I have been searching for the
ultimate running socks for years now. I have
switched between several brands that make great socks as you can see in my past
reviews. I settled on Injinji socks over
a year ago and they were my go-to socks for almost all races and training. As I transitioned to more trail and ultra-endurance
running, I was looking for a better sock since most socks don’t handle moisture
well. Many of the trail races around the
Northern California area have stream or river crossings. That and I love to cool my feet off in the
water on long runs. I really wanted to
find a sock that would keep my feet drier and not feel like I was running on
wet sponges.
I ran across some articles after the
Western States 100 race this year that basically said that Injinji and Drymax socks were the two most popular
socks at the race. I had never tried Drymax socks so I took the opportunity
to reach out and request some samples.
They sent me several different versions to test. They have several different thicknesses and
lengths.
Moisture leads to blisters, Athlete’s
Foot, odor-causing bacteria, and foot discomfort. The reality is that in most races your feet
will get wet from sweat, rain, getting splashed at aid stations, or running
through creeks.
The funny thing is that almost all
performance sock companies say that their moisture wicking socks will keep your
feet dry. Not to get too technical, the
fabrics that they use attract moisture and they actually hold the moisture near
your skin, keeping it wet. While it does
pull moisture off of the skin, it also pulls sweat toward the skin. You have wet fabric just sitting against your
skin until the moisture can evaporate and the sock eventually dries, if you are
lucky. If you have ever seen pictures of
ultra-runners after 12-hours of running, their feet are shriveled soggy messes.
Drymax
is different though (Click here to see the difference between Drymax socks and other moisture wicking fabric). It is made with
moisture repelling fabric on the inner layer, which helps remove sweat from
your skin. Because it does not adhere to
the Drymax fibers, the moisture is
instantly transferred to the outer layer of the sock, keeping your feet dry and
comfortable. They call it “A Self
Contained Dual Layer Sweat Removal System.” They keep your feet dry and
comfortable in all conditions from hot to cold weather and even in pouring rain
or wading through creeks. One of the
leading causes of DNF’s (Did Not Finish) at ultra-distance races is blisters or
other foot problems.
Drymax
socks also are made with their Anti-Blister System. The socks prevent blisters by providing exceptional
3D fit, five different sock sizes, seamless insides, instep-hugging arch band,
and they keep your feet dry. Drymax socks are also made with air
vents on the top and bottom of most socks they produce to keep your feet
cooler.
Now that you have a basic idea about
what makes Drymax socks different
than other brands, let’s look at what they have to offer. They have Hyper Thin Running socks, Thin
Running socks, Running Lite-Mesh socks, Running socks, Lite Trail Running
socks, Trail Running socks, Cold Weather Running socks, Hot Weather socks, and Triathlete
socks. They even have Maximum Protection
Running socks for both road and trail as well as some socks specifically
designed for elite runners like Ian Sharman and Stephanie Howe. They have sock lengths from no show to crew
length socks. You can see their complete
sock line below.
I really have been happy with my
other socks for the most part, but ignorance is bliss. Now that I started running in Drymax socks, it’s going to be really
hard to run in anything else. They are
so comfortable and I have not had a single blister since I started using them,
which has been a huge issue for me in the past.
I previously had included time before a run for Rock Tape on the back of
my foot (above my heel) and trail toes jelly on the ball of my foot. That is all in the past though my friends.
It honestly is really hard to pick a
favorite Drymax sock. I love the Maximum Protection socks in both
the road and trail versions. I also
really like the Hyper Thin Running socks in the mini crew length. Their trail socks that come in a ¼ crew
length can also be folded down to make them shorter depending on your
preference. I ran 15 miles with 4500
feet of elevation gain in the Max Pro Trail socks this last week. My feet felt awesome who whole run. I wish I could say the same for my quads.
Drymax
offers a “STAY DRY & COMFORATBLE – GUARANTEE” where they promise Drymax socks will keep your feet drier
and more comfortable than any other socks.
If you don’t agree, return them to Drymax
with a copy of your receipt and you will be fully refunded. You simply can’t beat that offer.
Pros:
Actually keeps moisture away from your
skin
Plenty of thickness and length options
Awesome money-back guarantee
Decent price (starting under $15 on
Amazon)
Drymax’s
Social Media Links
I honestly can say that after testing Drymax socks for over 250 miles, these are the best socks that I’ve
tested to date. They keep my feet cooler
and drier than other socks. I also like
the wide variety of thicknesses and lengths so I can choose my socks depending
on what type of training day I have planned.
You can find Drymax
socks online or at a local retailer near you. (Click here for locations). While they aren’t the cheapest socks, they
are still reasonable and the quality and functionality makes it a worthwhile
investment. I think of it this way… my
feet are the one thing that keep me going day after day. If I don’t take care of them, they can’t take
care of me. Drymax will be my sock of choice going into some big ultra-endurance
runs in 2018. Give them a try and let me
know what you think.
Note: I received this product
in exchange for a review. The review is my personal opinion of the
product and I was not required to give a particular opinion of it. I am not a doctor, so please use all of the
products that I review at your own risk.
I'm a factory worker and I always ensure wearing boots to ensure the safety of my feet. I use moisture-wicking socks to keep my foot warm and dry when I wear boots. However, I always purchase boots and socks from the Work Gearz website.
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