Many people underestimate just how imperative socks are to their feet. A great pair of shoes, whether it be for hiking, running, biking, or simply walking, will not be able to execute a proper performance without a good pair of socks. Consider trying to make a PB&J sandwich without bread, not much of a sandwich. Well, a great pair of shoes without the appropriate sock doesn’t make much of a “sandwich” either, if you know what I mean.
Therefore, let’s begin our journey to find the perfect sock with some information concerning the composition of various sock types. Now, most socks used by the American public will comprise mainly of one of the four following fibers; cotton, acrylic, olefin or wool. According to “The Science Behind Your Socks” an article from the American Running Association,
“Cotton socks are strong, but not very elastic and terrible at wicking moisture… Though they are the easiest and least expensive socks to find, cotton socks are best avoided.
Wool is all about absorption… It manages moisture better than cotton… at rest, the average foot produces 10 to 15 gallons of sweat per year…
Acrylic provides good cushioning and excellent friction and moisture management…
Olefin, which is made from polypropylene… isn’t very elastic… a better choice would be polyester. As with olefin, however, be wary of odor build-up in polyester.”
Therefore, it can be concluded that the best sock for any individual foot should comprise of either an acrylic or wool fiber. However, of those two candidates wool is the only one that is a natural fiber with innate properties designed to keep feet comfortable in a variety of conditions. The properties that make wool such a wonderful sock candidate includes its ability to wick away moisture, and its capacity to cool or heat your feet as needed. Due to wool’s amazing moisture control it also cuts back on foot odor by not allowing odor causing-bacteria a surface to grow upon.
Treads ‘N’ Threads carries a wide selection of wool socks that are specifically designed to meet the needs of our customers, such as Stance, Fits and SmartWool brand socks. All of the wool sock brands offered through Treads ‘N’ Threads are made from a very specific wool-Merino wool. Merino wool is a very thin wool fiber that naturally curls under, thus eliminating that thick, itchy feel of traditional wool.
*For more information on each individual sock brand be sure to click on the highlighted text throughout this post.*