Review: Injinji Socks

Ah, Easter break last weekend; you enjoyed longer days and longer runs.  And a realisation about socks.  You need some new ones.  You’ve time before May Day weekend though; but there are so many socks …

So how about trying Injinji toe socks?  Odd things.  Odd, but comfortable and effective.  I’ve been telling Si Berry at UK distributors Beta these were silly for years; then I tried a pair and ate humble pie.  The feeling is much like switching from mittens to gloves.  Your toes can spread and move more easily, and there’s less friction between them. 

The range is huge(this display at Accelerate is only their selection) and a splendid mix of the colourful and subtle.  Some models are fully synthetic, others use a merino wool/synthetic blend.  Sizing goes XS to XL, though if like me you have big feet(EU47 in S/Lab Sense) & need XL Injinji, the UK range becomes a little restricted. 

I’ve been using the ‘run lightweight no-show’ for summer and the more cushioned ‘run midweight mini crew’ sock in cooler weather or on longer days.

So, how are they on the fell?  Blooming good really.  I’ve had no hot spots, or rubbed toes.  Although getting the sock on needs a little care and practise it soon becomes straightforward as the toes form to your foot shape.  Yes, a sock you need to wear in.  Cuffs are snug enough to keep out grit without restricting blood flow around your feet.  Cushioning is light but ample for the fell, even on hard tracks.  I prefer a fully synthetic sock for speed of drying; my beloved dark peak can be quite soggy. 

Thankfully, unlike some other synthetics there’s been no pong problem from Injinji.  Wear is good, around 300km at a guess, unless you get a shoe full of heather then all bets are off.  You may have gathered, I like these socks a lot.

Okay, there have to be problems yeah?  Well, a couple but they’re minor and one is particular to me.  That one first.  I have very long toes, as physio post ankle surgery has progressed they’ve got longer; which means the toes in Injinjis are now too short for me.  This leads to tired feet, so I’m grumpily back in conventional socks.  As I said, these are socks like gloves.  If you struggle getting gloves with long enough fingers, these may not be the sock for you.  The other problem is a bit more general.  These are socks in right and left shapes.  With no R or L label, so pairing them up can be frustrating.  A simple solution is marker on the sewn on label, a red and a green means I’ve got a pair.

Shouldn’t have to do this though. 

So, with all that waffle, do I rate these socks? Yes I do, I rate them very highly.  They’re comfortable and they work.  The only caveat is buy one pair to try them first(or go to Accelerate in Sheffield, they have some testers).  Then go wild.

Or, you could buy them online here at Accelerate.