Have you ever tried XOSkin toe socks ? Made in USA, they are thicker and more durable than Injiji socks in my humble opinion. Injiji socks are way too thin for me and they pretty much tear holes the first couple months
@@YouCanChangeYourWorldToday Copper yarn, interesting! The durability of Injinji's is not great, but to be fair they're like 75% merino wool vs only 40% for XO, so I'd rather have better breathability and temp regulation at the cost of less longevity.
@@AndrewFolts i honestly didn’t even know my injiji socks had that much wool, lol. I think I have the cotton everyday versions and the liner crew and sport no show below the ankle socks lol I recently purchased XOSkin xotoes and they feel great 👍
After years of having 2 pairs used only for running in five fingers on my 50th I finally splashed out and got another 5, now I can have clean Injinjis 7 days a week! This is part of my commitment to improving my running through improving my foot strength...I'm finally going to zero drop, wide toe box shoes permanently.. The more you wear Injinjis, you realize just how restrictive normal socks are...and that your toes cannot spread out like they would if you were barefoot. They're expensive but worth the investment...
That's a great strategy! It's expensive at first, but in the end seven socks last seven times as long and drying thm out you can even get multiple uses out of them before washing again.
One more benefit you can add to the moisture wicking section…The individual toes slots wick moisture in between your toes, so the skin between the toes feels much better after a workout/run. :)
I had the same issue with NuWool. Did you try the merino and were they any better? I do wonder if this might be why they moved away from NuWool. Fit and feel is great, just want them to last longer (for that price).
@@AndrewFolts I want to buy my first 5 fingers socks. I want someting breathable, durable, no compression and cool for summer. Are injinji merino the best?
@@webmarketing40 Yea, they're fantastic for breathability. Being thin, I wouldn't say the durability is anything special, but it's kind of either or, since thick socks are also hotter.
I recently bought 3 pairs of different kinds of injinji's. They are the ONLY brand of toesocks that I could find that sell them big enough for my size 15 feet. I've found that the original material does not stretch as well and is too small to wear comfortably, but the coolmax variants all had more stretch. I've worn them for volleyball, which has a lot of lateral movements, and they seem to help with balance really well.
Good to know they come that big! The new merino's seem to have more stretch, so they'd probably be a good option for wider feet. Glad they're working out well for volleyball!
Thank you for this video! I am battling plantar fasciitis and spreading my toes back to a natural arrangement is a challenge! Just ordered 4 pair of Injinji socks.
It's been a while since I have been to REI, that's the only place I know close to me that has Injinji socks, but I don't think they had the wool socks on any of my previous shopping trips. I have one pair of Body Glove water shoes that I run in that were a little grippy on the insoles, so socks were a must, I tried regular socks that were cotton, synthetic, and double layer before getting my first pair of Injinji socks and the Injinji socks were the only ones that I could run in and go more than 5 or 6 miles without starting to blister or at least feel like a blister was imminent.
They just came out recently, so they may not be in stores yet. But yea, definitely my experience too with the blisters-the toes seem to do a good job of keeping your feet from slipping around.
Follow up to my first comment. Having Vibram 5 finger shoes that fit perfect, I was worried about wearing a sock with them. I was looking for socks even made out of spandex, so they wouldn't be too thick. After watching your video and ordering a pair and wearing them for a couple days, I'm sold. I went with the lightweight run and can't feel any difference from being barefoot. But have all the advantages of a performance sock. The pair were a test pair, but now I'll be ordering more at one time. Hope that helps some people with the same concern.
I opted for some "Fun Toes" socks ~3 months ago because I'm cheap. $20 for 6 pairs, and I ended up getting another 6 pairs because I figured I'd just wear them every day and I'm too lazy to do laundry more than once every ~12 days. So far so good, though I can't speak for the longevity or how well they work in the winter yet. I usually opt for more ankle and lower leg coverage when it's very below freezing outside.
Ha, well, toes do like to have fun. One thing I like about merino wool socks is that they're antimicrobial, so if I air them out I can wear the same pair all week and they always smell clean.
@@AndrewFolts Good point. I might try a pair when it gets colder if my current socks disappoint, which won't be too long now. I'm tempted to switch the thermostat from A/C to the furnace already and it's not even October.
Great video. I laughed so hard with your little drawing having 3 toes. 😂😂😂 On a serious note, I have injinjin, and generic toe socks from Amazon. They all work great, I wear toe shoes 24/7, but I noticed that my feet do not stink, where traditional socks it's like your toes are marinating in sweat.
Really enjoy your videos Andrew 🙂I have been a barefooter for a few years now, but have only recently got into wearing these and also Vibram FF's....and both have been a revelation! Keep up the great work, Sir. All the best from the UK ✊
Thanks, TJ! Vibram's are by far my favorite shoes. Thin is one thing, but when you've got the separate toes, it's even easier to forget you're not actually barefoot. (:
@@AndrewFolts You're absolutely right. I have the KSO Evos and they really take it to the extreme. It's just like someone has painted a thin layer of rubber on to the bottom of your foot 😁
Hi. I’m new to the world of toe socks. For hiking, can they work ok on their own inside a trail runner or do you have to have another sock over the top? Many thanks and GREAT video! Ben
Hey Ben, yep you can just wear them as a base layer with nothing else, unless it's really cold. I use the Outdoor weight, which is a bit thicker: bit.ly/3dvdcgk
I really like the content you're making. I don't remember exactly where I read that going from cushioned shoes to barefoot shoes is similar to changing from sleeping on a mattress to sleeping on the floor and that's what convinced me to try barefoot shoes. I wonder if you've tried sleeping on the floor and what your thoughts are.
Yep, great analogy! I've tried floor sleeping, and it wasn't great for me, because there's a lot of dust at floor level and I also have some joint inflammation issues, so it was too hard. What worked for me was sleeping on a 3-inch wool pad on top of a short wood frame, maybe two feet or so off the ground. Thick cushion mattress are terrible, IMO.
do you know any other good 5 finger socks brands? Ideally, I am looking for something that has a more minimalistic all black / all white design, without this sporty look.
@@AndrewFolts that's not true. There are also SeraSox, Knitido, Vibram Toe Socks, and probably some more brands that I don't know. Could you review any of them maybe?
@@mysense7005 Oh cool, didn't know about those! Bamboo and wool, so they sound promising. I'll contact Serasox. Vibram I won't be able to review, because their custom service is awful, and they never reply.
I like Injinji, but they need one more size up and maybe variety for big feet. I've due to that switched to RxL, a Japanese manufacturer which strangely has a bigger size than an American based company. Also, the sizing at RxL is based on your actual foot length rather "shoe size" which I really appreciate
Yea, it's tough to fit everyone with one sock size. Maybe Injinji will put out some different widths in their regular synthetic versions now that they've updated the wools. We'll see!
Great video! I see that the no-show injinji's are medium up until 10.5 and large starting at 11... I wear a 10.5/11 in my shoes. Do you have a recommendation re the size? Thanks for your help.
Awesome, thanks for the reply. One quick follow-up: I know the instructions say not to put your socks in the dryer... inevitably my stuff always ends up in the dryer... if you do put yours in the dryer, have they shrunk? Thanks again for your guidance.@@AndrewFolts
@@sg2664 Sometimes I'll put them in the dryer for 10 minutes or so, but I've never fully machine dried them, so I can't say for sure. Wool can get destroyed very easily, so I'd air dry them if possible.
Hey Savanna, it's the Vivo Primus Lite. They have a Knit version too now, which I like even more. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-pMqB21BdMGw.html Btw, checked out your channel and I think you'll do well if you decide you want to post more. You have a calming vibe, which is a scarcity these days. I started going to a couple energy work sessions per month this year and love it. Cheers!
The NuWool hasn’t been that durable for me all 4 pairs I have the big toe starts to split and my toe will start to show after a couple wears even if I’m not doing any strenuous action in them I switched to their Ultra version and love them so much. I haven’t had the issue the NuWool experienced yet but hopefully the Merino won’t have the issue. Not sure if I’m alone or not!
Depends on how you use them, shoes, etc. When I was working at a shoe store, everyone would come in with a different experience...literally one person would be like "NuWool's last forever!" and then the next person would be like "NuWool's are garbage!" Just gotta find what works for your, I guess, ha!
This was happening to me before I started getting pedicures. Ur nails are probably sharp and cutting the sock over time. Thats why I started getting pedis. Dont want my socks to rip 😂
I love my WHITINs. I've had them for over a year and they're doing awesome still! Probably wear them 5x a week. A minimalist shoe should be cheaper by nature. Vivo barefoot and all that expensive stuff is nice if you're loaded, but definitely not needed. Shoes are shoes. Socks are socks. Don't pay for a brand.
As far as I know I Injinji's the only brand that makes merino wool toe socks, so there's not much to compare to. There's Smartwool, but I find they cramp my feet, and they're not toe socks.
Yep, mine wore quickly too. Hopefully Injinji will improve, since this was there first attempt at a high percentage merino. That said, the breathability and temp regulation were better than any sock I've tried, so I'm will to put up with less durability.
Great video, I dont know if you have heard of Clim8? essential it is technology that reads your skin temperature and heats your body when you are getting cold. If you give this some exposure then injinji or vibram may partner with them and make heated socks with toes:) I write this comment because heated socks would mean that you would not need to change to barefoot boots with thick socks in the winter, and honestly this would be great, and is currently missing.
@@AndrewFolts Bro i thank you deeply for this, I know for a fact that if there were clim8 toe socks for winter use there is no...NO way you would ever EVER go back once you used them!!! and the best part about it is a pair of batteries with the socks being primaloft material would keep your toes warm for 8 hours. I hope and PRAY they partner because if they did would be sleeping in a tent outside the store who stocked them on the launch date.
How have you found the wear on the NuWool Vs the merino? I'm asking as I bought NuWool a while back for daily use but found they've worn really quickly on the sole. Wondering if a wool based sock is okay or if I need to move back to synthetic for more durability.
Hey Steve, durability's been fine thus far. They've gotten some fuzzies poking out, which wool does, but no signs of wear on the heels. One tip to make them last longer is to get a couple pairs and use them rotation, letting one dry out in the sunlight while you wear the others. This way, you don't have to wash them as often, which is one thing that really destroys socks.
@@AndrewFolts Thanks for the reply. I was using ten pairs in rotation but using them daily for work. Just never had sock wear out so quickly before. These socks get spoiled as well. Each pair gets washed in a bra bag so they don't get excess friction from other clothing. It has helped keep the pilling to a minimum
Haven't tried them. I've heard they're tougher, but they have only about 40% wool, so the breathability and moisture wicking won't be anywhere near as good as Injinji, which is 75%. I'd rather have better performance and less durability, but it just depends on your priorities.
Is there a brand as comfortable as Injinji's without the ugly name branding so visible? I bought the no-show socks and they are not only not no-show, but the name is blatantly right at the top of my foot. I hate it lol
Injinji sells a "Liner" sock with very little branding or patterning. It's very thin, so you could wear it over other Injinji's or by itself. bit.ly/3dvdcgk
Hmm, good question. Don't know any brands offhand, but I do see some options on Etsy... www.etsy.com/listing/1275884547/handmade-toddler-kids-baby-girls-boys?ga_order=most_relevant&ga_search_type=all&ga_view_type=gallery&ga_search_query=kids+toe+socks&ref=sr_gallery-1-6&organic_search_click=1
My old Injinji's were 67% merino and the new one's are 75%, which greatly improved the breathability and temp regulation, so Creepers are probably decent at 50%, but it would def be a downgrade in performance.
@@AndrewFolts live in New York state during the spring and summer. Find a Florida shoe box size dwelling to live in during the winter season. My grandparents did that for decades and had the best of both worlds. When I go to Florida in the winter for visiting, I get out and walk barefoot as much as possible. The locals look at me strange when 60 degrees is cold to them in the winter months. Earth grounded is so natural for the human body. 🦩 🦶
Might be worth trying a pair of the merino's, because it seemed to me like the toes were shorter than the old NuWool versions. Otherwise, maybe someone on Etsy makes custom toe socks, ha!
The great thing about wool is that it's anti-microbial, so a couple pairs get me through a whole week when I leave them to air out. Cheaper synthetic socks can only be worn once before they start to reek, so you end up saving money with Injinji's. Been doing it for years. (:
@@AndrewFolts I didn’t know that. I’ll have to look into it more. I’m so used to socks being $5 for a pack of 20 or something like that. But if I can get away with using them more days that would be nice. I still wish they sold in larger packs but this seems interesting.
@@mikemikemikemikemikemeup Yea, I mean if you really wanted to stretch it, you could get away with one pair per week, ha! But you'd have to make sure to put them inside out in sunlight, so they dry quicker.
Are there any toe socks you would recommend that don’t use animal products? Have issues with wool as they have bred these poor animals to have loads more wool than they would naturally. Also they all end up with a hook in their ankles and get their throats cut in the end as a thank you for the wool.
Only the "wool" Injinji's use animal products. The rest of their socks are synthetic and cotton blends. They don't breathe quite as well, but I have a few pairs and still prefer them over regular socks. bit.ly/3qW6Nhi
Better breathability (airflow between your toes), plus the separate toes hold your feet in place, so the sock can be less tight overall vs regular socks, which need strong compression to keep your feet from sliding around (squeezes your feet).
