Keep Cool, Wick Sweat, and Stave Off Blisters with These Cycling Socks (2024)

After investing in your first quality jersey and bib shorts, there’s no better cherry to put atop your co*cktail of kit than a comfortable pair of cycling socks. Despite the low-impact nature of our sport, proper socks can go a long way to keep your feet from getting sore on a long ride. They also wick moisture away from your feet and ankles, which can feel just as nice on a hot, sweaty day as it can on chilly days when you’ve torn through a puddle at speed.

To many cyclists, sock choice is a critical element of their on-the-bike identity. A loud pair presents an opportunity to add some flair to your look without going too over the top, and a modest pair can similarly tone down a flashy kit. But beyond all the culture and aesthetics woven into them, a quality sock smooths the contact point between your feet and the pedals just as critically as gloves on your grips or padded shorts on your saddle.

While finding the perfect sock can be a personal journey, I’ve tested dozens of the best brands, models, and materials you can buy—some perform far better than the rest, especially when conditions are unfavorable. To save you time and money as you find your forever pair, I’ve compiled a list of some of the best places to start looking.

• Best Overall: Defeet Aireator 6-In.
• Best Foot Compression: Swiftwick Aspire Seven
• Most Durable: Darn Tough Element Micro Crew
• Best Merino Wool Option: Smartwool Bike Crew
• Best Aero Socks: Specialized Hydrogen Aero Tall

I’ve spent half my life riding bikes, and even though much of my clothing has been club- or team-issued from the knees up, socks have always been my place to go wild and try as many different options as possible. I’ve owned, worn, and properly tortured many pairs, from nearly every major brand, and these seven have kept my feet the most comfortable in various conditions without ripping apart too quickly. They’ve all lasted me years without forming holes, and they wick moisture just as well when cloistered inside stuffy boots as they do on swampy, 100-degree summer days in central Pennsylvania.

Are there other socks out there that, well, knock themselves off? Absolutely, but these options are where I recommend you start your search. Aside from our “Best Overall” pick, these socks all prioritize one particular feature, be it ventilation, aerodynamics, or odor-resistance. And according to my testing, they’ve all nailed their goals while maintaining all-around quality.

The best foundation for any cyclist’s sock collection is a reliable option that, comparatively speaking, don’t have any frills. Defeet’s Aireator still rocks some modern touches, such as a thin, meshy instep, but the rest of its construction is as unremarkable as you need a quality everyday sock to be—it maintains a smooth, uniform weave that feels comfortable on long days and doesn’t chafe too badly when your feet get wet.

I can wear a pair of Aireators in all four seasons, which I’ve found makes them worth buying in bulk. Better yet, they’re priced relatively low (several bucks less than any other pair on this list), so you don’t need to search for bundles to get a good deal on multiple orders.

From the ankle up, the Aspire Seven looks nearly the same as Defeet’s Aireator, but the true difference between the two manifests in the amount of support and ventilation around your foot. Swiftwick’s arch support is a bit more involved, using a stretchier weave and snugger fit around the arch to squeeze your foot extra-tight without constricting bloodflow. This mitigates unnecessary movement inside your shoe that can cause your foot to flex and waste energy. And to keep your feet breathing within the tight fit, the instep has channeled vents that let air escape without compromising the structure of the sock or its snugness inside your shoe.

The extra design touches in the Aspire Seven do add to its price; luckily, you can score it in bundles of three pairs to save some money—about $3 a pair, to be exact.

Darn Tough doesn’t jest with its terse name. The brand’s socks are some of the most bulletproof I’ve ever owned—I have one pair of Elements that look the same as they did when I bought them in high school. This sock can glide through thick, shin-scratching brush and endure hundreds of hours of use without showing any signs of wear. Their robust build makes them a bit thick, so they don’t feel the best on super hot days, but they can last a lifetime. Darn Tough’s warranty team will even send you a new pair if you somehow damage yours.

If you’ve never experienced the blissful softness of quality merino wool, this sock from Smartwool offers a relatively low-cost opportunity to try it out. Don’t let the thick, scratchy feel of other wools steer you away—this lightweight material stays comfortable in most conditions, wicks moisture nearly as well as synthetics, and even cuts down on odors without any common stench-fighting additives such as silver.

Smartwool’s Bike Sock has less padding than the rest of the brand’s options, and this translates to a less constricted feel inside your shoes; however, if you want something with a little more cushion so you can thrash them on runs (or during cyclocross races), you can also check out Smartwool’s more robust Run Targeted Cushion Sock.

Aero socks aren’t necessarily the most comfortable option out there, but when every second and every watt count, it’s still nice to wear something that doesn’t make you feel like you’ve shrink-wrapped your feet. Despite the visibly thicker cuff on this sock, it’s still well-ventilated thanks to a thinner mesh fabric around the foot and a small strip of lighter fabric that runs along the back of your leg.

The aero details on this sock run relatively far down the cuff, covering the ankles on the sides. If you’re like me and have bony ankles, this fit can feel odd in tall shoes. But this shouldn’t be your first choice if comfort is a priority, anyway.

Few things feel better after riding on a hot day than kicking your shoes off afterward—it gets hot in there! If your socks make your feet feel suffocated when the thermometer’s bursting out the top, chances are a thinner pair will remedy your discomfort. The Rapha Pro Team is paper-thin, so much so that I can see my own skin when I pull it taut over my leg. And they’re woven top-to-bottom with a mesh pattern that will trap far less warm air than most other options. Better yet, this sock still has a compressive arch cuff for support, so you don’t have to worry about them feeling too flimsy in your shoes on a long trek.

I’m notoriously fickle in wet conditions, especially when it’s also cold out, and I know I’m not alone in my dissatisfaction with the feeling of a rain-soaked sock. To maximize control over how much moisture you have sloshing around by your feet, check out this Sealskinz model that uses a waterproof middle layer and skintight silicone cuff band to lock out rain and isolate your feet and ankles from the elements.

This sock works best in emergency scenarios—you’ll certainly get toasty in them on a warm, sunny day. They may not get a lot of use, but if you’re gearing up for a group ride or race and don’t like the color of the sky, it can be a huge relief to have water-resistant or waterproof socks like these stashed in your bag. Bike races are often a contest to see who can suffer the most, and if your mind is off your soggy feet, it can do wonders for your morale. Just be sure to keep your legs shaved if you wear a pair, because I’ve found the silicone cuff band doesn’t create a perfect seal otherwise.