Racing: (thin, light)
Training: (padded)
- Asics Kinsei II — Low Cut $16. By Asics. Review.
- Feetures! Light — No Show with Tab $10, and No Show without Tab $10. By Feetures!. Review.
- Brooks Gossamer — Ped $10. By Brooks. Review.
On the heels (?) of my oft-Googled article Best Headphones For Running, comes this in-depth, Pulitzer-worthy exposé of socks. My mother would be proud.
I've only tested five pairs so far, but it's a start.
To race a marathon in Boston time, I'm on the hunt for the perfect sock — something light, thin and cool. After some brief research, I found five contenders and placed an order with SockGeek. (Boy, they were quick — I ordered on a Tuesday and received them on Friday.) Here are the results.
Tested in October 2009:
Asics, Balega, Brooks, Drymax, Feetures!
The reviews:
Racing
Wanted: thin, light, pass air through toes.
- Drymax Run Hyper Thin
— No-Show $9.50. By Drymax.
This is my choice for racing marathons. Felt good putting on, light and smooth. And they look cool, with the zebra stripes. Plus the packaging was the best — detailed and shiny, which is important. They were not quite as soft as the Balegas but they have survived the washing machine several times and still fit well.
73% Drymax Olefin, 11% polyester, 11% nylon, 5% elastane/Span. Made in USA.
- Balega Hidden Dry
$9. By Balega.
After seeing District 9, I was eager to try something else made in South Africa. Out of the packaging, the Balegas felt the best of the bunch — very soft, smooth and light. For the first run, they were terrific. Very light, breezy, cozy. But, the second run was not as good. Presumably, in the wash they stretched out as they slid down my feet into the shoes. I bought the large size; I'll try another pair in medium.
63% Drymax Polyester, 35% Polyamide, 2% Elastane Nylon. Made in South Africa.
Training
Wanted: Comfy, soft, a little padded.
- Asics Kinsei II
— Low Cut $16. By Asics
This is my choice for training. They fit well, are comfy and have a little padding. They have survived the washing machine several times and still fit well. Have left and right socks.
75% Nylon, 19% Tactel Nylon, 6% Elastane. Made in Greece.
- Feetures! Light
— No Show with Tab $10, and No Show without Tab $10. By Feetures!.
Fit well. Not quite as comfy as the Asics Kinsei II. Padded. Survives the washing machine.
82% iWick Polyester, 15% Nylon, 3% Lycra Spandex. Made in China.
- Brooks Gossamer
— Ped $10. By Brooks.
Looked as though they were the best for ventilation. But didn't survive the washing machine; on the second and later runs, they slipped down. Next time I'll try the medium size.
87% Brookes' Twister II Yarn (nylon), 13% spandex. Made in Greece.
Feet photos by my lovely wife, Jennie Van Meter © 2009. This was our first blogging project together!
Know Your Fibers
- Coolmax. Polyester. Registered trademark of manufacturer Invista (formerly part of DuPont).
- Elastane. Spandex, as it's commonly known outside the U.S.
- Lycra. Spandex. Registered trademark of manufacturer Invista (formerly part of DuPont).
- Nylon. Synthetic polymer. Invented in 1935 by DuPont.
- Polyester. Synthetic polymer, usually polyethylene terephthalate (PET).
- Spandex. Synthetic fiber, also known as elastane and Lycra (trademark).
- Tactel. Nylon. Registered trademark of manufacturer Invista (formerly part of DuPont).
Other socks to try one day:
- Eurosock Sprint Lightweight Supreme $10
- Ironman Velocity Pro $11
- Nike Structure $14
- Sugoi Socks R&R Ped $14
- Thorlo Thin Cushion $14
- X-Socks Performance Running Sock $20
P.S. One thing I learned from the packaging: Wash socks inside out.