If you’re an athlete, you know the right equipment can make all the difference when it comes to maintaining comfort during competitions. One piece of gear that makes a big difference in basically every sport is socks, but they’re often overlooked. When you’re active, your feet create a high amount of friction, leading to blistering that can hurt your performance.
As you look for a pair of sturdy, high-quality sports socks that will keep your feet blister-free, learn more about why long socks are a good choice for most athletes and what you should look for when shopping for your next pair.
The Top 3 Benefits of Long Socks for Athletes
There are many reasons why you see baseball, football, soccer, and hockey players all wearing long or extra-long sports socks. Here are a few benefits long sports socks can provide when you’re breaking a sweat on the field:
Enhanced Muscle Support: Longer socks offer additional support for the calf muscles, which is needed for athletes who participate in sports that involve a lot of running, jumping, or other high-impact motions. The additional support can help enhance overall performance and give you that slight edge you need to take your game to the next level.
Improved Blood Circulation: The compression provided by longer socks promotes blood flow, allowing for efficient delivery of oxygen to the muscles. Better blood flow leads to reduced soreness and fatigue in your muscles, allowing you to go longer and recover faster.
Improved Protection From Falls and Scrapes: If you play sports, you know how a slide or accidental fall can scrape your legs and harm your performance. With longer sports socks, you’re putting another layer between your legs and the ground (or another player’s cleats!). This extra protection helps avoid scrapes and makes sliding more comfortable. Extra-long sports socks are also particularly effective at protecting your legs from minor injuries.
What to Look for In a Pair of Long Sports Socks
While long sports socks can provide many advantages, you’ll want to look for a few key features when purchasing them. As you pick a pair of long or extra-long sports socks, you’ll want to keep your eyes peeled for the following properties to receive the most benefits from them:
Anti-Blister Technology: Blisters are the bane of any athlete. Playing or training through a bad blister is an awful experience, so finding a pair of long socks that have anti-blister properties is always a good idea. Typically, socks with anti-blister protection will feature two layers, with the inner layer designed to wick away moisture and reduce heat while the outer layer eliminates friction.
Moisture Wicking Material: Moisture reduction is key for foot comfort when you’re on your feet for an extended period of time. Merino wool is your best bet for keeping your feet dry, as it pulls the sweat away from your feet instead of letting it sink into the layer in contact with them. Merino wool is also great for temperature regulation, making it a great choice for sports in all types of weather.
Seamless Design: Seams in inconvenient places can make a pair of socks extremely uncomfortable. The constant friction of seams against your feet is a surefire way to get a blister that will sideline you for the rest of the day. Make sure that the pair of socks you’re thinking about buying has a seamless design so you don’t have to play through the pain or take the rest of the day off because of your feet.
Venting: Venting in socks will keep your feet cool by increasing the air circulation around your feet. Temperature regulation plays a huge factor in foot comfort when engaging in physical activity, so ensuring your feet can breathe will help keep your head in the game instead of worrying about getting blisters.
Choose Wrightsock for Long Sports Socks
If you’re shopping for a quality pair of long sports socks, choose Wrightsock. We offer a wide range of supportive socks manufactured to the highest standard, and our anti-blister socks are designed for all types of weather. Our Double Layer Coolmesh Crews are a great choice for athletes who are looking for a little more support without sacrificing performance. Additionally, all of our double-layer socks have a No Blister Guarantee, meaning we’ll give you your money back if you get a blister while wearing them.
Review our full selection of double-layer socks today. If you have any questions or want help choosing a pair, please contact us.
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