We’re talking about grip socks here, so why are we suddenly mentioning traction? Why is this important? What is the difference between traction and grip, anyway?

The basics are as follows: grip is the ability to cling to something. In our case, the floor. When you’re standing still, grip is what allows your toes to pinch the floor, so to speak, so that you are steadier and more grounded on your feet. This is especially useful in weightlifting, for example.

Traction, on the other hand, is the ability of the bottom of your foot to create friction against the floor and thus prevent you from sliding, skidding or slipping as you move.

Even though the subject here is grip socks, they are in fact traction socks in many ways, rather than grip ones.

So, how is this traction achieved in socks?

There are two main ways to do it: through special pads on the bottom and through innovative technologies.

• Grip Pads: These come in many shapes and forms: dots, triangles, letters… But the thing they have in common is that they are made from high-traction materials, such as silicone, PVC, or rubber. These usually line the full length and width of the sole, so that no part of your foot is slippery.
  The downside to pads is that sometimes they can fall off, either through extensive use or in the washing machine. If that happens, the sock automatically loses its traction and thus its purpose.
• Technologies: The more advanced form of traction comes with innovative systems that are usually the work of world-renowned brands like Nike has NikeGRIP while Adidas has Traxion. These are either special materials or special construction methods that increase traction in key areas on the bottom of the design, and that don’t fall off or lose their properties over time.

It is important to note that no one way of enhancing traction is better than the other. You may be tempted to shell out more money for a famous brand name or a fancily titled tech, but if you don’t have the need for it - if you’re not seriously engaged in a sport - then perhaps a simple design with grip pads on it will also do the trick.

While grip is necessary to keep you on your feet and prevent you from losing your footing, it is not the only important feature a good pair of grip socks should have. After all, no amount of traction or stability in the world will matter if you have socks that are making you uncomfortable and that you can’t wait to take off at the end of the day. (And most likely will never wear again.)

So what exactly does make a sock comfortable? How do we judge comfort, in this case?

The answers to these questions are, in fact, not as complex as you might think.

The first feature that impacts comfort is the material type the design is made from. Natural materials such as cotton, bamboo, and wool are softer than synthetics, and they provide a gentler feel. They’re especially beneficial if you have sensitive skin - combed cotton and bamboo are useful in preventing allergic reactions, redness, itchiness, rashes, and similar unpleasant skin reactions.

The second feature you should look at is the cushioning. While this may not be key in everyday use, when you’re walking around your workplace or school or to and from your car, or are even relaxing at home, cushioning becomes incredibly important when we’re talking about sports.

Not only does extra padding at the bottom of the design provide extra comfort, but it also serves to deliver shock absorption. This is an important feature to have when you’re constantly pounding the ground with your heels. Cushioning will prevent the impact from your heel strikes from traveling up your feet and into your joints and muscles, where it could cause damage to them over time.

Lastly, one more tiny detail to look out for when it comes to comfort is the seams of a design. We’ve mentioned a seamless construction several times over in this guide, and we stand by it: if you want to minimize the chance of getting blisters and if you don’t want any uncomfortable rubbing or indentations, go for flat, invisible, or non-existent seams.

In our previous section, we talked about what makes a pair of grip socks comfortable, but we didn’t mention how the fit plays a very large role in that. A good fit can mean the difference between a great workout (or a great day) and an abysmal one, as an ill-fitting sock can lead to all sorts of discomforts, pain and even blisters.

If your socks are too tight, they might leave markings or indentations on your skin. These become itchy once you take off the socks, and could even cause some pain. Furthermore, a fit that is too constricting can cut off your blood circulation, resulting in cold feet and numbness. If you keep wearing tight designs for a longer period of time, it may lead to some serious issues later on.

Similarly, the fit shouldn’t be too loose either. Loose designs tend to slip down and bunch up. Aside from the fact that constantly adjusting your socks is plain annoying, this excess material around your feet can lead to the development of blisters. This is especially true if you’re wearing footwear.

But even if you’re going barefoot - a loose fit will cause your feet to slide inside the design, which defeats the purpose of a good grip since you’re going to be losing your balance anyway.

To ensure that a sock will fit well, look for those that have a decent amount of stretch in them. Materials such as spandex, Lycra, and elastane are good for this (see: our Materials section below) because they have the ability to take on the shape of the foot. Additionally, ergonomic left and right fits should also help improve the feel, particularly in the case of high-impact sports.

Many features of design depend on the type and quality of its materials. Aspects like comfort, durability, breathability, stretch, weight and more are determined in large part by the fabric types in the construction. Therefore, it would be a good idea to find out more about materials most commonly used in grip socks and what are the advantages and disadvantages of each.

Let’s dive in!

Polyester/Polyamide/Acrylic: These are man-made fibers often used in the construction of socks. They are not exactly identical, with only slight differences between them: polyester is more durable, acrylic is softer, but essentially, they behave in similar ways. They are all quite long-lasting and colorfast, meaning that they retain color for a long period of time.

One disadvantage of synthetic materials is that they are not as gentle on the skin as natural ones. Additionally, they are not biodegradable, meaning they are not very good for the environment in the long run.

Cotton: Unlike the previously described, cotton is a natural fiber. It is soft and amazingly gentle, and some versions of it can even be hypoallergenic and suitable for sensitive skin (combed cotton, for example). Cotton is also breathable and great for casual or low-impact use.

However, cotton wears out faster than synthetics and its dye fades out quickly. Moreover, cotton absorbs the moisture instead of wicking it, which makes it a bad choice for high-impact activities.

Nylon: Nylon is another man-made material that is added into different blends to increase their wear and tear resistance. It is amazingly strong and resilient, and designs with a high level of nylon last longer than those without.

Rubber: Rubber is most commonly used as natural latex rubber. It adds stretchiness to the design, and in the past, it was used more often than today. Today, while you can still run into it from time to time, rubber has mostly been replaced with spandex or its equivalents.

Spandex/Elastane/Lycra: These three names are used to describe the same type of fiber - an amazingly elastic material that makes socks stretchy and form-fitting. The higher the percentage of spandex/elastane/Lycra, the more accommodating, and probably more comfortable, a design will be.

The last but certainly not the least on our list of important criteria to consider before making a purchase is the durability of a design. Durability, in general, is determined by various different factors, such as the materials of a sock, the techniques used in its construction, special features, how often you wear it, how often you wash it, what situations you use it in and so on and so forth.

In terms of materials, we covered a little bit of this in our earlier section: synthetics are definitely more durable than natural materials. More so if they have nylon in their build. These fibers are resistant to wear and tear, and you should be able to enjoy your synthetic grip socks for a long time, possibly even several seasons, depending on what you use them for.

Designs that have reinforced heel and toe areas have an advantage over those that don’t. These additionally strengthened parts won’t develop holes so easily and won’t wear out or fray for a long while.

It is important to also consider the durability of the grips themselves if a design has them. These are, unfortunately, likely to fall off at some point or another. It is impossible to predict how quickly this is going to happen, so all you can do is rely on other customers’ reviews to make sure you aren’t getting a low-quality sock.

We would like to emphasize that you should not, in any way, hold yourself back from wearing your new socks just because you want them to last longer. They are meant to be worn! The silver lining here is that these designs aren’t too expensive, generally speaking and that you should be able to replace them without any problems, should one not meet the durability standards.