Since 2010, there's been an increasing endemic among the best soccer players whereby they cut their team socks in order to wear their own options underneath. Most often, this is so they can wear their own grip socks.
As the best soccer cleats are all designed with performance in mind, the best grip socks do, too. These socks help to prevent feet from sliding around inside of cleats, as well as providing more traction when pushing off.
In boasting benefits like improving comfort, reducing the risk of blisters, improving the lockdown feeling inside cleats and making sharp changes of direction more responsive, grip socks offer the marginal gain that professionals are all seeking to take their game to the next level. Accessories can also be essential for other players on the pitch - fortunately we also have guides on the best goalkeeper gloves and best soccer cleat insoles.
The popularity of grip socks has grown to a staggering height in the past decade, but with hundreds of different options available, it can often be overwhelming in choosing the best. Thankfully, I've broken down the six options most-worth buying to improve your performance.
Best grip socks for soccer
First-worn by world class players at the top of the game, Trusox are the true pioneers of the grip sock industry having burst onto the scene at the start of the 2010s.
With suede-like grip pads on the inside and outside of the sock, Trusox help to enhance the underfoot traction through their patented grip technology. What I love is that the socks come in a range of colors, thicknesses and lengths, so I'm never short of options to get the perfect fit and feel.
In terms of performance, not many grip socks come close in my opinion. It’s like your feet are glued to your cleats which is exactly what you want from a pair of grip socks.
Right now, WeFoot grip socks are my favourite pair available. Popular in South Korea, WeFoot grip socks are worn by the likes of Heung-min Son and have been expertly designed with the latest technology: several polyurethane grip pads line both the inside and outside of the socks, and have been inspired by the suction cups of Octopi.
I love that the socks come in various options in terms of thickness and also length, too, ensuring they truly cater for each individual player and what they want.
On top of that, they're super comfortable and, thanks to the anatomical design, they fit supremely. The performance of the grip is one of the best on the market and work well even when water or sweat gets on them.
Adidas’ venture into the grip sock industry is not one to be overlooked. Their socks are a more premium version of a lot of the traditional grip socks we see everywhere, with a unique feel to them as well.
Not only do the silicone heat-printed nodules run along the bottom of the sock, but they also feature up the heel, too. This is an area that other brands don't seem to focus a lot on, but they can certainly help when it comes to preventing heel slippage as well as enhanced lockdown.
The socks have an anatomical design to improve the fit and also do a great job of providing a greater level of underfoot traction compared to regular soccer socks. Adidas have the socks available in black or white and also offer a thin and cushioned version.
In typical Nike fashion, I found their grip socks is very different to what is offered by other brands. Nike have their NikeGrip material woven into the sock in a 360-degree contouring pattern and also running up the heel, meaning that the player experiences grip around the entire foot - instead of just the sole and the heel.
I loved the lockdown sensation this provided, while the contouring pattern enables the socks to be worn on either foot depending on the desired direction of traction.
What I didn't love so much is that I found the grip of the socks works better in tandem with Nike cleats, as the insoles sometimes feature NikeGrip as well. This does detract from their quality as a result, because I felt less confident wearing an Adidas or Puma cleat with the socks. There's a lack of colors available, too, which isn't ideal for gameday.
Among the most popular grip socks with grassroots player, I'm also a huge fan of the Gain The Edge grip socks. In addition to a sock that is great value for money you get a high level of performance, ideal for those on a budget but still wanting the benefits of a grip sock.
While the design is lost simpler than other options, Gain The Edge is still a sports sock with a cushioning, sweat-wicking material and targeted compression, along with several silicone nubs along the bottom of the sock that offer a good level of underfoot traction. There's plenty of colors to choose from, too, so whatever colour your home and away kits are, you should be covered.
Unknown to a lot of people, the Falke 4Grip are one of the best grip socks on the market. Featuring stabilising compression zones, silicone nubs along the sole of the sock and the heel, an anatomical fit and a moisture wicking 3-layer construction, they're extremely premium and immediately feel that way once put on feet.
What I did find, however, is that the silicone grip nubs are minimalistic and so thereofre don't provide as much grip while inside the boot as other options. With that being said, there's good levels of cushioning and comfort, while they do still improve on lockdown.
How we test grip socks
Testing of grip socks is carried out by our expert in all things soccer-technology, who tries on as many pairs over the course of a number of training sessions and games to truly ascertain the performance level of each product.
Factors to consider in the performance of each grip sock centred on comfort, lockdown and, of course, grip, with the expert considering the claims made by each brand to cut straight through to the crux of how they actually feel while playing soccer. This helps with simple yet detailed advice for players of all levels.
How to choose the best grip socks
Unlike with soccer cleats, grip socks are all a lot closer aligned in what they offer players, though there are some that are certainly a lot better than others.
Key factors to consider are choosing socks that actually fit your feet, otherwise the specific elements you're wanting to gain an advantage from simply won't work as well. Some brands offer a different thickness to their socks - so if you prefer more cushioning, a thicker sock is better. Similarly, some players prefer a lightweight, minimalist feel - therefore, thin socks are more suited.
It really all comes down to personal preference.
