One of my friends swears by Injinji toe socks. She touts the lack of rubbing that leaves her toes blister-free, even on long runs. I was skeptical, having not worn toe socks since childhood. My main memory is that it was a pain to get each toe in its individual compartment. In the wide world of modern running socks, could toe socks really offer something that other designs don’t?
To find out, I decided to give toe socks another try and ordered a pair from premium toe sock brand Injinji. Here’s what I found.
Related: Should you try Jogology’s running socks?
Injinji sock family
Injinji has built a toe sock empire. Its website offers socks for running or hiking in hidden, no-show, mini-crew, crew, and over-the-calf lengths. There are even limited-edition socks.
I focused on the mini-crew to keep my shoes from rubbing on the backs of my ankles without adding too much sock height. Within the mini-crew division, there are original weight, lightweight, midweight, and trail varieties. Some categories offer separate socks for men and women. There are even artist-designed socks and a toeless option for extra grip.
After buying and liking an initial pair, it took several days of pondering and revisiting the website to ultimately choose four more pairs of socks. Yes, that was a little extreme at prices of $14 and up. But I’d caught toe sock fever. And I was going for free shipping. I wound up with three pairs of women’s ultra-run mini-crews, a unisex ultra, and one pair of midweight mini-crews. Am I an ultra runner? Heck no. But they sounded nice and cushy.
Trying out the socks
Sure enough, putting on toe socks takes longer than putting on regular socks. But not that much longer. After wearing them a few times, I timed myself. Eighteen seconds per sock to manually get each toe in its rightful place.
Depending on the person, separately encasing each toe may feel luxurious or like a strange amount of extra fabric. I enjoyed the cushy feeling, and my toes enjoyed the luxury experience.
When running, I felt like the Injinji socks protected my toes. If you’re not always on top of your pedicures, these socks may save you from toe-on-toe aggression. Say goodbye to indentations from a next-door neighbor’s sharp toenail. Instead, your toes will live harmonious lives inside their separate compartments. It’s like that old saying: fences make good neighbors.
Aesthetics
There are a few other companies making toe socks, but Injinji has the cutest selection. Of course, you can choose something neutral and practical like black or grey. Even these options have some subtle design features, like shadow stripes or a slightly contrasting cuff. But if you like fun, colorful socks, Injinji has you covered.
The first pair I bought were bright yellow mini-crews with orange toes and heels. I followed that purchase with a few more pairs, including a royal blue design with yellow toes and heels.
If you really want to make your sock wardrobe special, check out the artist-designed series. Injinji partners with outdoorsy artists like Sandro Young and Kika MacFarlane to produce limited-edition socks.
Toe sock benefits
Okay, they’re cute and colorful. But do toe socks have any real benefits? According to Injinji, the top three reasons for wearing toe socks are blister prevention, total foot utilization, and moisture management.
I experienced the blister protection aspect, as separating each toe eliminated skin-on-skin friction. Injinji also claims that toe socks allow you to engage your entire foot in ways that regular socks don’t, and I could feel this, too.
Like most products in running and in life, you have to try it out for yourself and see if it works for you. I’ve converted to toe socks for running — at least for a while. While I’m still new to the world of toe socks, it seems like a better world so far.