Best Running Socks

Best Overall Running Sock

Balega Blister Resister Quarter

Material: 32% Drynamix polyester, 32% polyamide, 30% mohair, 4% microfiber, 2% elastane| Cushioning: Midweight

The Balega Blister Resister Quarter is an excellent performer for a myriad of reasons. The synthetic construction feels soft and comfortable against the skin, with padding exactly where you need it. On long trail runs, your foot will feel protected from underfoot hazards like rocks, roots, sand, and more. The thinner construction across the top of the foot and under the arch enables ventilation, even on warm days. Furthermore, for both men and women, there are different styles with a fit that is simply impeccable. Durability is excellent as well in our testing, so far. After 60+ miles of running, it still looks like new! Our testers found themselves reaching for this protective performer for trail runs where distances ranged from one to one hundred miles through both summer and winter.

The only caveat we could think of is it may not be the option for the hottest of summer days, given the mid-weight level of cushioning. Aside from that, if you're seeking an excellent running sock with impeccable protection and great durability at a reasonable price, this is one you should buy.

Read review: Balega Blister Resister Quarter

Best Bang for the Buck

Balega Silver No Show

Material: 75% Drynamix Polyester, 23% Nylon, 2% Elastane | Cushioning: Midweight

The Balega Silver No Show offers a super cozy and comfortable experience at a reasonable price. The synthetic materials are soft and supple to the touch, wrapping your foot in what feels like a fleece snuggie blanket. It is well fitted with specific areas of compression that helps keep the sock's shape. The padding underfoot is quite protective, making it an excellent option for both trail and road running.

Unfortunately, this super comfortable sock isn't the most breathable tested. Unlike other more intricate designs, it has full padding along the bottom of the foot with slits to offer some venting. However, we learned that in wet or super hot conditions, the sock holds more moisture than most. It does, however, wick well. While the architecture of this sock isn't as thoughtful as other contenders, the price is undoubtedly fabulous, proving to be of exceptional value.

Read review: Balega Silver No Show

Best Toe Sock

Injinji Trail Midweight Mini-Crew

Material: 39% COOLMAX polyester, 58% Nylon, 3% Lycra | Cushioning: Midweight

If you love to spread your toes on the run, the Injinji Trail Midweight Mini-Crew won't let you down. The plush underfoot cushioning cradles and protects your foot in all the right places, while the thicker quarter-length design doesn't slip or move while you explore. This sock is unique from others, wrapping each toe individually, just like a glove. It allows your toes to spread, helps to avoid blisters, and improves balance while on the trail. Designed for long trails, everybody from a 5K runner to the ultramarathoner will appreciate its unique design, comfort, and protection.

While a toe-sock might be a favorite for some, it's not everybody's cup of tea. The extra work to put them on and the toe splay is a little out of the normal. However, if you haven't tried a toe sock, why not give it a try? We did and really enjoyed the benefits.

Read review: Injinji Trail Midweight Mini-Crew

Best for Durability

Darn Tough Coolmax Vertex Ultra-Light

Material: 52% Coolmax Polyester, 44% Nylon, 4% Lycra Spandex | Cushioning: Lightweight

With just the right amount of cushion for a lightweight sock, the Darn Tough Vertex CoolMax also offers the best overall durability. After logging over 2000 miles over the last year with it on our foot, it's shown to stand the test of time. We've worn it while trail running ultra distances over tough technical terrain, pounded out the road miles on country roads, and as a light hiking sock in the summer. The specific fit is comfortable with cozy fabrics against the skin. It also wicks well. A superior choice with a lifetime warranty that still holds up, even if you've logged a hundred plus miles…trust us, we know.

While we love this sock, it's not our first choice if protection or a quarter-length sock is preferred. It's also a bit slippery in a shoe that fits wide or has more wiggle room. If durability is your primary concern and a high-value option is what you seek, this is our recommendation for all humans.

Read review: Darn Tough Vertex CoolMax Ultra-Light

Best for Wicking & Breathability

Swiftwick Aspire Zero

Material: 55% Nylon, 40% Olefin, 5% Spandex | Cushioning: Ultralightweight

The hydrophobic olefin fibers, in combination with the Nylon materials, make the Swiftwick Aspire Zero a great option for sweat-wicking and breathability. The construction provides ample ventilation that quickly moves moisture away from the foot, through the sock, and out. We are impressed with its specific fit and its lack of movement while running long and hard days. Even when wet, it dried quickly and kept our feet relatively dry. As a result, we recommend it for warm weather on terrain that doesn't require a whole lot of support or cushioning.

While it's hard to find anything truly wrong with this sock, we'd have to say the most significant caveat is simply in its intended construction. It's designed as a lightweight sock option, which may not be the preferred style for those who require a little extra cushioning. Also, while the material isn't very slippery, we noticed it does slip around in wider, sloppier shoes because it is so thin. So it does require a tighter fitting shoe to avoid this issue. If you're simply seeking a sock that'll breathe really well for, for example, warm weather, this is our top recommendation.

Read review: Swiftwick Aspire Zero

Why You Should Trust Us

Andy Wellman and Amber King provide quality insights into running gear. Both are avid runners, participating in ultra-distance marathons. Andy has participated in 100-mile ultramarathons, while Amber continues to train hard for 50-mile trail marathons that take place throughout the USA. They play in places from Oregon to Colorado to Ontario, visiting canyons, beaches, mountains, deserts, and more. Both have been gear testers and contributors to OutdoorGearLab for over seven years, keeping tabs on the industry and testing new models, to make the best recommendations possible.

To determine the best overall pair, we put each sock through months of field testing and conducted objective in house tests to fine-tune our findings. We ran through all sorts of weather, battling technical trails and long days on the pavement. We tried different lengths, levels of cushioning, and banged out 1000s of miles throughout the country. Our team of testers looks at each sock comparatively, qualifying each with five essential performance metrics. After putting our legs through the "stuff," we provide you with an unbiased and quality overview of the best running socks on the market.

Related: How We Tested Running Socks

Analysis and Test Results

In our testing, we look at a myriad of running sock options for both men and women. We look primarily at no-show or crew style socks, with a quarter length thrown in for good measure. The running socks we compare are the best we could find on the market and are made from quality materials. Any option we review is one that'll work, but which that is best for you will be defined by where you run and what you need your running sock for.

Related: Buying Advice for Running Socks

Value

When it comes to running socks, it's important to look at the durability in addition to the price, which will inherently tell you which model will provide the best bang for your buck. Ultimately, most in this review are of great value, with none that we found that we wouldn't recommend. Those made with synthetic materials are known to feature higher quality fibers, but they aren't as warm or comfortable as merino wool options.

For example; the Balega Blister Resister Quarter and Balega Silver No Show are both offered at a fair price with different performance features. The Darn Tough is another to consider, given its superb durability. While you might pay a little more upfront, this sock will last you much longer than another in the same use-case scenarios (based on our testing). The DryMax Running Mini Crew is another low-priced synthetic that doesn't have the best fit for women, but proves to keep going mile after mile. The range of cost for socks is small, but the real value is in how many miles you can put in before needing a new pair.

Comfort

Comfort is the most crucial consideration when evaluating a running sock. How a sock feels will determine whether you wear it every day or never again. We began by examining each material's overall feel. Is it rough and abrasive, or soft and supple? Are there exposed seams that cause rubbing or friction? Does the sock hug our foot comfortably or squish the toes? Does it pinch around the ankle or the top of the foot? Where is the padding located? We ultimately determine the most comfortable option by evaluating the feel of the sock both in and out of our running shoe. We also take a critical look at where cushioning is targeted. Socks with padding aimed at all the right places are the most comfortable and score the best in our testing.

Of all that we tested, the Balega Blister Resister Quarter, Balega Silver No Show, and Injinji Trail Midweight Mini-Crew are the most comfortable. The materials are super soft and comfortable. All have ultra-plush cushioning targeted to the ball of the foot, heel, and Achilles, with a midweight construction. The fabric in the cushioned areas is highly dense, quite responsive, and protective underfoot. All are good options for protection on longer trail runs.

The Thorlos Experia XCCU is a lightweight sock that offers targeted cushioning that is super soft to the touch. While the fabric isn't as plush as the Feetures Merino 10, this sock kept our feet protected and comfortable on the long runs. However, it's not our first choice for ultradistances, and shorter distances. We appreciate the higher sock height of the Thorlos in comparison to the Feetures, which would sometimes slip down while running.

Socks with less cushioning typically didn't score as highly in this metric. Of the lightweight products tested, the Darn Tough Vertex Coolmax Ultra-Light is our favorite. While there are no areas of highly concentrated padding, there is an additional layer of material throughout the entire sock. The Coolmax polyester is little softer than the merino wool composition used in the Darn Tough Vertex UltraLight (women's version). We've usually found most Smartwool products to be pretty comfortable, but these ultralight socks don't feel as soft as the rougher Darn Tough fabric. Be sure to check out different cushioning options if you want a little more protection than these ultralight versions.

Fit

How a sock fits is another critical component that relates to its comfort and performance. A sock that is too big or small is not going to be as comfortable as one that fits just right. The fit is determined by how well a sock might mold to your foot and stay in place. It should hug the foot comfortably without being too tight or loose. A sometimes overlooked aspect of fit is where your foot fits within a manufacturer's size range. Some companies manufacture a single sock design that is meant to fit a wide range of foot sizes.

We asked several questions to determine which sock fits best. Did it bunch up and force rearrangement after first pulling it on? Did it stay in place mile after mile, or did it creep down? Did it feel confining when first pulled on, or did it feel as if it wasn't there? How well did it move with the foot? Some socks have a lot of snug-fitting elastic sections that hug the foot. Others were too tight or loose at the ankle, giving us the feeling of circulation being cut off. Similarly, some socks overemphasized the amount of elastic in the arch, making it feel restrictive. The best socks feel comfortable and don't restrict movement. We also point out niches some socks occupy in the section below.

Our standout performer for the best-fitting sock out of the bunch is the Thorlo Experia XCCU, Balega Blister Resister, and Injinji Mid-weight Toe Sock. All offer a specific fit that doesn't bunch or rub in any locations. Like the Feetures Merino 10, it stays in place on a long run, without bunching or moving on the foot. None of the above feel too tight or small and offer a stand-out fit for both men and women.

The Darn Tough socks for both men and women also features a great fit. The compression is in all the right areas and stays in place. When looking at the comparative size differences in the men and women's socks, the women's is more narrow with a tighter heel cup. If you're a woman with wider feet, we'd recommend trying on the men's sock. Both offer a size that is true to fit.

The Balega Silver No Show provides a surprisingly specific fit as well. It has more specific compression around the arch with a little more padding around the Achilles and underfoot. Both are seriously comfortable with a unisex fit. Both fit a bit large, so if you're on the cusp, size down.

Wicking & Breathability

When water is trapped next to the skin it gets absorbed, causing the feet to swell and soften, increasing the chance of blisters. To combat this, a sock that effectively wicks and breathes is paramount. Wicking is a sock's ability to effectively pull moisture from the skin to the outside of the sock, where it will hopefully evaporate. Whether or not it evaporates depends on both the breathing and venting capabilities of your shoe and the sock's ability to release moisture into the air. Some models can wick and breathe well, while others might wick, but not breathe so well.

The key to a sock that wicks well is using a hydrophobic (water-hating) fabric that can pull moisture from the foot and transfer it through the material. Models with a thicker looped thread or with some porosity at the material's surface tend to wick the best. Those that breathe the best are those with a thinner architecture with a loosely knit weave to increase surface area for water transport.

In this review, socks composed of synthetic material did the best at wicking. Specifically, those that integrate a high proportion of hydrophobic Olefin fibers. A previous award winner, the DryMax Running Mini Crew, stands out in this category, drying quickly and wicking stupendously well. However, this year, the Swiftwick Aspire Zero is able to dry quicker and manage moisture better. This ultralight contender is super thin, wicking away moisture and keeping feet drier. Both are great options for wet, humid, or super hot conditions, with the DryMax being a little thicker in construction. The Darn Tough No Show Ultra-Light and Smartwool PhD Ultralight are two other competitors that wick quite well, with different materials.

Thicker socks wick well but don't offer the same level of breathability as thinner contenders. The Thorlos Experia XCCU is an exception that features an excellent venting system. The thicker fibers on the pads of the foot area grab moisture and move it effectively to the super-thin regions around the arch and top of the foot for optimal breathability. Other thicker socks like the Balega Silver No Show brand wick well, but unfortunately seem to hold the moisture in these denser areas. The Balega Blister Resister is an exception to this, that breathes exceptionally well, even with its midweight construction.

Slip Prevention

The final component to avoiding blisters is its ability to reduce friction and heat by staying in place. When a foot slips inside a shoe, friction occurs — usually in the heel, under the ball of the foot, or between the toes. Friction creates heat, accelerating the creation of a blister. For this test, we are aware of how well a sock helps keep our foot in place. The interface between the skin, sock, and liner is crucial. So it's vital not only to get the right sock but also to ensure that your shoe fits correctly or that your liners aren't too slippery. A sock alone can't prevent blisters. It's a combination of the fit of your shoe, how you run, and how your sock and shoe interact.

Socks with added padding or cushioning, or thicker overall socks, tend to "fill" our shoes better than thin socks. For an optimal fit, you would be wise to run in the same thickness of socks regularly, and fit the shoes to the volume of your preferred sock. If you size your shoe wearing a medium thickness sock and then go running in an ultra-light sock, there'll be extra room for your foot to slip. To look at this metric, we tested different socks using shoes that both fit loosely and tightly. Socks that don't slip have fabrics that are more porous or plush, as opposed to streamlined, lightweight, and slick.

Of the socks tested, the Balega Silver No Show, Balega Blister Resister, and Injinji Midweight Toe Sock is the best at preventing foot slippage. All feature a thicker material construction in the heel and forefoot, with the Injinji offering the ability to spread your toes. This provides more traction in all the shoes we tested, thus offering less slippage. The Feetures Merino 10 is another that easily grabs the shoe for more reinforced friction, though the threads are finer.

The Thorlos Experia uses an ultra-thin section of material along the top and bottom that is a little more conducive to slip in looser shoes, similar to the ultralight Darn Tough socks. While the Thorlos grips well underfoot, similar to the Darn Tough socks, the Darn Tough has a tighter weave to the fabric. The men's version is a tiny bit thicker than the women's version, grabbing the shoe better. Overall, the thicker and more fitted the sock, the better it combats slippage. If you plan on buying a thinner sock, like the Smartwool PhD Run Ultra Light Micro that slips quite a bit, just ensure that your insole offers some friction, or the shoe fits nice and tight to avoid blisters.

Durability

Durability is a key metric when considering which sock to buy. You don't want to throw down a wad of cash on a product that'll only hold up for just a couple of runs. In this metric, we look at the relative wear and tear of each sock after about 30 miles of testing. In some cases, where we've been testing socks for over the last few years, we can provide additional insight into the longer-term limits of each.

During this testing period, no socks showed any significant wear through the first 30 miles of testing, meaning that all running socks we tested are reasonably well-constructed. That said, they did show varying signs of wear and tear, which tells us there are differences in overall durability. The most valuable socks are those that will last the longest for the lowest cost over time.

Hands down, the best durability we've seen comes from Darn Tough. If you wear a sock for a year and put a hole in it, you can send it back for a brand new pair. During our testing, this brand of sock showed the least amount of wear and tear, compaction, and piling issues, which lends to its standout durability. We've tested this brand of sock for years and have logged over 1000 miles on it while running through the steep and technical mountains of sunny and dry Colorado.

Thicker socks in general, do better than thinner options. For example; after 60 miles of wear, the Balega Blister Resister and Injinji Trail Midweight Mini-Crew are simply crushing it, still looking new.

Lighter socks don't do as well, but some are better than others. For example; the synthetic Swiftwick Aspire Zero, another lightweight contender, also proves to be ultra-durable with just a few thread fly-aways after 200 miles, but not much else. The ultralight version of the Smartwool PhD (a Merino Wool sock) doesn't fare as well, showing the signs of a hole in the making and frayed areas in both the forefoot and heel, similar to the Feetures Merino 10, which has lasted a little longer due to the plusher materials used.

Conclusion

The running sock that'll last you for miles is out there and is probably one that we've featured right here in this review. While there are a plethora of options, make sure you choose a sock that'll cater to your needs. Quality will make a difference in your comfort and performance while on the run, so don't be afraid to spend a couple of extra dollars if a sock is reputed to perform well and last longer than others.