Brittany Coleman built a hiking sock brand just for women. We got her talking about tech specs, women-run factories, and chipmunks.

No more shrink it and pink it

For years, Brittany managed the womens hiking sock division for another outdoor brand. When she realized there was a lack of interest in properly representing women and designing for us, she set out on her own to create a brand that outfits women hikers and explorers with socks that are actually made to support women’s feet.

“Women’s sock design was very much about designing for a made-up character — a girlfriend of a real outdoorsman that didn’t need quality gear. I felt very offended by that. I knew enough about the design process after years of working for another outdoor brand, so I made up my mind to design women’s socks myself.” - Brittany Coleman

How Tough Cutie socks are made for women’s feet

“It all started with the customer.” - Brittany Coleman

Brittany and her team conducted surveys before they got started on the development process. They wanted to understand where the gaps were.

The Tough Cutie difference essentially comes down to two things - fit & comfort.

For all Tough Cutie hiking socks, you’re gonna feel lycra spandex that add strategic compression zones to really elevate your arches.
There’s super sleek cushioning in the heel & the toe with comfort in mind. Brittany says it’ll feel like a little hug on your feet.

the women-run factory where tough cutie socks are made

Tough Cutie socks are made in a women-run factory right here in the USA

“When I started out, I had two criteria: Tough Cutie socks had to be made by a women-run factory and had to be made in the US.”

Brittany was adamant: the brand is about providing economic agency to women.

She wanted to work with people who understand why it’s important to invest in women. That’s why she invested with the current factory where her hiking socks are made: so that as her business grew, money would be flowing to other women.

Want to try them out? Get your feet in Tough Cutie socks ASAP

Brittany is a big backpacker, so we asked her about her favorite adventure.

“I think my hike in the enchantments is the best hike I’ve ever taken. Highly recommend heading out of Leavenworth!”

Brittany’s pro backpacking advice for successful sock packing:

You really need to buy two pairs. A pair you’re going to hike in during the day, and a second pair that you can change into when you sleep.
Never sleep in the hiking socks that you wore during the day!
To save space, you can always put toiletries in your sleep socks when you pack. You can also roll them up - they’re already pretty light & compact. Some people hook them to the outside of your pack so they can dry while you walk.
Once you get to camp, lay your socks out flat to dry if you can. Hanging them while damp can stretch them out a bit. But watch out for chipmunks! I’ve had chipmunks try some pretty stealthy steals.

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Get geared up with Tough Cutie: Hiking Socks Built for women