So says this research study claiming what we all knew: cotton socks are blister bait.
Biological engineering students at the University of Missouri-Columbia tested 10 popular brands of athletic socks and separated the good from the bad with a device that measured moisture and friction, which causes blisters.
All-cotton socks are most likely to cause blisters on sweaty feet, according to research data, while nylon socks performed the best. Socks that were a cotton-synthetic blend scored somewhere between the two.
The study also noted that it’s the fabric — not the price or brand — that determines relative likelihood of blistering.
Well we certainly knew that about cotton. But I’m surprised that merino wool didn’t score better than nylon. My Smartwool – and Fox – socks are the most comfortable that I have ever used!
Great story find… Ugh, I have like 5 stores In my mental que and I leave for recovery tomarrow in New Orleans. But this one deserves a link.
Andy: I suspect they didn’t test many of the specialized “hiking socks” on the market, since they’re something of a niche. They probably cast a wider net to the “athletic socks” available at large department stores.