Socks may seem like an insignificant thing but to someone who needs to keep them on for several hours a day, it bears a great significance to the overall comfort factor.
Athletes, especially baseball players are those people who keep their socks on for hours while practicing and on actual matches. They know how important it is to have a good pair of socks. They know that the quality of their socks should be better because they are more active on feet than a corporate person.
So, here are a few tips for baseball players to choose the right pair of socks for the big game.
Seamless design socks were not that popular when baseball was first introduced officially. Later, these semi-seamed or completely seamless designs were introduced and they were considered as good sports socks. However, baseball and other sports gradually accepted the trends and players started to use them for matches.
The main reason for the seamless construction to be popular among baseball players is their comfort factor. Often, the seam on socks causes blisters and rash on your skin, if they are not done properly. The smother seams or even the seamless ones do not give you any discomfort, even if you wear them for a long time. That’s why, I’d suggest seamless ones personally, especially because they reduce blisters and hot spots.
However, having a seam in the sock doesn’t mean always that there will be discomfort in the socks. If the seam is smooth, thin and even, it won’t hurt you or cause any distraction while you play.
A tube construction in socks implies that it doesn’t have any specific shape to fit your heel. These types of stocks are cylindrical or tube-like. They are mostly seamless too.
This type of socks is more elastic than ones with heel flaps and cover for the heel region. They don’t become loose or baggy when you wear, mainly because there isn’t any extra fabric that will fold on the heel region. For the same reason, this type of socks are tight and don’t cause discomfort.
The quality, comfort and fit greatly depend on the material. These days, sports socks, especially baseball socks are made of Merino Wool and synthetics.
Merino Wool: This thermostatic material is basically the best sports socks. Their biggest advantage is the ability to regulate temperature due to the thermostatic characteristic. This helps your feet to stay comfy and protected inside. Besides, its wool is far more moisture absorbent than other materials. They can absorb water almost 30% of its weight, which is a practical advantage for those baseball players who sweat a lot on the ground. That’s why these types of material in socks are comfortable in both warm and cold weather. Besides, they don’t cause any itch or rash.
However, the biggest disadvantage of Merino wool is the fact they dry a lot slower than other materials, especially synthetics. Also, they are more expensive than any other material.
Synthetics: Synthetic material is a combination of several materials that were put together to ensure comfort and fit all together. These synthetics ensure a snug fit as well as provide arch support.
Comparatively, they are more durable and have a lot of cushioning. However, the biggest advantage of synthetics is the fact that they dry a lot faster than wool or cotton. Also, they are cheaper, which is why we see more synthetic socks than wool or cotton on the market. But their major drawback is they are not comfortable like Merino wool or cotton.
Baseball players are familiar with bad odor. When sweat makes the socks damp and moist, the odor starts to build up. This moist environment then makes the perfect environment for bacteria to grow.
However, these days, most of the manufacturers ensure they use antibacterial fabric. So look for the tag for your shoes.
Apart from being moist absorbent, odor repellent, and antibacterial, your socks should also be breathable enough to keep your feet comfortable and cold, even in warm weather. This is important for baseball players because they need to move around the ground a lot.
Their feet are always warm and if there isn’t any room for fresh air to touch the skin, uncomfortable rashes can appear.
Conclusion:
Keep these tips in your mind and you’ll end up with a comfy, long-lasting, in short – a perfect pair of socks for you.
Author: Mike Trout
John Mike Trout is an American Professional Baseball player. He was born California. John Mike is a 2 MLB All-Star. He loves to write about baseball.