socks

[ultraslacker]

what's everyone's favourite running sock?

Mine is the DeFeet Aerate. They are great--light, fitted, meshed for circulation. I love them and wear them on all my long runs. Plus you can get them in funky colours!

[ultraslacker]

Wright Sock, double layer. Mine started off as white, but they are now funky coloured, does that count?

:P

I hate those socks... I wore them on my first half-marathon and my feet felt SO hot and... stuffed up (is that possible with feet?). I need thin ones.

of course, the double layers might be good in the winter...

[jacob42.2]

I dunno what mine are called but they're thin Nike socks. Really nice ones. I also have a pair Pearl Izumi (sp?) socks that I got free at the Sport Expo at NCM. The only thing I don't like about them, is that they're high on the ankle, and there is a canada flag on it. Great for Canada Day, but horrible for everything else.

I really really want a pair of Orange socks to match my shoes...

[Dani]

I have Nike Dryfit and 2 pairs of Wigwams. They are great wicking sox. Love them!

[dgrant]

I guess I'm lucky, but I can just wear plain old cotton socks with no problem. Only blister problem I ever had was from bad shoes.

[QuickChick]

I really like the wright sock, single or double layer. If I wear cotton over 10K, I get big-time blisters. And actually, I really like the free socks I got at the 2003 Ottawa marathon! They've held up really well and they're dryfit (I think Brooks).

[RA.]

I guess I'm lucky, but I can just wear plain old cotton socks with no problem. Only blister problem I ever had was from bad shoes.

me too!

[wantmeback]

I like the double layer wright socks too, and you can buy them in 2-packs so it's a little more affordable. I use them for anything longer than 10K.

For cheaper socks, though, I have picked up coolmax ones at Mark's Work Wearhouse for, I think, about $8 for 2 pairs. A great deal and worth checking out, but they don't always stock them.

Actually, that reminds me - Mark's is good for setting up for winter running also. Hmmm....where's that thread?

[lastmilelori]

A couple of years ago I got two pairs of awesome cool max socks in the States at WalMart (in Richmond, Virginia to be more precise). I am still wearing them and they just now are starting to wear out at the heel.

Do you think I can find a pair to replace them here in Canada? No.

I have tried a pair of "our neighbour's" brand and I have had them less than two months and they are already wearing out.

I might give the Wright brothers a try. (ha, ha) Let's see if they fly!

Lori

[runlikeagirl]

I bought some Asics socks from Winners and they're great: wicking, thin. They were three in a pack and I think they cost about $6.99 or something like that. It was a good little deal, so when I saw 'em I though "YOINK!" and grabbed them.

[La]

I spent nearly $30 on a pair of Asics socks a while back. At the time I was an instructor for the Triathlon Clinic at the RR, so I got a staff discount (they ended up being $15). They are my FAVOURITE socks for long runs. They are thin in some places, thick in others and have padding in all the right places, are nice and stretchy and very form fitting (no bunching) and they even have a L and R to tell you which foot to put them on! The socks are white but the accent colours are Orange, Yellow and Black. Is that enough Orange for you, Jacob?

[BJH]

I have some Nike running socks and some single layer Wright socks for the summer. I use the double layer ones in the spring and fall and I use my Hot Chillys ski socks when it gets really cold. They are thin, so fit in my runners properly, but are really toasty warm.

[melissa]

You know what.. I really dont' have a preference.

Being the poor student that I am, I've always been running in whatever I could find. A package of 6 white socks for $1.99 Sorry folks, but there's no way I'm spending $10/pr.

Jacob insisted on treating me to a pair of 'running' socks and I don't find them much different.

The gear I use doesn't have an effect on my running. Good shoes, bad shoes, cool max, cotton, dri fit.. it's all the same to me. I can still finish the run in no less pain. But I should probably smarten up and take all your advice seriously, huh?

(The socks are still stained with blood from the 1/2 marathon But that was from the shoes Haha I don't think I could be doing this any harder on myself.)

[Scotty]

So, even after having read this thread I will still come out and say either I am sucker for punishment or one cheap bas- er boy.

Here goes-
I usually will run in my woolies. As in the one's I wear in my combat boots. Rain or shine. Yeah, woolies, the ones I had issued to me, for free.

I can hear the wailing and gnashing of teeth.

Again, for those who may not have seen my bio...lucky you, but it also explains that I am a "new" runner...

Comfort had just not been that big an issue before...

[dgrant]

Melissa and Scotty H: I'm in the 'any old socks' camp too, but definitely don't cheapskate on the shoes. That's an injury issue, not just a comfort issue.

[RayMan]

I usually will run in my woolies. As in the one's I wear in my combat boots. Rain or shine. Yeah, woolies, the ones I had issued to me, for free.
...

Hey soldier I used to do that too. Actually, as long as they are not too old and compacted from wear they are great cushioning.

But if you can hit Fredericton (they must have Walmart or Winner's) about this time of year they usually have a great big bin of sports socks you can get great deals on!

Spoil your feet for a while and they will love you back!

[TheBman]

...as you may have guessed...ANYTHING BRIGHT!
I have yellow nike's, bright yellow LIVESTRONG socks (of course!) and one of my favorites.....my HEARTBREAKHILL socks I wore in Boston!!!!

Bman

[melissa]

Well, I didnt cheap out on the shoes.. I just keep getting the wrong pair it seems. They are fine at first.. then it's blister city!

There's no pain, mind you.. just kinda gross...

At least I can say "I'm a runner..." when my girly-girl friends won't stop staring at my loverly black toenails.. um....

I'm hoping to get past all this one day.

[kferguson1]

I have two pairs of Asics Hera socks that I wear for long runs- they are AMAZING!! I love them.
I just bought a pair of Nike socks that are really nice and I have two pairs of Defeet socks that I wear for shorter runs. I also have a pair of cool max "toe socks" that are great to run in for 8-16K distances.
I haven't run in cotton socks in a year and a half, and frankly I am scared of what would happen to my feet if I did!

[Scotty]

Lean_Machine,

Yeah CdnArtyWife has been scolding me now for sometime and I actually have a coupla pairs of white socks. The real key will be to get some genuine runners I guess. Dani saw the sneakers I have been running in and freaked.

So...much...to...learn....gasp!

[ultraslacker]

Dani saw the sneakers I have been running in and freaked.

I got the same reaction when I started "seriously" running. I had been running on the treadmill for a year and a half in NB crosstrainers. Once I started hanging out with runners, they all said, "oh, those will wreck your feet! get new shoes!" But in a year and a half and LOTS of miles, those shoes never once hurt my feet. Nevertheless, I bought new REAL running shoes and THOSE hurt my feet and gave me blisters... anyway, I've finally settled on a pair of real running shoes that don't hurt (as much) so I guess I'll stick with them... sometimes I think I should go back to my old crosstrainers.

[SuperboB]

I went to the Jockey outlet store near Seattle where I found 3-packs of coolmax ankle socks for about $5US. Good price for me because I tend to wear out the toes of any sock, cheap or expensive. They've been fine so far up to 14km and I have spent entire days at work in them also.

[dgrant]

[ I had been running on the treadmill for a year and a half in NB crosstrainers.

I ran my first 1/2 marathon and first full marathon in New Balance cross-trainers. I didn't even know there was a difference between cross-trainers and running shoes, I thought it was just marketing. I guess it's a good ad for New Balance cross-trainers!

[ultraslacker]

[ I had been running on the treadmill for a year and a half in NB crosstrainers.

I ran my first 1/2 marathon and first full marathon in New Balance cross-trainers. I didn't even know there was a difference between cross-trainers and running shoes, I thought it was just marketing. I guess it's a good ad for New Balance cross-trainers!

They're great shoes, and still in fantastic shape even after all I've put them through. I still use them for um... crosstraining, lol.

[Racer]

I've just been wearing cotton socks. I tried some specialty running socks but they make my feet slide around in my shoes like crazy!! Last weekend I ran for an hour and I got a couple of tiny blisters on my toes, but that might be because I ran up and down a big hill with a pretty steep incline.

Has anyone tried merino wool socks for running? The guy who fit me for my shoes at the running store told me they are the best (at least in his opinion). He said they wick, your feet don't get hot, they last forever and they don't make your feet stink like polyester does.

I just checked and the socks that make my feet slide around are wigwam.

Also, what does it mean when socks 'wick'? Where is the moisture going to go? Where can it go given that your feet are stuffed in your shoes? silly question?