Are you done with the regular socks annoying you with sweat and uncomfortable fitting while playing basketball? You need the best basketball socks that keep you dry and cool, comfortable and snug!
Various brands are offering athletic, performance socks, both in cotton and synthetic fibers and in all kinds of lengths. But we know that high-end brands that are endorsed by the NBA players charge a fortune. and not all athleisure socks perform the same. There are a lot of factors involved such as quality, construction, fabric, grip, and compression.
To help you with this dilemma, we prepared a list of 7 basketball socks, after vigorously testing and researching them. You can then easily choose according to your preferences!
This pair of socks is a part of the Under Armour Heat Gear, which was designed for keeping your body cool and dry during workouts and play sessions. The socks use 73% cotton and 25% polyester, and the rest elastane or spandex.
Under Armour, Cotton socks have the highest cotton content among the competitors, which makes them the most breathable and soft. Due to the same reason, these are perfect for sweaty feet and long basketball games in hot weather.
For extra comfort, the socks feature a breathable mesh underneath and cushions at strategic points. These cushions provide extra finish to the fitting and also prevent bulking. The socks’ fabric also uses the famous Under Armour anti-odor technology, which protects your socks against stinking and germs by keeping them free from sweat.
The arch support and wonderful compression effect protect your lower legs and feet against fatigue and strains. You may face difficulty in pulling them up in the beginning due to the compression, but soon they will fit your feet and ankle perfectly.
These socks are easy to clean and maintain, as they are suitable for machine wash. For reduced fatigue and long hours of sweat-free, comfortable games of basketball, Under Armour Cotton crew socks are perfect.
Nike brings you one of the best basketball gears. These cotton socks are comfortable on the skin, and keep your skin dry, cool, and free from sweat and bacteria. All thanks to the 65% cotton content for ventilation and the Dri-FIT technology.
No matter how hot and humid the weather is outside, the fabric of these socks can wick away all the moisture and sweat, giving you a consistent cooling effect.
One of the distinguishing features of the Nike Dri-FIT training socks is the thick terry sole, which provides added comfort and shock absorption. So, no matter how hard you jump and land on the ground, or whatever comes in your way, you are always protected against muscle pulls and strains.
The thick sole or footbed is made from yarn, and in addition to all its other benefits, it is high-friction as well so that your feet stay where they are, steady and stable, and you never slip in your socks.
The cushions have been strategically placed for extra protection for the heels and the ankle joint. The cushions are also great for extra comfortable packing and anti-slippage.
These crew socks are a great option if you are looking for something durable and high-quality and you are willing to pay the price for that Nike swoosh!
These cotton socks are known for their comfort on hot days. The fabric is 80% cotton, 15% nylon and 5% polyester. The selling point of Disile Elite socks is that they come with a warranty of 180 days! This speaks a lot about their quality and durability.
Disile may not be the most popular brand, but the arch support and compression in their socks are quite dependable. Despite the thin and breathable fabric, these crew socks are thicker and tougher in the areas of toes and heels.
The footbed is also cushioned to protect the sole against blisters and impact injuries. The dynamic arch design not only provides extra protection and support but also keeps the sock in place. So that no matter how long you plan to play or workout or hike, you feel comfortable, dry, and cool the whole time.
Use Disile’s elaborate size chart and order yourself a pair of Elite basketball socks if you are interested in making a high-quality, durable, but budget investment.
Adidas Basketball Crew socks are here to stay longer than you want them to! This pair of socks has 17% polypropylene content in addition to 60% polyester, 12% cotton, and 3% spandex. Polypropylene is a strong fabric known for its resistance to moisture, chemicals, color loss, and degradation.
This pair of socks has been specially designed for some high-impact and intense activities such as some serious basketball. The upper and outer layers are soft cotton for ventilation and air-crossing, but it has grip lines for enhanced stability, traction, and comfort. There are prominent compression lines on the arch of the foot, which embraces the foot for extra comfort and support.
This pair of socks also uses the cushioning of crucial joints like the Nike Dri-FIT crew socks. Cushioning and yarn grip lines around the ankle joint protect the muscle tendons against pulls and breaks. The yarn and polypropylene fabric composition keep the sweat from accumulating and producing odor.
We strongly recommend Adidas Unisex 365 crew socks for serious basketball players looking for the best basketball socks to prevent blisters.
First things first: these socks are not cotton! The fabric is 50% polyester, 30% nylon, and 20% spandex. You can expect these to stay dry as polyester and nylon mix fabrics evaporate sweat faster than cotton. These socks are not the best for long, summer days as non-cotton socks do not provide breathability, although the mesh design does help with ventilation to some degree.
The non-cotton, polyester, and nylon content in the socks’ fabric keep them dry and also provide a tight grip and compression effect. The grip lines specifically function to provide a fitting that embraces your foot and keeps it comfortable and right in place. Hence, for athletes with ankle joint problems or a history of ankle sprain, this pair of socks is perfect.
Sweat cannot stay for long in these socks, so they can also repel the build-up of bacteria and odor. Beyong has used cushioning at the high-pressure areas of the feet to provide foot-strike support and a soft and safe landing for these pressure points.
These Beyong socks are available in bright colors, and you can just put your pair in a machine and they come out clean and fresh without any damage or color loss.
The biggest con with these socks, however, is their fitting issues. These are great for embracing the feet and compressing and cushioning crucial points, but you may face difficulty in wearing them if you have wide feet.
These socks are the way to go for those who would like a compromise between crew-length socks and low-cut ones.
These quarter socks use the Stance Feel360 proprietary fabric that can sense temperature changes and react to them. It wicks away sweat on the surface so that its evaporation can provide a consistent cooling effect.
The making of the socks also uses twisted yarn fibers that resist wear and tear caused by excessive use. So, you can trust this pair of quarter socks for durability and maintaining the perfect temperature, at the same time.
Stance has introduced its latest infiknit technology which claims that the fabric won’t rip, won’t tear, ever. And if anything like that happens the company will replace it for free. What else speaks of the quality better than this?
Stance Icon Sport socks use a perfect blend of cotton, polyester, elastane, and nylon. So that you can have soft and breathable fabric with reliable durability. The selling feature of these socks is definitely the medium-level cushioning so that the socks are neither too thin nor too thick.
What impressed us the most about these Stance Sport socks is they look great too! You can choose from various color combinations, and all of them are lovely.
Pros
Infiknit technology; won’t rip, won’t tear
Attractive color combinations
Medium-level cushioning keeps them relatively thin and breathable
Cons
Not the best choice for people with a history of ankle sprains
MUMUBREAL is catching up with the quality and standards of the best basketball socks. But you may not hear them roar as long as we have Nike and Adidas! However, if you are looking for moisture-wicking cotton socks with ideal compression that come for a price below 5 dollars, MUMUBREAL Elite socks have to be on your list.
These are 80% cotton, 15% nylon, and 5% spandex. So, what you get is a pair of breathable cotton socks with enough elastic and soft nylon content. The ventilation channels in these socks have been placed in such a way that they allow crossing and ventilation. Cushioning at the areas of the heels and toes protects against impacts and blistering.
The compression effect on the arch of the foot ensures a stable fitting and provides anti-fatigue benefits. It ensures blood circulation so that you do not have to stay in bed for two days after a single intense game of basketball.
Besides, MUMUBREAL uses their patented Dri-tech fabric which they claim to have moisture-management capacity. By and large, this pair of socks has all you need for a sweaty basketball game but at a prettier price!
Pros
Great value for money
Patented cotton fabric wicks away sweat and moisture
The compression effect protects against shin splinters
Cons
The compression effect may compromise comfort for some people
Choosing Best Basketball Socks – Our Buying Guide
When investing in a good pair of performance socks for basketball, you must consider the following factors:
Material
The most important thing to consider when buying athletic socks is the material or the fabric. Cotton socks feel soft and are gentle on the skin but they absorb sweat and moisture and they don’t dry quickly. This will produce odor problems as well. So, if your feet have sweat issues or the weather is too hot and humid, you should avoid socks with higher cotton content.
Synthetic materials such as polyester and spandex are more capable of wicking away sweat and staying dry. Socks with synthetic fibers also retain their shape for a longer time and are more flexible as well.
Durability
Basketball socks with cushioning at high-pressure points such as toes and heels are protected against abrasions and tears. Tighter knitting in these areas not only provides comfort and support but also provides longevity to performance socks.
Comfort and Support
Modern basketball socks come with grip lines, cushioning, and arch support for comfortable fitting, compression benefits, and injury protection. This has become indispensable for performance socks.
Cushioning at the heels and toes helps you wear them comfortably. Besides, when you land back on the ground hard, it protects you against the injuries that may happen due to sudden impact.
The arch support and grip lines embrace the foot without constraining its movement. Brands, hence are making designated right and left foot socks for perfect fitting and comfort.
Compression Effect
Some performance socks for basketball provide extra compression for protection against shin splinters and excessive fatigue. Polyester and spandex socks provide a considerable compression effect which enhances the blood supply to the calf muscles and helps the muscles recover fast after long high-intensity workouts.
Length
You might remember the time when basketball players used to wear long socks that would go up to the knees – or you might not remember this time if you are a teenager!
Because now, these long socks have been replaced by compression pants, which look way more fashionable and cooler. Nowadays, there are three common size lengths of performance socks:
1. Crew socks
2. Mid-cut socks
3. Low-cut socks
Low-cut socks are practically invisible when you wear shoes on them. Crew socks are the most popular ones. Athletes like to wear ¾ compression pants and use crew-length socks for the rest to enjoy compression and snug-fitting benefits.
Best Basketball Socks – Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
How do NBA players avoid getting blisters?
The basketball socks from high-end brands such as Adidas, Nike, and Under Armour use strategic cushioning and perfect fabric content for protection against blisters and injuries. NBA players also avoid getting blisters by wearing socks that are neither too tight nor too loose. This helps reduce friction against the skin while playing.
Do socks matter in Basketball?
Shoes and socks make the biggest difference in your performance in a game. Comfort, support, and protection are three major game-changers with a good pair of performance socks.
What is the difference between basketball socks and regular socks?
Basketball socks use high-quality, moisture-wicking fabric which is thicker, and hence more accommodating than regular cotton socks. Basketball socks have padding and cushioning at specific points to hold the foot and protect against sudden impacts.
Conclusion
The above-listed 7 best basketball socks feature a prime selection that suits different people and preferences. You should consider your weather conditions, feet size, sweat problems, fabric preference, and budget. Many mid-range brands are doing a great job, almost comparable to Under Armour and Nike. So, you just have to do your research and find yourself the perfect pair of basketball socks for a fair price!
