Socks for sensitive feet

February 1, 2022 6:42 AM

Tchozz the Younger has diagnosed sensitivity issues - think neurological rather than, say, dermatological. They would like to go on more hikes and maybe run with me, but they usually refuse to wear socks and then have trouble feeling comfortable in anything other than loose slip-on shoes which fall off. Can anyone recommend brands or materials for socks to look for that work well for middle school aged kids with diagnosed sensitivity issues around clothing?
posted by Tchozz to Sports, Hobbies, & Recreation (11 answers total)

Have they tried double-layer socks, like WrightSock? These socks have two layers, which slip around on each other rather than rubbing on the foot as much as a single layer sock.

They have have a different sensory feeling than a typical sock. I'd describe it as more slippery. It could be worth exploring, though they still do fit snug-ish like standard socks.
posted by Guess What at 6:55 AM on February 1, 2022

When I was a kid the sewn toe seam lump in some socks was terribly painful to me. Have you tried "seamless" socks, like good-quality hiking socks? Context: I'm autistic and regularly cut the labels out of my clothing, but can wear wool against my skin without difficulty.
posted by heatherlogan at 6:58 AM on February 1, 2022 [3 favorites]

I have huge sensory issues with socks and the best ones for me are very thin athletic socks that cover only my foot -- no ankle coverage at all. I own some from Aerosoles and some from Adidas. You may want to buy a few different kinds at a discount store like Marshalls and have your kid just try a bunch to see what may work. Trial and error was the way that I found the athletic socks that I'm able to wear. The two things that make me upset about socks are elastic and seams, so maybe try to see what things about socks bother your kid so that you can narrow down your options.

I was also recently shocked to learn that I can wear hand knit socks happily, because there's no elastic in them at all and no seams, but I'm not sure how helpful that is to you.
posted by twelve cent archie at 7:15 AM on February 1, 2022 [1 favorite]

Bamboo knit socks are wonderfully soft; something like seamless, non-binding crew socks might be worth a try? Link is to an example at Amazon, but they're available other places, too. They may not wear like iron (or Darn Tough), but they are comfy as heck and I'm wearing a pair right now.
posted by vers at 7:19 AM on February 1, 2022 [2 favorites]

agree need more info as to what the problem is -- like is it heat, or friction on the toes, or tightness of elastic on the leg, or all of those? They'll require different solutions.

for my kid - not "diagnosed" but definitely with sensitivity issues - the keys are no design (which tend to create friction in the weave) and wearing them inside out to reduce the sensation of seams. I get her the plainest, thin cotton ankle socks I can (avoids heat and squeeziness on the leg) and she wears them inside out. Usually they have something appropriate at Costco.

Bamboo socks are extremely soft, if softness is a goal.

Obviously if heat is an issue, avoid anything like wool. I know some people like them and it's a mystery to me. They're SO hot, and if your skin reacts to the wool like mine does, they are simple torture.
posted by fingersandtoes at 7:41 AM on February 1, 2022 [1 favorite]

My sock-hating sensory kid has really liked Smart Kids Knit seamless socks. They are basically a soft tube. We got multiples in the same color and then I don't even need to make pairs.
posted by machine at 7:42 AM on February 1, 2022

Instead of trying to find the ideal socks, maybe you could consider trying to find shoes that are okay for hiking but don't require socks? Apologies if you've already tried this route and this isn't a helpful line of inquiry.

Merrell has a bunch of "Water Sports" shoes that I've successfully hiked in before. They smelled pretty bad after awhile, but they worked.

Tevas are a classic hiking-friendly sandal

Vibram Five Fingers are very different

Vasque has some hiking slip ons that look like they might be laundrable so wearing this without socks seems possible

I've also found that making sure my socks are sized correctly - nontrivial with a growing middle schooler, I'm sure - makes them much more comfortable because the seams don't move around on my foot as much and they don't bunch up around my heel.
posted by A Blue Moon at 8:07 AM on February 1, 2022 [3 favorites]

My 8 year old has hated socks for years, and almost only has one kind that she'll exclusively wear. Up until recently our best option were a brand of bamboo "seamless" socks called Rambutan. You can buy them on Amazon, but they are a little pricier there and don't have the selection. The company is in Israel though, so shipping is a little longer direct from them. When you get any seamless socks, you want to go ahead and turn them inside-out and trim any lose threads. Or just try having them wear the socks inside-out to begin with.
posted by bizzyb at 10:43 AM on February 1, 2022 [2 favorites]

As one who goes barefoot as much as I can possibly get away with, which turns out to be almost all of the time, I have never understood why people habitually wear their socks with the seams on the inside. I mean, come on. That's just nonsense.
posted by flabdablet at 6:38 PM on February 1, 2022

Response by poster: Thank you all for the recommendations of brands and stores to try. That's super helpful! I think we will pick up some of these different socks to try and then move on to the next challenge: shoes! We might pick up some of the open hiking shoes suggested, but Tchozz the Younger would really like to do some exercise and sports, so we want to try to figure out closed shoes. They did play soccer for a few years before the pandemic, so it's been done before.

One person asked whether we could just ask Tchozz the Younger what they dislike about socks. Their verbal skills are just fine, but they often struggle to articulate internal states, particularly in moments of frustration. So when we ask "what don't you like about it?" the usual answer is: "I JUST DON'T!" We're patiently working on it!
posted by Tchozz at 5:50 AM on February 2, 2022

If their sensory objection to shoes is the same as mine, it comes down to hating hating hating the feel of an even slightly rigid edge running past the underneath of my ankle bones and around the back of my heels. If that's what's going on, you might have more luck with boots than shoes.
posted by flabdablet at 7:31 PM on February 4, 2022