I wasn't thrilled with these socks. I'm planning a backpacking trip and finally sprung to purchase some darn tough brand socks including these black knee-highs. Upon arrival, I was disappointed to find that the socks are actually a dark navy blue, and not black.  The packaging was labeled as black, but the socks were definitely blue. Usually a difference in color wouldn't bother me, but as my wardrobe will be pretty limited on my trip, I want everything to color coordinate so that I can wear them with anything. The padding that everyone raved about in the reviews didn't really seam substantial to me when compared to my usual off-brand hiking socks. Really just don't understand the hype or the price, so I sent them back.