My Favorite Running Socks | Swiftwick

I just refreshed my sock stock at the homestead using a holiday deal from Swiftwick - my favorite sock brand.

3 pairs of the FLITE Trail and 3 pairs of the FLITE XT 5.

The FLITE Trail cover my ankles (important for trail running/hiking) and are a merino wool/polyester blend. These are the first Swiftwick socks I’ve purchased with any natural fibers, so we’ll see how they do in terms of fit, feel, durability, and stank-control.

Natural fibers typically don’t get ridiculously stinky like straight polyester, so I’m certain this’ll be an upgrade.

I also grabbed the FLITE XT 5 that are five inches above the shoe and give a little more coverage that I appreciate when trail running. I tend to scrape my shoes against my lower leg, so this helps to keep them from rubbing the skin off.

Basically, I like poly or poly/wool blended socks. The straight poly wicks away moisture and prevents blisters. The wool (20-ish percent) adds some softness as well.

Compared to the last batch I bought a few years ago, these socks are thinner, softer, and generally feel better out of the bag.

We’ll see how they do on trail, but I highly recommend these for any trail use except wading through ice cold creeks (use SealSkinz for that!) or on particularly cold days (I use a thicker wool/poly blend ski sock for those days).

Oh, and I almost always hike and run in trail running shoes. They’re lighter, drain faster, have more responsive traction, and if you buy the right ones, will produce fewer blisters while you’re out there.