What's up with toe socks?
Do you want to prevent blisters and improve your performance while endurance running? Consider toe socks, no matter the fashion consequences...
Have you seen toe socks? Heard about them at least? If traditional socks are like mittens for your feet, toe socks are like gloves. Fitting a pair onto your toes, one by one, can feel different - strange, even - but there are some serious benefits.
Injinji Trail Midweight Crew Socks
Why Injinji toe socks?
Merino Five‑Finger Toe Socks
Why SATISFY toe socks?
Creepers Toe Socks
Why Creepers toe socks?
Blister prevention
When you’re in the midst of a long-distance endurance event - whether that’s a marathon, an ultra, or a hike - your feet are the most important tools you are using, so keeping them as dry and friction-free as possible is in your best interest.
Creating conditions inside your shoe that protect against blisters is incredibly important, and tow socks can help with that. Those blisters are caused by skin-on-skin contact, from sweaty toes rubbing up against one another, so the simple act of adding a soft physical barrier to both cushion and wick the moisture away from between your toes will help prevent that.
Performance enhancement
By virtue of adding fabric between your toes, toe socks naturally spread your toes out, thus improving your running performance.
If you’ve taken note of wider toe boxes becoming increasingly common in shoes, you’ll understand that your toes are meant to fill them. Toe socks help with that. Why, though?
Think of Spiderman climbing a wall. Think about his hands. They’re widely spread, right? Yeah, that’s the best way to grip the wall. Now, apply the same logic to your running. If your toes are all bunched together, you’re gripping your shoe and the ground less effectively, and so you’ll have less balance and stability, less power, and - ultimately - less speed.
Why a move towards spreading our toes?
Whether it’s the ancient Chinese tradition of foot binding or more modern traditions of high-heeled shoes or brogues, we’ve always made our feet suffer in the name of fashion.
Crocs and Birkenstocks are two brands that are well known for providing useful comfort to their wearers rather than high fashion or performance. Toe socks fall into the same category of comfort, but can provide the performance by allowing your body to work in its optimal form.
Sure, the blister prevention and the toe spacing are essential elements if your goal is to improve your comfort and performance, but the best thing about toe socks? Nobody knows you’re wearing them. Nobody can judge you for being ‘unfashionable.’
In 2021, Jungkook from Korean superstars BTS was roasted by his bandmates and the public alike for showing off his toe socks during a live broadcast. That doesn’t have to happen to you.
Which toe socks are best?
There are, of course, multiple options. Which ones are correct for you might take a little trial and error. I’ll focus on three brands. Injinji, Satisfy, and Creepers.
Injinji (USA)
Well-established in the world of toe socks, Californian brand Injinji have multiple style, cushioning, and colorway options. With plenty of experience with toe socks, here are some insights from the company:
"While they might not have literal magical powers, wearing toesocks can certainly feel like a magical experience! Injinji's unique toesock design allows your toes the freedom to splay naturally. This can make you feel more connected to the ground and improve overall foot comfort." - Claire Kooperman (Director, Ecommerce & Operations, Injinji)
The vibe? They’re soft, they’re cushioned, and they fit perfectly. The bright colorways are very fun. Options for whatever type of running or hiking you’re planning are eminently available, and with the experience Injinji has in the toe sock space, you can trust their reliability.
If functionality and availability are your primary concerns, you can't go wrong with Injinji.
Satisfy Running (France)
The Parisian luxury running apparel brand offered their first toe socks option earlier in 2024. Here’s what SATISFY founder Brice Partouche has to say about them:
"Our new Merino Five-Finger Toe Socks set a new standard in athletic comfort and performance. We've blended Japanese Merino wool with nylon for unmatched thermoregulation and durability. Finding socks of this style made from Merino wool is rare, underscoring SATISFY's dedication to pioneering in a space where high-performance meets innovative design, delivering a distinct edge to athletes everywhere." Brice Partouche (Founder and Creative Director, SATISFY)
They’re incredibly plush out of the packet and fit very snugly. The color options are great (black, ivory, lilac), and they feel as luxurious as expected on the feet. As with all toe socks, longevity is an ongoing concern.
If you’re already dropping $300 on an ultra-hip SATISFY running shirt, you might as well plop these in your basket as well.
Creepers (New Zealand)
The third is a one-man brand from Canterbury in New Zealand. Started to meet a need for a truly functional sock, the goal is to help people be more active, with more comfort.
“Our socks are made for movement and I've got a very strong product-first approach. That means I create them with function, performance and comfort first and foremost. As a sports physiotherapist as well as a keen trail runner, it's something I strongly believe in. Our socks are all made with a Merino blend fabric to combine the great performance properties of both Merino and synthetics. Merino creates a very low friction fabric for reducing shear force and friction while also helping thermoregulation and it dries very fast, while the synthetics add in great moisture wicking and resilience. Add to this seamless stitching and open design and it's like a second skin. ” - Shaun Clark (Owner & Operator, Creepers)
Another Merino-nylon blend but more moderately-priced, these feel like soft, woolly little gloves for your feet. They address longevity concerns by outlining the abrasion testing they take out, and the improvements they’re making.
If supporting a small business that really cares about your feet sounds attractive, check out a pair of Creepers.
An award-winning journalist, and a USATF-certified running coach. In-depth features on running culture, and much more.