No more sweaty feet: how to choose the best socks for summer

When summer arrives, a very irrational reflex is to want to stop wearing socks. It sounds like a good idea, in theory, to keep your feet cool in your shoes, until reality hits with the onset of sores, blisters, and an inevitable smell, bad as it seems. be the body’s way of saying this by Please put your socks back on.

As difficult as it may be to deal with, at this point in your evolution, it’s almost unnatural to be sockless. According to anthropology, it is the oldest garment: in the Stone Age, it was already used to protect against the cold. This is shown in some cave paintings dating back to 5,000 BC, where subjects are seen dressed in rustic but probably very warm furs to cover their feet.

The ancient Greeks wore philosophical socks called pillar, and the Egyptians and Romans also had their own versions. Back then they were a status symbol, a luxury for monarchs and queens, but today they are an essential textile item. Recently, in fact, it was the most boring item of clothing, the worst Christmas present one could receive. Lately it has regained some notoriety, with charismatic and colorful designs featuring designs of avocados, Simpsons characters, full Italians, drink cans or psychedelic characters.

This wide offer also includes materials and utility according to each season of the year. If you open your sock drawer —which, as we said before, is usually a Pandora’s box— the most wintery pieces will surely predominate, hence the —terrible— idea of ​​wearing sneakers without socks.

Just as in winter it is important to make good pairs for the cold, now that the temperature is starting to rise, it is also necessary to reduce the thickness of the fabric that covers your legs. Here, several specialists teach us how to keep our feet cool and dry during the summer.

The purpose of the sock, in addition to the aesthetic value promoted today, is to provide protection, moisture control, temperature regulation and comfort.

Juan Carlos Pastén knows a lot about all this, enthusiastic broker and creator of the specialized platform solo race .

“Ideally, we should wear special socks for discipline,” he says. “Running a half marathon is not the same as climbing hills or wearing socks to play football. Today we can find specific socks for each of the disciplines, and using the right ones will improve our experience”.

Alongside wearing good socks, Pastén suggests always airing out your athletic shoes. In other words, don’t pile them in the back of a closet, but leave them somewhere where they can air out.

“Same for our feet: as soon as you finish training or running, try to dry them, put on sandals and use, if you have them, a cream that allows you to moisturize the dry areas of the foot”, adds- he. All of this will not only make you feel good, but will also extend the useful life of your socks, slippers and our beloved paws.

Pastén assures us that coolmax technology — a highly breathable polyester fiber — is very necessary to eliminate bacteria and bad odors. feet,” he says. This material, very expensive but appreciated by athletes, ensures humidity and temperature regulation, without irritation or bad odours.

Cotton is comfortable but is generally not recommended as it gets wet easily and can cause injury if the exercise session is long. Nylon, polyamide and elastane are the best materials to ensure firmness and breathability.

But beyond the material, Pastén advises avoiding socks in generic sizes; the garment must always be adjusted, neither too small nor too big. “The more adjusted you are to your feet, the less likely there is to crease, which could generate friction leading to blisters or irritation.”

Each type of runner, yes, requires a different sock. For example, the D2 Trail model, from the Chinese brand Aonijie, made mainly of coolmax —in addition to nylon and lycra—, is perfect for street runners who need a “rather invisible sock that doesn’t get in the way or embarrassed “. heavy. With its format, you also have the feeling of feeling your fingers independently”.

In the same vein —but without little fingers—, Pastén recommends the Nike Multiplier model, made of 56% polyester, 39% nylon and 5% elastane.

To walk or run on a hill, things change a little: “a sock with a stick is always required, because the constant passage through the branches, the bushes or the mud ensures scratches and dirt”, specifies the runner. “In this case, the PHD model from the Smartwool brand, made of 50% merino wool, is perfect,” he advises.

José Mena, mountaineer and president of andesmanual —the largest community of guides and collaboration of routes and mountains of the Andes—, agrees with this last mark. “That’s cool,” he said. “Close to Lopen These are probably the best socks for trekking or climbing.

The next Smartwool model, designed for all kinds of outdoor activities, has an even higher percentage of merino wool – 57% – and Mena loves it. “I find it very versatile and well padded, it never gives off a bad smell. Although it is warm for the winter, it is also perfect for long mountain walks in the summer.”

The Chilean brand Lippi also has its alternatives for outdoor summer adventures. “For those who bet on sports Outside in summer, the Andes Run model by Lippi is 100% recommendable,” says Rodolfo Palma, Dafiti Fashion Advisor.

“We live in a time where the use of socks in our looks is more present, because it brings a distinctive and unique touch,” says Palma. This garment that was once hidden -or was only an almost always dark color-, “today it seeks to contribute and even elevate the proposal you wear”.

Palma says there are currently two very strong trends: stockings and knee-highs, which were fashionable in the 1960s and are back; and the use of white, high socks, sport-like – like those of former basketball players – and visible.

“For those opting for traditional looks, when choosing socks for the summer, it is recommended to look at those that control foot moisture, in addition to having the necessary fit and comfort.”

This results in a good polyester, which is breathable, or in the already mentioned merino wool, a natural fiber with multiple properties, in addition to a certain amount of elastane which allows the sock to hold well to the reeds.

For this season, the specialist is taking a risk by highlighting the Fire and Flames model from the Spitfire brand. “It’s a brand skater who, in his style, has fairly young designs”, which will not only be used for skating.

Under the same concept, it promotes a classic: the Checkerboard Crew model from the already legendary Vans brand. A unisex pair, which stands out in shorts but can also be worn under pants, and which is used for specific situations such as everyday life.

“There are brands that offer invisible socks -under the ankle-, with properties such as bamboo -which acts as an anti-allergen- and thus manage to take care of the direct contact of the skin with the shoes”, explains Palma , especially when you are exposed, as we will soon be, to high temperatures. Example put a Rockford model impossible to detect by sight with shoes.

José Mena concludes by giving a mountaineer’s advice, but which can be useful in any summer situation: “walking with an extra pair of socks in the backpack is essential”. It will never be too much.

*Prices for products in this item are current as of November 9, 2022. Values ​​and availability may change.