Best Socks
For Running

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.

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.) Now it's time for some testing.

• Asics Kinsei II — Low Cut $16. By Asics.
• Balega Hidden Dry $9. By Balega.
• Brooks Gossamer — Ped $10. By Brooks.
• Drymax Run Hyper Thin — No-Show $9.50. By Drymax.
• Feetures! Light — No Show with Tab $10. By Feetures!.
• Feetures! Light — No Show (without Tab) $10. By Feetures!.

Asics, Balega, Brooks, Drymax, Feetures!

The reviews:

Balega Hidden Dry
After seeing District 9, I was eager to try something else made in South Africa. The Balegas felt the best of the bunch putting on, very soft, smooth and light.
63% Drymax Polyester, 35% Polyamide, 2% Elastane Nylon. Made in South Africa.

Drymax Run Hyper Thin
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.
73% Drymax Olefin, 11% polyester, 11% nylon, 5% elastane/Span. Made in USA.

Brooks Gossamer
Look as though they are the best for ventilation.
87% Brookes' Twister II Yarn (nylon), 13% spandex. Made in Greece.

Asics Kinsei II
75% Nylon, 19% Tactel Nylon, 6% Elastane. Made in Greece.

Feetures! Light
82% iWick Polyester, 15% Nylon, 3% Lycra Spandex. Made in China.

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

A review by Runner's World.

P.S. One thing I learned from the packaging: Wash socks inside out.

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