Allbirds; Swiftwick; Maye-Williams; Alyssa Powell/Insider
- No-show socks are notoriously known for slipping down your feet throughout the day – until now.
- A good no-show sock fits snugly, is comfortable and breathable, and doesn’t bunch up in your shoes.
- After testing, these five socks are the pairs we’d recommend.
Let us start by saying that no-show socks can be seriously hard to shop for. You might think you’re getting the best bang for your buck by buying some generic no-show socks in bulk online – only to find them slipping halfway down your feet after an hour or so of wearing them. Not to mention, some socks are self-proclaimed as “no-show,” but they’re still really visible. So, what are “no-show” socks, really? For this guide, we’re going to define no-show socks as ones that don’t rise above your ankle (excluding tabs) – but that’s not the only factor we’re taking into consideration.
To make it onto our top-five no-show favorites list, these socks had to pass some rigorous on-foot testing to make sure they are true to size, comfortable, slip-free, and meet some other must-have qualifications. If you’re interested in learning about our full testing methodology, you can read about it here. Just want to cut to the chase and upgrade your sock game, like, yesterday? You can totally do that, too. That said, after testing 11 different no-show socks, these five take the cake for being the best you can buy.
Here are our top picks for no-show socks in 2021:
Maye-Williams
Maye-Williams’ Flexforce No-Show Socks are comfortable, soft, breathable, and don’t slide down while you’re wearing them.
Sizing options: Women’s 5-10 and Men’s 6-12
Maye-Williams might be a newcomer in the activewear world (est. 2018), but this company knows how to make high-quality, durable no-show socks. That said, please welcome Maye-Williams’ Flexforce No-Show Socks. Available in 3-packs of both women’s and men’s sizes in white, black, yellow, pink, green, purple, orange, and blue, these checked off every box for us. They’re super comfortable, soft, breathable (97% Polyester and 3% Spandex), and the best part: They don’t slide down while you’re wearing them.
My boyfriend tested out the men’s socks and I tested out the women’s, and our results were pretty similar. Neither of our socks ever slipped down during our walk and they even stayed on while we were sleeping (which is revolutionary, if you ask us). The only downsides? Although the men’s socks say they fit a size 6-12, my boyfriend, who is usually a size 11, found his to be a little too tight and pretty thin. There also doesn’t seem to be any other sizes to choose from, which might limit some people if they don’t fit within that size range. Otherwise, we both rate Maye-Williams’ Flexforce No-Show Socks as deserving of five out of five stars.
Allbirds Trino Sprinters No-Show Socks
Allbirds
Allbirds’ Trino Sprinters No-Show Socks are super low-cut and made of soft, breathable, carbon-neutral material all while minimizing odor and wicking away moisture.
Sizing options: S-XL
If you’re looking for a sock that’s super no-show, Allbirds’ Trino Sprinters No-Show Socks will definitely fit the bill. Besides being available in three colors, Seafoam, Malibu, and Pacific, and in sizes S-XL, these socks have tons of other features that make them notable. They’re made of a super-breathable eucalyptus fiber and merino wool mesh knit material, which keeps your feet cool (despite the wool), they have a reinforced heel and toe, are made with totally renewable carbon-neutral materials, they help minimize odor, and they wick away moisture.
So, when I tested them out, the first thing I noticed was the compression in the arch and how soft they were. After walking around in them, the compression made them feel extra snug (but in the best of ways) and my feet stayed cool the entire time. No slipping down, either! The only downside: I did notice a small, loose string coming off of one of the socks, and since they’re pretty thin, I’m a little worried about how long they’ll last. Regardless, these passed the test for being one of the best no-show socks you can buy — bonus points for Allbirds offering a variety of sizes!
See our full review of Allbirds’ Trino socks here.
Swiftwick Aspire Zero No-Show Socks
Swiftwick
Swiftwick’s Aspire Zero No-Show Socks are great for compression, running, never budging, and having an overall “barely-there” feel.
Sizing options: S-XL
What’s really great about Swiftwick is the brand really takes the time to go through the details of what makes its socks stand out from the rest. I tried out a few different types of Swiftwick’s no-show socks, but the Aspire Zero No-Show Socks are what sold me. But before we jump into why, we need to talk about Swiftwick’s slogan, which is “The best socks you will ever wear guaranteed.” With something like that written on the socks’ packaging, my expectations were pretty high. Turns out, those high expectations were met. These socks tout a thin, contoured compression fit (AKA no awkward bunching or blisters), moisture-wicking fiber, a breathable “barely-there” feel, and the company follows totally sustainable practices to boot.
I tried out the White Navy color and I got tons of compliments from my friends on how chic and nice my socks were. (How often do you get complimented on your socks?!) I especially love the firm compression, how they hug my feet perfectly, and how they didn’t budge once. In other words, I definitely understand why these are Swiftwick’s most popular running socks. The only downside? These rise a little higher than some of the other no-show socks I tested out, but they still don’t rise above the ankle (tab excluded), so they work!
See our full review of Swiftwick’s running socks here.
Lululemon Power Stride No-Show Socks with Active Grips
Lululemon
If you’re looking for something that’ll stay put while running and training and provide some extra arch support, these from Lululemon are a game changer.
Sizing options: S, M, L
The last thing you want to worry about while running or training is needing to pull up the sock that’s bunching up in your shoe, which is why Lululemon made a serious effort to make these totally athlete-friendly. These socks are extra stretchy, provide micro-cushioning, and have super-stay grip tabs on the backs, all while providing awesome arch support. You can buy them in packs of three in White, Black, White/Blue Linen/Black, or White/Heather Grey/Black.
It was a little chilly out while wearing these, and they actually helped keep my feet warm — but definitely not hot. They’re very breathable and lightweight, so I was surprised at how comfortable the micro-cushioning is. Despite being light, you can tell they’re made of durable material that will make them worth their price. And the arch support? It felt like my feet were being gently hugged the whole time wearing them. The only “downsides” I could find are the slightly awkward fit at the bottom of the heel and the slightly tall grips — but I had to try pretty hard to find any cons at all, so these no-show socks rank pretty high up there.
ToeSox Casual Dash No-Show Socks
ToeSox
Tired of sliding socks and blisters? We have a solution, and it comes in the form of ToeSox Casual Dash No-Show Socks.
Sizing options: S, M, L
You can consider blisters a thing of the past with ToeSox’s Casual Dash No-Show Socks. These ultra-soft casual no-show socks are available in the colors Black and Carbon. They have a snug spot for each of your toes to fit into so they won’t rub against each other or generate too much heat or moisture. Plus, the silicone grips on the backs of the socks help keep them in place, so you can focus on what you’re doing throughout the day instead of being inconvenienced by your sliding footwear. Bonus points for them being made of organic cotton!
That said, I’ve never been a fan of socks with spots for your toes — until now. These are awesome and way more comfortable than I thought socks with spots for your toes would be. They fit snugly on my feet and toes and didn’t fall down once while wearing them. Although the initial process of fitting my toes into each spot took a little longer than I’d like, once they were on I didn’t want to take them off.
Our testing methodology
To test each of these no-show socks, I walked around the courtyard at my apartment building twice while wearing the same sneakers each time and taking note of how comfortable, breathable, and supportive each pair of socks was. The most important thing, though, was making sure they didn’t slide down my feet.
As someone who owns several pairs of no-show socks that all slide down while wearing them, I was so ready to find some that don’t budge. After taking a walk, I wore each pair for a few more hours to see how they held up while sitting at home and lounging, then I created a pros and cons list for each of them.
That said, the reasons why some of the other socks didn’t make this list are because they slid down, fit awkwardly, were uncomfortable, left behind red marks, or were too tall to actually be considered our definition of “no-show.”
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