Socks

I use a mix - I've got some Bridgedale ones, which are £11 a pair (though I've had them for years, no holes!), and some free More Mile ones.

A friend of mine uses socks with toes in, as she gets blisters otherwise.

My OH has loads of pairs of double-layer socks he got for £2 a pair in Aldi years ago.

Try some different ones and see what suits you.

Key things with socks are:

quick drying - this means they wont get sweaty (so feel better), and also helps prevent blisters/bad skin

flat seams - friction causes blisters, so you don't want the ridges found in normal socks rubbing across your toes etc.

snug fit - just like the seams, any folds/flaps in a loose fitting sock is likely to lead to blisters.

If you're suffering with bilsters or don't like sweaty feet, buy some proper running socks.otherwise you can run in anything.  Personally I spend a bit of cash on socks, as it seems daft to spend a fortune on shoes with the "perfect" fit and then wear cheap socks underneath (especially as socks last a lot longer than the shoes).

For any run less than 8 miles, I'll use almost any pair of sports socks... so long as they aren't too thin, or worn too thin.

Above this, I start to consider my more expensive double layer anti-blister ones (these work by one layer hugging your foot,and the other one sort of absorbing any movement between the foot and the insole - so any rubbing takes place in between the layers of the socks, rather than blistering your foot.)

If doing cross country in the mud, don't wear white socks!

I wear cheapo running socks.  I also have worn black work ones a couple of times, but this was not intentional.  MoreMiles £6.99 for two pairs from amazon are probably my favourite.

My wife wears £15 double skin ones.

She get blisters, I don't.

Our socks tend to be a little more expensive than the prices quoted above but we prefer to stock what are perceived to be the best brands e.g. X-Socks, Compressport, Hilly, 1000 Mile etc. The good news is that we have a 20% sale on running socks on the Lanson Running website until the end of Thursday. Have a look and see what you think and maybe just take the advice from above and start with the cheaper Hilly Mono Skins socks that are £6 a pair in the sale.

I'm sensing there's a reason I shouldn't wear black socks - you are all referring to it as though it's a maverick thing to do.  All (well most anyway) of my socks are black.  I'm really struggling to see what this could possibly do to my feet?

I like the idea of Left and Right feet socks though!

Not sure I'm willing to pay £15 for a pair of socks - especially when my feet are fine - I never get blisters etc, but then I don't run what others would describe as 'long distances' I guess (manages 6k today in my step up towards 10 and seemed pretty bloody long to me!).

Maybe I just need to get some new non-holey socks.  Although the Left and Right ones are calling me...

They are just taking the mickey Shona, there's nothing wrong with running in black socks. You even get special running socks with the Left and Right labels that are black

I find that running in normal socks gives me blisters even on shorter distances. Nike DriFit running socks are pretty good for general running & sports, and they are often on sale in Sports Direct.

It's okay, I know they're taking the mickey, I'm just not sure why?  Do you all have white shoes?  I guess that would explain it.

I still vote for twin-ply anti-blister socks.

They definitely work for me.  I've not bought rubbish from sportsdirect or aldi though - (lights blue touch paper and retires )

The only socks that have ever given me blisters are 1000 mile twin layer ones. I get all my running socks when Lidl have them in.

I wear any old socks (and I mean the holey, the stripey, the winnie the pooh) for steady runs under 10km. For sessions and long runs I did out "proper socks" which are usually more mile.

i generally buy the thinnest and cheapest ones, i rarley wear them at all unless its cold though.

So -  we're all agreed then?

Personally I wear the twin skin ones as I used to get blisters, I ran a marathon in the Hilly ones and had no blisters.  Now I'm onto the Run Breeze ones which are £8 a pair (although I won enough pairs to keep me going for a few years!).  I wish my socks were black then they wouldn't look absolutely trashed after Cross Country...

If I had't got blisters in the past I would probably use something cheaper, every body is different so you have to find out what works for you.