The A to Z of Grip Socks: Purpose, Composition and Benefits

Competitive people never rest. They are always looking for new ways and innovations to up their game. Sports players especially train to be the best. It does not matter if you are an amateur or a professional player. The top spot will always be the source of beef. Football has gripped the world in a renewed frenzy, but it always had its grip on the British. Everyone wants to be a captain, and every team wants to win. So what can you do to improve your football performance by a few notches?

Surely you must have already tried training, extra gym time, and a healthy diet. Yet, something is still amiss. Right? Grip socks are the answer. You may scoff now, but once you recognize the importance of grip socks and how drastically they improve your footwork, you’ll be hastily adding a pair of men's football grip socks to your cart. But it does not matter what activity you are doing. It is always best to have some extra traction on the bottom.

Naturally, your next question would be, what are grip socks? How do they affect a player’s performance? And what do grip socks do for soccer? So read on as this article will answer all your queries about football grip socks.

 

What are grip socks?

As the name suggests, grip socks are meant to increase your foot's grip on the shoe to prevent internal slipping. Many players complain that their foot slips inside the shoe while playing. Thus, hurting their agility and game energy. However, grip socks are made to enhance your footwork and stability. They improve contact between sock and shoe and sometimes even between sock and foot. This will lend you a second’s fraction of edge, which is all that stands between crushing defeat and thrilling victory.

Grip socks are sometimes also known as performance socks. They improve pitch performance, boot responsiveness, and comfort too. Most players prefer wearing grip socks as they lend them an extra advantage on the pitch.

 

How to wear grip socks?

Since each team has its official socks, many players resort to cutting the lower bit of their official socks. This exposes the grip socks to the sole of the shoe, and they can wear their official socks over it. Some players use tape to put the two together, so the grip socks are not exposed. At the same time, others use grips socks of similar colour as their official ones. You can see us demonstrate how to wear them in our TikTok here:

 

@grippyfootball How to wear your football grip socks. Do you wear them? #footballgripsocks #gripsocks #gripsocks4l #football #nonleague #footballtiktok #risingballers ♬ Match of the Day - Theme Song - BBC Sport

Where to find grip socks?

You can easily order some of our Grippy Sports grip socks online from Amazon (where you can benefit from Prime delivery), or you can order directly from our shop and get 3 pairs for the price of 2, saving £10! You can even add some sock tape or an extra pair to nudge your order over £25 and we'll ship them out to you for free!

How are grip socks good for soccer?

Grip socks contain a variety of features that make them beneficial during the game. They are:

1. Non-Slip Rubber Pads 

Grip socks have rubber paneling on the sole. These rubber pads provide added control and stability during running, landing, and ball control. Grippy Sports socks are designed with a tyre-like pattern to add extra grip, much like cars grip to the roads!

2. Anti-Blister Technology 

During the summer months and in pre-season your feet can get pretty sweaty! This leads to your feet slipping around in your boots and rubbing against them. Combining this with wear newly bought boots which might not have been worn in yet, along with harder ground - it's a recipe for sore heels!

When November blues arrive, and the ground softens, moulds are put away for a few months while the studs are brought out. This makes players’ feet especially susceptible to blistering. Therefore, grip socks are strategically thickened to prevent just this.

Grip socks are made with breathable material which reduces the amount of sweating your feet do, so combined with less movement because if the grips - blisters are massively reduced!

3. Thick Soles 

Grip socks have slightly thicker soles to prevent minor injuries and abrasions. They are also comfier than other threadbare socks and again help improve comfort in football boots.

 

Why Wear Grip Socks?

There are a variety of grip socks benefits that encourage players to wear them. Some of the most prominent advantages of grip socks are:

 

Elevate Your Game

Grip socks are flourishing in the sports market after almost every professional footballer in the biggest leagues in the world wear them. They provide a locked-in feel to wearers and are comfortable to wear. Apart from the fact that grip socks remove the danger of minor annoyances like blisters and small cuts, they are also anti-slip. So no matter what move you play out on the pitch, your feet will be safely locked in your boots/trainers.

 

Sprint Speed

A major part of football relies purely on your capability to sprint. How well can you keep up with your opponents? How fast can you get to the ball? And how quickly are you in taking the other team by surprise? All of this, as you must have already observed, relies on speed. Running is obviously essential to football.

But there is always the danger of slipping and falling behind. It has caused many great players to lose trophies and medals. Therefore, it is best to nip it in the bud by avoiding it altogether. And gripping socks are just the solution. Many people give all the importance to shoes as they actually grip the ground. But this does not mean you can ignore the importance of grip socks since your foot is doing all the work. Therefore, your feet must grip the sole of your shoe nicely too.

 

Prioritize Personal Safety

Grip socks are thick and extremely comfortable. If you are a seasoned player, you will be aware of the nuisance old socks can cause: rashes, abrasions, and even cuts. Simple socks rarely protect your feet against the roughness of the shoes. Moreover, this is coupled with the extremeness of playing football. Your feet are more than likely to be damaged a lot.

Therefore, wearing grip socks can protect your feet from external pressure and friction. Of course, you can survive without grip socks. But be ready to constantly deal with more than just tired feet and numerous performance hindrances.

Grip socks are versatile and also provide support to the ankles and the Achilles heel. Locking the ankle in place gives you more stability and protection. This improves agility and relieves you from painfully rubbing your skin against the shoe. 

It’s Comfort First, Last, and Always

Grip socks are made of premium quality, breathable material. They are comfortable to wear and protect your feet too. Grip socks contain rubber pads and thick soles that hug your feet nicely. Moreover, they have a compressive material that improves the blood circulation in your foot. Imagine how hard it would be to focus on your game when you keep getting distracted by how uncomfortable your feet are!

Therefore, like every responsible player, one must prioritize their comfort and safety before everything else. Grip socks are made of breathable material and keep your feet relatively fresh even after a long and grueling game.

How Were Grip Socks Introduced To The Market?

Although it appears as if grip socks have been around forever, they were a rarity a decade ago. Grip socks were first introduced by Luke Goodwin - a physiotherapist turned entrepreneur. Luke Goodwin embarked on a journey to find some non-slip socks for adults. His vision was not limited to sports or exercise but also included health workers such as nurses and doctors.

But his efforts to find non-slip socks for adults came to a swift conclusion when he found no such product available in the market. After this, Mr. Goodwin decided to make his own non-slip socks. Later this innovation was adopted by sports companies. These companies made many changes to the original grip socks and gave them a new look altogether to fit the requirements of the sports.

What Are The Qualities of Good Grip Socks?

You may be wondering now what grip socks do footballers wear? Although there are a number of brands that make grip socks, we found that they were either really expensive, or cheap and poor quality - there was no middle man. So we created Grippy Sports socks to offer the same great quality at an affordable price. Yes, you can probably get some cheaper socks elsewhere, but they'll either not turn up (Gain The Edge... cough, cough) or they've rip and the grips will fall off after one game. We sold over 15,000 pairs of socks in 2022 alone and have not had a single pair returned to us for poor quality. You can check our reviews to see what our customers are saying.

 

Get The Right Fit

Make sure your socks fit you properly around the arch and heel. Most socks are poorly made and do not fit properly around the toes. Always prefer individually sized socks over one-size-fits-all because the latter tend to bunch up or collect inside your shoe. This can negatively affect your performance. Like your shoes, you must pay special attention to the size of your socks. Only buy tight-fitting ones. But not so tight that you are unable to move your toes freely. 

 

Be A Fabric FBI

Traditional socks made of poor-quality material are instantly recognisable. Most companies use a blend of synthetic materials like nylon and lycra and breathable fabrics like cotton to make socks. An ideal balance of the two makes perfectly stretchable and sweat-absorbing socks without leaving your feet feeling sweaty and fatigued.

The grips underneath are usually made of rubber. Rubber is perhaps the best material for it. Even though it gets stickier with every wash, a regular grip sock can last up to several months without losing its shape and grip. Our 3 for 2 offer makes sure you can cycle your socks to help them last longer.

 

Don’t Gamble With Grip

Most of the grips are placed in the contact zone - the part of your foot that is put through the most stress during a game. This streamlines stability where it is needed most. However, socks with traction all overdo the job well enough too. Some grip socks also have traction on the inside. This helps in areas where boots are involved as it helps keep them in place.

 

Why Pay More For Less

Grip socks are generally more expensive than regular socks. However, they provide:

• More comfort.
• Protection against sweat and friction.
• Performance boost than regular socks.

Pick a Colour

Always buy grip socks that do not contrast with the colour of your kit. Most teams are not allowed to wear any colors that clash with your team’s colours. Therefore, if your team’s colour is green, make sure you buy green grip socks. However, white football grip socks are usually allowed with any kit colour.

Frequently Asked Questions

Here are a few FAQs that will clear your queries about grip socks.  

Do grip socks cause blisters?

Quite the opposite, actually. Grip socks are specially made soccer socks. They absorb sweat and keep your feet dry to prevent slipping. Moreover, they also prevent you from getting stubborn blisters on your feet. Grip socks have thick soles and rubber paneling that is healthy for your foot.

What are the benefits of buying grip socks?

Grips socks have numerous benefits. Many of them have already been mentioned above. However, to sum up, grip socks:

1. Provide better grip and traction.
2. They are extremely comfortable to wear.
3. Cause fewer blisters and rashes.

How long do grip socks last?

The durability of grip socks depends upon how often you use them and how well you take care of them. An average grip sock lasts about three to four months. Therefore, you must know how to wash grip socks. There are special washing instructions for all kinds of grip socks. It is generally recommended that you wash them inside out in warm, not hot, water and a gentle cycle. Remember to never bleach or iron your socks as doing so will ruin their quality. Moreover, avoid tumble drying your grip socks. However, you can line or air dry them instead.

Wrapping It Up

This article sums up everything you need to know about grip socks - their composition, purpose, use, care, and history. You can also benefit from the buying guide provided, so you don’t end up purchasing the wrong thing. Grip socks are essential for football players, especially professional players since they can change the entire tide of the game.

Grip socks prevent sliding, slipping, and friction. Since frequent running and movement causes blisters. This severely damages a player's performance. But grip socks provide resistance against this too. Their soft soles, thick pads, and rubber traction are great for keeping your feet soft and resistant to slight wounds. Grip socks provide compression to the entire foot, especially around the arches. They usually go all the way up to the shins and keep the entire thing locked in place.

If you are a football player looking to improve your game, you must invest in a good pair of grip socks. They are about as important as good shoes. Since skills can't do much if you lack the required equipment, grip socks have been adapted differently across the world and in different markets. Moreover, since there is no specific football season, and it is played during the summer heat, monsoon pitter-patter, and even frigid winter, you must maintain proper pitch and protect your feet during all conditions.