The Right Sock for the Right Shoe

I have to confess—I love socks. Last weekend I spent three days at the Outdoor Retailer Show in Salt Lake City. Vendors of outdoor gear showed their wares to thousands of hungry store buyers. Up and down the aisles I walked, drawn to the booths that showed anything related to feet. Sure there were lots of shoes. And sure, I spent time looking over the packs and clothes and other goods. But what caught my eye were the socks.
     It’s a good thing I had an extra bag to carry stuff home. By the time the show ended I had 18 pairs of socks to take home and evaluate. Some seem similar. Others are very different. The important thing to remember with socks is that when you bought your shoes, you had on a pair of socks that had a certain weight and thickness. Changing to another pair of socks can and should be easy—as long as you keep this in mind. Changing from one pair to two pair, or to a thicker or thinner pair, or from crew style to a quarter sock can create problems.
     The right sock is one that fits your foot and fills the inside of the shoe. Being too tight or too thick can constrict circulation and lead to problems—especially in cold weather. Rubbing can lead to hot spots, which lead to blisters. Changing to a thinner socks can cause extra movement of the foot inside the shoe, leading to friction, hot spots, and you guessed it, blisters. 
     The right sock also is a moisture wicking sock. I will never wear cotton socks for any kind of athletic endeavor. You need the wicking action to move sweat and moisture to the outer surface of the sock where it can evaporate.
     The right sock is typically a blend of materials. Usually some type of synthetic or wool blended with nylon and Lycra. The unique blends and weaves provide varying degrees of support, ventilation and cushioning.
     Many people will pick a brand of socks and stick with them. That’s fine, but remember, socks manufacturers have made tremendous advances in sock construction. There are many fantastic socks being made and you owe it yourself to check them out. I’ll give you some names in the coming weeks. Stay tuned.