Anyone super picky about socks?

I am super picky about socks. I can't stand tight socks because it feels like my circulation is being cut off. It takes me a while to find a line I like. I mostly wear Adidas climacool superlite socks since they are thin and don't squeeze my feet.
 
Trusox are great ...both for football (soccer in US) and tennis. Too bad I’m mostly playing on red clay and those socks don’t last long so any bigger investment in socks is quite pointless.
 
smokeydusky said:
Anyone have info on the cushioning of the Nike Multiplier or Nike Cushion Crew vs. Nike Elite socks?
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In terms of cushioning, I find the nike elite to have the most, followed by the cushion crew, and then the multiplier. Just tried the multiplier for the first time and not nearly as cushioned as the elite, but I do generally like socks better after they've been washed a couple of times.
 
Jay Sean said:
I am. I want grip in my tennis shoe and I need an insole that helps provide that along with the sock. I feel like a lot of players use slippery and thin running shoes and just don't know what it's like to be truly locked into your shoe without the foot moving separately within the shoe. Huge difference when it comes to footwork.

I really like the solinco socks. Not so much a fan of thorlo. It seems, for me, that the more coarse and cotton socks grip much better than the synthetics.
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Yes. My favorite socks were New Balance with a higher cut. I can't find them anywhere now. They were so snug and comfy. I have the new version from New Balance, but it's not quite the same. I think they went cheaper with too much polyester.
 
Jay Sean said:
Storelli insole! You can buy on Amazon. It definitely grips. Might even be too much but that's a solid answer to my call. Very cool insole. I cut out the heel thing so you can too. You might really like it. You might find it too grippy but it is good to know either way.
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So I'll just say these are a God send. They grip for sure and that's perfect for me.
 
FrankyRelax said:
So I'll just say these are a God send. They grip for sure and that's perfect for me.
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I love and hate them haha. Honestly for tennis I think it's too much. My feet can't handle the grip but it sure is amazing. I wish they were maybe 2/3 the strength they are but damn, game changer for sure. I might like them better for running.

Might try again soon though.
 
Never been picky about socks for some reason. Have a closet full of each and every brand and kind imaginable. I've noticed that over time the length of my preferred socks has gone down from full crew length to maybe quarter high. But that too hasn't been that big of a deal breaker for me. Last pair of socks were from Uniqlo that wife picked up for me and those have been pretty good.
 
The Big Kahuna said:
ELSO Double Impact Performance Socks are a patent-pending, two sock system that diminishes the friction between the sole of the foot and the shoe with a unique layout, thus providing additional comfort and support during any physical activity.

BEST SOCKS FOR TENNIS. PERIOD.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
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I suppose you could just wear two socks but I'll try these.
 
JoaoN said:
From the ones i tried, adidas alphaskin are the best.

I really disliked Thorlos, though, those are just like putting your feet inside an oven.
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I also noticed my feet slide in the socks NOT the shoes but inside the socks. I had to get rid of all of the ones I had.
The socks I meant to say here is the Thorlos.
 
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How can ANYONE wear the adidas polyester socks?
All they make now are the mostly polyester ones now and my feet slip right out of the shoes with them. Zero problems with cotton socks.

Not sure why companies had to start dicking around with the materials but its gotten horrible.
 
Shaolin said:
How can ANYONE wear the adidas polyester socks?
All they make now are the mostly polyester ones now and my feet slip right out of the shoes with them. Zero problems with cotton socks.

Not sure why companies had to start dicking around with the materials but its gotten horrible.
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Probably the dumb marketing of "moisture wicking"

Coarse textured socks would really do it. Honestly trying to work with companies to make some but it seems like some innovation that's really hard to grasp. It's possible it's just different in ways they can't tell from the samples I have. I'm working so hard to find it lol. Such a struggle. The grippier the sock the harder the shoe is to put on and that might turn the average dummy away. Really sick of how things are marketed.
 
Darn Tough Socks.

Made in Vermont, Lifetime guarantee, super comfy and high quality. I am slowly replacing all my socks with them
 
Firepandas said:
Darn Tough Socks.

Made in Vermont, Lifetime guarantee, super comfy and high quality. I am slowly replacing all my socks with them
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Those are pretty good. They definitely dry faster and seem more breathable. Not quite as grippy as my solico heaven socks but not too far off.

I think the coarse texture of the solinco grips the inside of the shoe better. I can't find anything to really match the grip and it's frustrating because it's nothing really special. But it is really hard to find.
 
Ideally I would have a sock which has extra compression in the arch area, extra padding bottom and sides, breaths well and lasts a reasonable amount of time. Fitting well in the shoe I am currently wearing is a plus. Cotton normally doesn't work well as I tend to soak them. Not a problem if I am willing to change socks frequently. Not against synthetic blends, but I currently prefer Wool Blends as I find they offer superior performance and value. Currently wearing Darn Though hiking socks. your shoe has a large influence in which socks work well.


mctennis said:
So wool socks are not too hot to platy tennis in?
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They are wicking wool blend. I never noticed the socks being too warm. (will play up to 95 degrees Fahrenheit) There are different ratios of wool, but in general, wool socks tend to help regulate temperature. Wool socks are great at keeping my feet dry. More so then cotton or synthetic blends, but it depends on the breath-ability of the shoe.(for synthetic blends.) Not against two socks, but I normally find one cushioned sock is normally enough for my current play level.
 
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mctennis said:
So wool socks are not too hot to platy tennis in?
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Nope. As someone said before, they are a wool blend. They do an excellent job of wicking away sweat. My feet honestly get hotter using cotton/synthetic blends.

Also, wool in general is pretty solid. When I have gone hiking during the hot and humid summer, I use Darn Tough wool hiking socks that are a hell of a lot thicker and I don't have a problem with my feet being too hot.
 
Alright, here's my results after testing just about everything.

I have various methods of testing friction and this is my conclusion.

The best grip I get inside a shoe based on the socks is as follows.

1. Solinco Heaven. These are such a basic sock that you think you'd find an easy replacement. Nope. Can't. I've tried tons of socks. These grip very nicely with a somewhat coarse cotton texture the sock has overall and they hold shape very well. Cheap cotton socks or blend socks don't. These have something special going for them that I can't identify fully. Frustrating. I just want a low cut no logo version of these honestly haha.

2. Darn Tough socks. A pretty close second but a touch less grip for sure. They breathe a little better and probably have better durability overall but both socks have held up for me for years of abuse and never needed replacement.

3. Nike vapor/elite grip and Adidas traxion. Pretty close but still a touch below the wool of darn tough. Want to try nike "racing" socks. Hope for good results. Will report back.

4. Tie: Thorlos/Under Armour Charged Cotton. These are another notch less grippy than the above and maybe an even bigger step down in grip than from solinco to the darn tough. Anything after this just feels like a regular sock that offers nothing special in terms of grip.

People coming from slippery socks will notice the bit of grip switching to these but also for Thorlos, the thickness helps. But I would go as far as to say they definitely haven't compared the grip to the solinco socks if they think Thorlos is the best.


Additionally, your insole will play a big part in how the socks will grip but I think in every case, the grippier sock will grip better than the next one on my list when comparing the same insole or shoe.

I really wish grip was something that was more talked about. They always market other things. Like breathability or durability. Grip is sickeningly underappreciated.

If you want serious grip check out gripliner. They make a cool product but for frequent tennis they might not hold up more than ten hits if you're really aggressive but you might find other tricks.
 
fitsok are great value. cf2 good for a light/med cushioning. made in usa, lifetime warranty.
the thorlos to me were too thick, and not for me.
 
Swiftwick no-shows are my go-to. Comprsession where it’s needed and just enough padding. I think it’s the Maxus One line.
 
For the first few years of playing I wasn't picky about sock type. I would get blisters, and the blisters would sometimes get infected. It was a painful mess.

Switching to Thorlo Level 3 completely solved the blister issue. I've stuck with that for the past 10 years and don't think I will ever change.
 
RyanRF said:
For the first few years of playing I wasn't picky about sock type. I would get blisters, and the blisters would sometimes get infected. It was a painful mess.

Switching to Thorlo Level 3 completely solved the blister issue. I've stuck with that for the past 10 years and don't think I will ever change.
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Just incase someone gets a blister and needs to keep playing:)

2nd Skin gel pads are amazing. (prevents infection and helps you keep playing)
Curad makes Germ shield gel which would help. (great at prevent infection)
Skinsmart antimicrobial spray works well.(preventing infection)

All seem to aid healing. I would use 2nd skin to keep playing. One of the other two to aid recovery.(actually I suggest alternating and using both)
 
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Historically no - but am looking for some additional padding as my socks are worn and I feel my shoes are going to pack out and leave some extra room but I do not want to go to thick. Am concerned the thick Thorlos will be too thick
 
ichaseballs said:
fitsok are great value. cf2 good for a light/med cushioning. made in usa, lifetime warranty.
the thorlos to me were too thick, and not for me.
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I bought some Fitsoks from TW 3 years ago. They are not the CF2. They are just too thin (and the next shoe size down would be too small). Do you know if the CF2 are thicker than the regular crew Fitsoks? I said I liked more cushioning and the TW customer rep pointed me toward the Adidas Cushioned II socks but people here don't seem to like Adidas socks. Thanks. (I also emailed Fitsok but they just said CF2 are great for tennis but didn't add any info to really answer my question.)
 
tennis tom said:
Not too thick, just right--been using them for years, my coach turned me on to them so only have to wear one pair of socks not needing to wear two pairs.
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Would you say they are medium thickness? I have some solincos coming to try and I'm curious how the Thorlo thickness compares to those.
 
Osaka75 said:
I bought some Fitsoks from TW 3 years ago. They are not the CF2. They are just too thin (and the next shoe size down would be too small). Do you know if the CF2 are thicker than the regular crew Fitsoks? I said I liked more cushioning and the TW customer rep pointed me toward the Adidas Cushioned II socks but people here don't seem to like Adidas socks. Thanks. (I also emailed Fitsok but they just said CF2 are great for tennis but didn't add any info to really answer my question.)
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they are slightly more cushioned than standard. i personally like a thinner sock and the cf2 is great for me.
 
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