster with more ease. To Grayson, Darn Tough socks are unmatched in comfort and durability and with all the styles, there's a sock for every adventure.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Thru - Hike Syndicate Team
Job Titles:
- Member of the Thru - Hike Syndicate Team
Job Titles:
- Member of the Thru - Hike Syndicate Team
Job Titles:
- Member of the Thru - Hike Syndicate Team
Job Titles:
- Member of the Thru - Hike Syndicate Team
Job Titles:
- Member of the Thru - Hike Syndicate Team
Job Titles:
- Member of the Thru - Hike Syndicate Team
Job Titles:
- Member of the Thru - Hike Syndicate Team
Job Titles:
- Member of the Thru - Hike Syndicate Team
Liz Thomas is a well-traveled adventure athlete most known for breaking the women's unsupported speed record on the 2,181-mile long Appalachian Trail in 2011, in just 80.5 days, beating the previous record by a week.
She has completed the Triple Crown of Hiking: the Appalachian Trail, the 2,650-mile Pacific Crest Trail, and 3,100-mile Continental Divide Trail. She has backpacked more than 15,000 miles across the United States on 12 long distance hikes, including the pioneering traverse of the Chinook Trail across the Columbia River Gorge.
Liz is among the most experienced female hikers in the country and is known for hiking light, fast, and solo.
In her time not walking, Liz attained a Masters in Environmental Science from the Yale School of Forestry & Environmental Studies and the prestigious Doris Duke Conservation Fellowship for her research on long distance hiking trails, conservation, and trail town communities-a project she ‘s applying in her work with the Continental Divide Trail Coalition.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Thru - Hike Syndicate Team
Job Titles:
- Member of the Thru - Hike Syndicate Team
Job Titles:
- Member of the Thru - Hike Syndicate Team
Job Titles:
- Member of the Thru - Hike Syndicate Team
Job Titles:
- Member of the Thru - Hike Syndicate Team
Job Titles:
- Member of the Thru - Hike Syndicate Team