Socks that allow sweat and water to escape close contact with your feet make for healthy feet. But what are the key characteristics you should be looking for in a pair of moisture wicking socks? Characteristics that will make one pair better than another pair.
Read on to find out about best moisture wicking socks for runners.
Table of Contents
Buyers Guide
One thing I love about running is that everything is technical. Even running socks have characteristics that need to be considered. Moisture wicking socks go a long way to stopping blisters, chafing and the general poor health of your feet when running. Here are some characteristics that all combine together to help prevent problems with your feet. The main point being the moisture wicking characteristic.
The Fit
Running socks that do not fit well will end up bunching. Areas around the bunched material will trap moisture and water and cause considerable discomfort. As with any sock from any manufacturer they will have different sizes that will suit you better than others.
Stance socks for example come in three different sizes. Large should be the size that I go for being 8.6 to 11.6. However I have found the large size to be too big for my feet. I found this out the expensive way after purchasing my first pair of socks from stance.
Seamless
Another characteristic it has implications for the moisture wicking characteristics of running socks are its seams. Or rather the lack of seams. I can’t pretend to understand the technicalities of how these socks are made but I do know that they work. A seam rubbing against the foot while running would not only caused blisters but would hold moisture close to the skin.
Comfort
Comfort is a combination of a number of factors that all come together to give you a feel of how the sock fits and makes you feel. The material they are made of may not feel good against your skin. The way the heel fits your foot maybe awkward. The density of the material across the forefoot may apply too much pressure.
All of these things need to be considered when choosing your next pair of moisture wicking running socks.
Breathable
Preventing overheating is a clever trick to pull off while allowing a sock to have wicking characteristics. Allowing water and sweat to move away from your foot while at the same time not allowing it back in. This is achieved by the performance materials the socks are made of. The performance of the mesh will govern how good the sock is at wicking moisture and how breathable the sock is.
Other Considerations
Good quality running socks have a number of desirable characteristics. Not only are excellent at wicking moisture but they can also help reduce fatigue of they arch by providing compression.
Durability
Running socks of high quality are relatively expensive compared to a normal sock. So you don’t want your sock to go to holes after one or two runs. The durability of your socks will largely be governed by the quality of the material the sock is made of. You very much get what you pay for.
Of course, doesn’t matter how durable the material is when faced with a ragged toenail. The best thing you can do to increase the longevity of your socks is to keep your toenails neat and trimmed. I have certainly damaged more than my fair share of socks when I’ve been for a run after forgetting to trim my toenails.
Visibility
The addition of hi visibility reflective patterns on the back of the sock could save your life. That sounds a little farfetched I know. I can find no reference to a runner who claims his life was saved from a swerving car by their reflective socks. It is however a nice to have and a characteristic that shouldn’t be avoided.
Value For Money
High end running socks such as these are not cheap. However, despite this I highly recommend them as they are worth the investment. I am quite tight by nature, I hate spending money for the sake of it and avoid that wherever possible. But I will always buy these high end running socks not only for their wicking characteristics but everything else they provide as well.
Final Thoughts: Best Moisture Wicking Socks For Runners
I have come to realise that investing in good quality running socks is a must. Before I settled on a favourite brand I was working my way through at least two pairs of running socks every month. this was partly down to the quality of the sock I was buying. And how I was looking after them.
With running socks its very much a case of price is what you pay, value is what you get.
Its not by chance the more expensive running socks have the best moisture wicking characteristics. Along with lots of other desirable characteristics.
