If you’re in a soccer league and like to practice all year round, you’ll probably come across a variety of playing surfaces. Everything from grass to artificial turf to asphalt and futsal court material will find its way beneath your feet. Are your shoes and socks up for the challenge? The right soccer socks will be just as breathable and durable when you’re playing on a muddy field as they are when you’re on new astro turf.
People spend a lot of time tracking down the right cleats --- only to grab a random pair of socks right before they check out. It’s time to rethink that strategy. If you don’t learn how to choose soccer socks wisely, your feet could curse you later. Plus, a great pair of athletic socks will let you show off your personality from your knees to your toes. MadSportsStuff makes it easy to find socks that will work across all fields and courts. It all starts with understanding how your feet react to different playing surfaces.
Understanding Playing Surfaces
Soccer players who have been on the field long enough understand the struggles and benefits of a lot of different surfaces. You probably grew up dribbling the ball across the neighborhood asphalt and playing on grass during weekend tournaments. As you grow, you may experience what it’s like to try and score during a downpour during a high school state championship game: muddy grass and all. As an adult, you could be lucky enough to score games on an indoor field where the weather can’t interfere. Here are some of the ways the surface type can affect your game and what type of gear you need.
Outdoor Grass: Real outdoor grass is the most unpredictable of all soccer surfaces. Any well-used field will have divots and holes, and a rainy day could turn the exposed dirt into a muddy mess. Soft ground shoes are ideal for fields and football pitches where the grass sees a lot of rain, and hard ground or firm ground cleats are better for outdoor fields in dry conditions. When you’re playing on outdoor grass, your socks should be able to absorb moisture without weighing you down and handle sliding through patches of rocks or dirt.
Outdoor Artificial Turf: Artificial (sometimes called synthetic) turf is becoming more and more popular as the modern options improve. This faux grass doesn’t require watering and, inversely, it won’t become soggy and torn up after a rainfall. Players often prefer it because the surface is reliable. You can maintain your game pace absent the problems often presented by the bumpy terrain and uneven grass often found on real grass. Artificial turf also gets quite hot under the sun; hotter than natural turf. If your game socks fall while you’re running on synthetic grass, your calves could get burned when they meet the field.
Asphalt Streets: Casual pick-up games in the neighborhood may not require cleats at all. In fact, regular athletic shoes are safer when you’re playing on asphalt. When it comes to socks, you’re looking for a pair that are breathable and pair well with long pants, since you’ll often want the added protection (asphalt is unforgiving on knees).
Indoor Surfaces: Many indoor soccer games are played on artificial turf, but you may also wind up playing on concrete, gym floors, or other sport courts. Indoor soccer shoes are designed specifically for these synthetic materials. When you’re picking out soccer socks for an indoor game, keep in mind the space can get a lot warmer without the benefit of a breeze. Focus on breathability and moisture wicking.
Best Socks for Athletic Performance on All Surfaces
Regular tube socks might suffice when you’re dribbling the ball around in your driveway, but you’ll soon realize that an upgrade is in order when you’re playing in an actual game. Tall, high performing socks keep you safer and more comfortable while you’re in competition. Socks in the MadSportsStuff inventory are built to last, keep you from overheating, and protect against scrapes. The right socks for playing soccer should also fit snugly around your shin guards and be easily washed without stretching. Here’s how to know if you’re investing in socks designed for athletic performance across all playing surfaces.
Materials: Many socks are comprised primarily of cotton. Cotton socks may stay up near your knees and protect against scrapes, but you could be overheating by the end of the game -- especially if you’re playing on an artificial turf field or indoor court. Cotton blends also don’t wick sweat very well. In other words: your socks will get soggy and heavy throughout the course of a game.
An ideal blend for your soccer game socks includes polypropylene, nylon, spandex, and polyester. The most popular sock options from MadSportsStuff feature proprietary fiber blends like: 77% Polypropylene, 17% Nylon, 3% Elastic , 3% Lycra Spandex, or, 94% Nylon, 3% Elastic, and 3% Lycra Spandex. If you find a pair of socks with a good blend of these fibers, you’re on the right track.
Sizing: Wearing socks that are the wrong size won’t help you on any playing surface, but especially on hard ground fields and courts where you want extra shin and calf protection. Always read the sizing details when you’re choosing the right pair helps ensure that you’re comfortable until the final whistle. At MadSportStuff, finding the right size is simple. Our sizing chart outlines which socks are right for you based on your shoe size. Just find your shoe size on the chart and you’ll know which sock size is the best choice.
Design: Many of the best soccer socks for all surface types feature advanced design technology and details. Modern soccer sock design lets you focus on your kicking and passing form and not on adjusting your gear. Some key features to look for include seamless toes, cushion on the sole, a lot of stretch, and compression technology. It’s hard enough to dribble up a grass field with bumps and divots -- you don’t want to get distracted by socks that are slowly balling up in the front of your shoe. Even on reliable indoor turf, efficient and comfortable socks keep your legs better protected.
How to Wear Soccer Socks the Right Way
New players often wonder how soccer socks are worn. You’re not alone! Do the shin guards go under or over your socks? Should you fold your socks down at the top? There are some tips to wearing your new high socks across all playing surfaces. If your shin guards have built-in ankle support, you’ll put your shin guards on first and then pull your socks up so that they fully cover your guards. For shin guards without ankle protection, Soccer.com recommends putting your socks and cleats on first, then positioning your shin guards and pulling your socks up over the top. Some players prefer to fold their socks down a bit below the knee, but this is a personal preference so you can wear them all the way up without inhibiting your play.
If you’re playing on a particularly tough turf (or with new shoes and guards), you may want to protect yourself by doubling up on socks. In that case, you should put on both pairs of socks, roll the second pair down, and then position your shin guards before pulling the second pair up again. This method may protect against blisters and provide extra ankle protection.
Why MadSportsStuff Socks Work on All Surfaces
The bold sock designs sold on MadSportsStuff work on playing surfaces from wet grass to sport courts and artificial turf. They can even be used while you’re playing on a futsal court. Their high-performance features mean they work with all types of outdoor cleats, and they can fit your feet comfortably while you’re wearing indoor soccer shoes. Some of the best features of our socks include: moisture wicking, arch and ankle compression, blister control, lightweight fiber blend, double welt top, and infused alphasan antimicrobials to control bacteria growth and odor.
The crazy socks on MadSportsStuff, both crew and over the calf also have accurate sizing, so you don’t have to guess if the size you order will fit. Your new socks won’t cut off your circulation and have you tripping over the astro turf by the second half, and they stay put so your shins are protected all the way to the knee.
Learning to play on different types of surfaces is all a part of becoming a soccer pro. Whether you’re outfitting your youth soccer team or gearing up for your own adult league, the socks on MadSportsStuff are up for the challenge. You get to pick from a wide array of designs, and you benefit from our top quality. All our socks are made with love right here in the USA! Get started now by browsing our crazy soccer socks collection and choosing the pair that matches your personality and team colors.
