Let’s face it, wearing cleats all day and playing hard means that our feet get sweaty and stink. That isn’t fun for anyone. I know that the last thing my boyfriend wants is to rub my smelly sweaty feet for me. There are loads of socks that claim they are helpful and beneficial in stopping the sweating of your feet, but in my opinion, there is only one sock that really rises above the rest.
Those are hand knit socks.
Now, I know what you’re thinking. “But Daria, I don’t know how to knit and my grandma is dead, how do I get homemade socks?” That’s definitely a concern, as hand knit by yourself or your grandma are far superior than anything you could ever purchase. BUT, I am here to tell you that you can in fact purchase hand knit socks from people other than your grandma. (I know, it sounds blasphemous, but I promise you it’s a possibility. Even if you aren’t an NSFL player these hand knit socks are still worth the money and won’t break the bank for you to purchase them.)
The thing about hand knit socks, is that it isn’t just the love and dedication which make you feel warm and fuzzy inside while you wear them, it’s also the fact that the material is so much better at wicking away the sweat. A lot of store bought moisture wicking socks just have the sweat travel along the sock, but then there’s nowhere for it to go! So it sits there inside of your shoes and next to your feet and then your feet are all gross and still smell. Not to mention the potential for some foot fungus.
Cotton is one of the worst fabrics for socks because it just loves moisture. It’s going to suck all of your foot sweat in, and hold it (and get stretched out of shape while doing so). Not only are your socks ruined, but your feet will also get wrecked. It’s bad enough to have them smell, but being that wet and warm will just be a breeding ground for bacteria and fungal infections.
On the other hand, hand knit socks are typically made out of wool. I want you to think about sheep. Sheep’s wool is filled with lanolin, which is a natural water repellent. Sheep can stay out in the rain and they aren’t smelly and bacterial filled beasts. This also means that after they have been sheared, sheep’s wool retains a lot of these same properties. It’s warm and water wicking, no matter what. Wool hats are the best to have snowball fights in because even when they get snow covered and begin to get wet, they still keep you warm (and relatively dry!). The same can be said for wool socks.
Merino wool comes from Merino sheep (obviously!!), and it is hands down the best material for homemade socks. Now, you want to make sure that there is the tiniest bit of nylon mixed in with the wool, it helps to give your socks strength so they last a little bit longer, but being as close to 100% merino wool as possible is going to be the best. The wool is great because as it becomes wet it doesn’t stretch the way that cotton does, and more importable it also has some native antimicrobial properties. This means less foot funk! (It is also GREAT at keeping your feet warm when you play in the tundra. Even when the socks are wet, they still feel warm and keep you warm. But hand knit socks also breathe, so don’t worry when you’re down in Myrtle Beach, you won’t be suffering from it being overly hot.
So even if you don’t have a grandma to make you socks, or you can’t knit your own, I really recommend buying some hand knit socks. Your feet will thank you after every game and practice.
Those are hand knit socks.
Now, I know what you’re thinking. “But Daria, I don’t know how to knit and my grandma is dead, how do I get homemade socks?” That’s definitely a concern, as hand knit by yourself or your grandma are far superior than anything you could ever purchase. BUT, I am here to tell you that you can in fact purchase hand knit socks from people other than your grandma. (I know, it sounds blasphemous, but I promise you it’s a possibility. Even if you aren’t an NSFL player these hand knit socks are still worth the money and won’t break the bank for you to purchase them.)
The thing about hand knit socks, is that it isn’t just the love and dedication which make you feel warm and fuzzy inside while you wear them, it’s also the fact that the material is so much better at wicking away the sweat. A lot of store bought moisture wicking socks just have the sweat travel along the sock, but then there’s nowhere for it to go! So it sits there inside of your shoes and next to your feet and then your feet are all gross and still smell. Not to mention the potential for some foot fungus.
Cotton is one of the worst fabrics for socks because it just loves moisture. It’s going to suck all of your foot sweat in, and hold it (and get stretched out of shape while doing so). Not only are your socks ruined, but your feet will also get wrecked. It’s bad enough to have them smell, but being that wet and warm will just be a breeding ground for bacteria and fungal infections.
On the other hand, hand knit socks are typically made out of wool. I want you to think about sheep. Sheep’s wool is filled with lanolin, which is a natural water repellent. Sheep can stay out in the rain and they aren’t smelly and bacterial filled beasts. This also means that after they have been sheared, sheep’s wool retains a lot of these same properties. It’s warm and water wicking, no matter what. Wool hats are the best to have snowball fights in because even when they get snow covered and begin to get wet, they still keep you warm (and relatively dry!). The same can be said for wool socks.
Merino wool comes from Merino sheep (obviously!!), and it is hands down the best material for homemade socks. Now, you want to make sure that there is the tiniest bit of nylon mixed in with the wool, it helps to give your socks strength so they last a little bit longer, but being as close to 100% merino wool as possible is going to be the best. The wool is great because as it becomes wet it doesn’t stretch the way that cotton does, and more importable it also has some native antimicrobial properties. This means less foot funk! (It is also GREAT at keeping your feet warm when you play in the tundra. Even when the socks are wet, they still feel warm and keep you warm. But hand knit socks also breathe, so don’t worry when you’re down in Myrtle Beach, you won’t be suffering from it being overly hot.
So even if you don’t have a grandma to make you socks, or you can’t knit your own, I really recommend buying some hand knit socks. Your feet will thank you after every game and practice.