Blisters are the pits. Nothing ruins a new pair of shoes or a long run like one of those liquid-filled fun suckers. While I’m a fan of thin socks for trail running, the Runderwear Anti-Blister Running Socks present an interesting proposition by completely insulating your foot from any chafing inside your shoes.
Runderwear Anti-Blister Running Socks Features:
- Available in low or mid heights
- Dedicated left/right socks
- Utilizes double layer technology
- MSRP: $20
Blister-free, most definitely
Certainly, if you’re prone to blisters or are embarking on longer runs, it’s worth taking a look at the socks you’ve got in the drawer. Runderwear’s Anti-Blister Running Socks can also be a key part of your training and racing plans. While most socks are a single layer, these are like two socks in one — an outer layer and a lightweight floating layer inside.
Slipping your feet into a pair of these Anti-blister socks and you’ll immediately feel how they work. Even walking around the house, you can feel the inner liner slipping ever-so-slightly against the thicker outer layer. When worn on the trail, the insulated feeling is immediately felt. On longer runs, there were never any hot spots or chafing. But, I don’t have any problematic shoes, so it’s not too much of a surprise.
We took the family on a long hike and I tossed a pair of the mid-height socks in my hydration pack, just in case. I was fine, but about halfway through the hike, one of my daughter’s started complaining about blisters. I pulled those socks out and she squeezed back into her shoes, singing my praises. Even though her feet were now pretty tight in her poor choice for hiking shoes (Chuck Taylor’s), her feet were comfortable.
Now, as you can imagine, the dual-layer nature of these socks do indeed make them very thick. They are much thicker than anything I would typically wear for trail running. As such, I have to choose my shoes wisely. I found that the Hoka One One Speedgoat 4 GTX was a great shoe and an appropriate season for these socks. You’ll want to make sure you have a wide enough toebox so as not to squeeze your toes together, causing blisters between them (thus negating the anti-blister abilities of these socks).
Do the socks work as intended? Absolutely. The inner lining slips atop the outer lining quite well, but there are some annoyances. As the summer goes on, the callouses on my heels and big toes tend to grab the liner when putting them on or taking them off. I had to take care to prevent the lining from being turned inside-out. And, they are pretty warm to wear on hot summer days. I’ll add that the blue/cyan color is quite the eyesore, in my book. Again, color preference is personal, but I’m having a hard time falling in love with this color scheme.
The Good
- Blister-free, at all cost
- Soft and cozy
- Great to carry along for emergencies
- All seams go unnoticed
The Bad
- Too warm for summer running
- That thickness will squish your toes together if your toebox isn’t wide enough
- My dry, calloused feet grab the lining like velcro
The Bottom Line: Runderwear Anti-Blister Running Socks
For me, these socks are overkill. However, they absolutely work as intended. As an emergency pair, they are awesome to have. I can pull them out and get instant relief of blisters and chafing. But, they are warm and thick, so keep that in mind if your shoes are already snug.
Buy Now: Available at Runderwear.com
