Socks for people with calves
November 8, 2018 9:46 AM Subscribe
I am in search of socks - regular and fuzzy - for people with non-toothpick calves. I have tried a bunch of brands and they all eat into my legs like nobody's business. Especially the ones with bands around the top - I find them unwearable. The three main categories I am interested are: plain black trouser socks for work; fun socks; and soft fuzzy slipper socks. I am 100% certain that I do not have the largest or the most delicate calves on metafilter, so fellow calf-having people, WTF do you put on your feet???
I am a woman, 5'6, size 8 shoe. I wear wide-calf boots on the smallest buckle setting. My calf, at its very widest point, is 16.5" around; at crew-sock height it is 12.25", and at the ankle 10.25".
My ideal sock height is crew-height because I hate it when my pants ride up and show my legs. I have recently resorted to wearing quarter-height socks even though I dislike them, because of the aforementioned issue. I have had the best luck in the past with ribbed, unbanded socks, but those are hard to find. A pack of Hanes plain black women's socks had to be abandoned nearly straight out of the package. I also tried a pair of MeFi favorite Darn Tough socks and they were also miserably tight. From a laundry perspective, I launder my clothes on cold and tumble dry at the lowest setting.
I'd love to have some fun taller socks, and also some thick cushy fuzzy slipper socks. So many of these have a band around the top, though, and they always wind up cutting into my legs.
Have you solved this problem? Please help my feet & legs!
I am a woman, 5'6, size 8 shoe. I wear wide-calf boots on the smallest buckle setting. My calf, at its very widest point, is 16.5" around; at crew-sock height it is 12.25", and at the ankle 10.25".
My ideal sock height is crew-height because I hate it when my pants ride up and show my legs. I have recently resorted to wearing quarter-height socks even though I dislike them, because of the aforementioned issue. I have had the best luck in the past with ribbed, unbanded socks, but those are hard to find. A pack of Hanes plain black women's socks had to be abandoned nearly straight out of the package. I also tried a pair of MeFi favorite Darn Tough socks and they were also miserably tight. From a laundry perspective, I launder my clothes on cold and tumble dry at the lowest setting.
I'd love to have some fun taller socks, and also some thick cushy fuzzy slipper socks. So many of these have a band around the top, though, and they always wind up cutting into my legs.
Have you solved this problem? Please help my feet & legs!
Can’t link now, but I’ve bought tons of “fun socks” online from Sock It To Me, and they do carry socks specifically for wide calves.
posted by bookmammal at 9:51 AM on November 8, 2018
posted by bookmammal at 9:51 AM on November 8, 2018
Did you see this AskMe from last week?
posted by fiercecupcake at 10:01 AM on November 8, 2018 [2 favorites]
posted by fiercecupcake at 10:01 AM on November 8, 2018 [2 favorites]
Best answer: The word you want to incorporate into your socks search is "bariatric". That will show you socks made for people with extra-large calves. I have tree trunk legs myself, so I have to wear either bariatric socks or footsies.
Don't worry about the socks possibly being too wide - if they are, a couple of washes in hot water and a run through a hot dryer will usually shrink them down.
I bought my mom several pairs of bariatric slipper socks for her recovery from foot surgery, and now everyone in the family wants some, simply because they fit so much more comfortably. They'll be my stocking stuffers this year.
posted by Lunaloon at 10:29 AM on November 8, 2018 [3 favorites]
Don't worry about the socks possibly being too wide - if they are, a couple of washes in hot water and a run through a hot dryer will usually shrink them down.
I bought my mom several pairs of bariatric slipper socks for her recovery from foot surgery, and now everyone in the family wants some, simply because they fit so much more comfortably. They'll be my stocking stuffers this year.
posted by Lunaloon at 10:29 AM on November 8, 2018 [3 favorites]
When I buy socks, I always do the stretch test, which is pull at the cuffs to see how much they stretch. If I can't stretch a sock (ie because its packaged in a plastic bag) I don't buy them.
In addition to the bariatric term above, try diabetic, circulation, soft top, roll top and no elastic socks.
posted by Ftsqg at 10:44 AM on November 8, 2018
In addition to the bariatric term above, try diabetic, circulation, soft top, roll top and no elastic socks.
posted by Ftsqg at 10:44 AM on November 8, 2018
Best answer: Sock It To Me's wide calf socks are fabulous. I have 18" calves and size 11 extra-wide feet, and the knee high, wide calf socks stay up and comfy all day long.
posted by esoterrica at 12:49 PM on November 8, 2018 [2 favorites]
posted by esoterrica at 12:49 PM on November 8, 2018 [2 favorites]
Echoing Sock It to Me for fun socks. Even their regular width socks often work on my thick calves. Ozone Socks are delightful but more hit or miss, size wise.
posted by spindrifter at 7:24 PM on November 8, 2018
posted by spindrifter at 7:24 PM on November 8, 2018
I love Rocknsocks knee-highs for not cutting into my big calves. Haven’t tried any of their shorter ones.
posted by lakeroon at 7:36 PM on November 8, 2018
posted by lakeroon at 7:36 PM on November 8, 2018
Response by poster: I got some generic XL slipper socks and some generic black diabetic socks from Amazon; and my first-ever well-fitting AND fun full-calf socks from Sock It To Me, and they are delightful! My legs are much happier.
posted by telepanda at 2:42 PM on January 2, 2019 [1 favorite]
posted by telepanda at 2:42 PM on January 2, 2019 [1 favorite]
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by brainmouse at 9:51 AM on November 8, 2018 [11 favorites]