I just moved to New York, and it’s July. Seriously, what was I thinking? Anyways, as it happens, most of my dress socks are just about giving up, and I think it’s time to replace them. So I’ve been looking around at my options, and realizing I know pretty much nothing about sock materials. I’ve heard recommendations and condemnations for wool, merino wool (are there other types of wool socks?), 100% cotton, Mercerized cotton, and combinations thereof. The one piece of consistent advice I’ve read is to avoid synthetics - which is mostly what I have now. Also, I do love to dance, so it’s not just hot weather that’s causing sweaty feet. Can anyone school me on sock material and/or recommend some good socks?
Get your socks from a sports store, or in the sock section of TJ Max where they’re way cheaper. They’ll be synthetic and say “Moisture wicking” or something similar. You can find tan, brown, and black hiking type socks so they look good for work and dress pants. Dry Max is one brand of material that I’ve found to be good. You can get white athletic Dry Max socks at most stores even Wal Mart for when you want white.
When I first started wearing them it was annoying because my toes would be so dry they couldn’t really slide against each other. The only time I’ve found they don’t work is for bowling, even with leather shoes,
Smartwool and it’s competitors (Merino wools), and CoolMax (a synthetic) are what you want. Not cotton or nylon. Cotton is Ok until it is full of sweat.
I think I meant Cool Max, not Dry Max.
Bamboo socks. Seriously, Google them. Absolutely the best for keeping your feet dry. I know it sounds crazy, but try them and you’ll see. Light ones for summer, thick ones for winter.
What was wrong with them for bowling? I don’t bowl, but bowling shoes and dancing shoes aren’t all that far apart.
Also, what’s the maintenance like with CoolMax? One downside of wool from what I’ve read is that you shouldn’t machine wash them.
Hey, this is what I came in to propose. So I second the motion for bamboo socks.
Isn’t Dry Max a brand of cat litter? In theory, that would work too. Might be messy though.
Machine washing on cold is fine. After doing that, though, it’s best to line-dry the socks, for obvious reasons.
My bowling shoes are leather but it’s a super thick, seemingly unbreathable leather. No matter what socks I wear my feet are unbearably hot and sweaty the whole time. I would hope dancing shoes are a thinner, flexible leather.
Why can’t they make canvas or mesh bowling shoes? It’s not like they’re ever worn outside.
All my favorite socks are Smartwool socks. I machine wash them all the time, and they’re still in fine condition after several years. You do have to air dry them. But I air dry all my clothes because I don’t own a dryer.
Drymax also makes socks. They’re fucking amazing. After years of sweating gallons through my shoes and trying every Climalite/cool/whatever crap I found some Drymax socks. Golden. Though I don’t know if they sell dress socks, in that case, go for the 'boo.
Line dry afterwards. Put them in a tied-off pillowcase or a delicate wash lingerie bag so you don’t lose them among other things in the wash.