I have not work socks in 8 years. Yes, you get an occasional blister now and then but it's rare. I too just shower in my sneakers after my runs and I have never had a problem with odor or a foul smell. If you treat your running shoes like you would your socks and keep them clean there will not be a problem.
Andre wrote:
I like running without socks, especially if it's raining outside (I have less to absorb rainwater without socks). However, running without socks makes your shoes smell HORRIBLE! It got to the point where I'd have to take them to and from meets inside a plastic bag just to keep my teammates from complaining about the smell. Finally, I just gave in to peer pressure, and started wearing socks all time, instead of just some of the time.
Same here. The some teammates at the time always wore their track or XC spikes sockless. A lot of us trained wearing standard running shoes without socks. I was no exception. Running without socks does make your shoes smell HORRIBLE!! The teammates that wore socks complained about the odor if they were not in a bag of some sort. A bout of athletes foot started, combined with mowing wet lawns in old running shoes without socks, and the "burn" took root quickly. I went to my local clinic to have it checked out. They asked me if run and workout a lot and what type of footwear and socks that I wear. I told her I run and wear XC and street running shoes and no socks. She wrote my response down into her records. She looked at my around my toes and made note of the odor. She suggested good moisture wicking socks should always be worn. In my case, no exceptions. Moisture on the skin and bacteria buildup in the shoes was causing my issue she said. They prescribed a clear gel and antiperspirant lotion. The next day I had a xc meet. I decided not to wear socks since it was raining and did not yet purchase and good ones yet. I came in third place and the team placed first. My feet around the toes felt like they were on fire, like on the commercials. The shoes were socked from the rain. Sitting down at the bench I took them off to put on sandals. That was the last time that I wore them. I had left them outside my door to dry, I quickly received complaints about them being their and smelling the area up and offered me a can of Lisol. I tossed my in the trash. I started to wear socks part of the time while running. Eventually wearing those lower cut socks all the time now with all new running shoes. No athletes foot since then and very little foot odor. There was one time I forgot my socks, since I had worn my sandals. I ran my weekly long run anyway. I was fine on the run and no blisters. Just after finishing, I realized how sweaty my feet felt. I quickly removed them and took the insoles out. I layed them out on the grass to dry in the sun while I completed my post run stretch.
Olde Tymer wrote:
the first poster is correct - in olden tymes we mostly wore the onitsuka tigers or early nike prototypes. the really lucky guys would go and buy adidas if they wanted to buy them out of pocket.
the shoes, too, were much lighter and relatively easy to break in. the only people i know who had blister problems were the ones' who used borrowed shoes which had more or less conformed to the shape of the foot of the previous occupant. yup, shoes were sometimes passed down. at the end of the season at my high school the AD would take all the old shoes, tying the laces together, then store them in a closet until the following year.
i dealt with one pair once; they were nicely fossilized and held together in one spot with athletic tape as the sole had started to separate from the upper.
yeah, real rugged frontier-style running. i remember they were the Cortez.
Similar deal, here, but pre-Nike. My HS issued us these black Converse "running shoes" which were basically basketball sneakers slightly modified so we could run on a concrete indoor track with wood banking in the 4 corners at the National Guard Armory in Boston. Turned 'em back in each season. You'd wanna wear socks.
Save a Buck wrote:
Does anyone still run without socks? I know some old-timers who do, but their shoes are very well broken in.
I have tried it but find my feet get sliced, one older guy said to me that it took less time to break shoes in back in the day.
I would figure not needing socks would be one less expense.
I don't wear socks- I don't like them. I find them very uncomfortable. I even tried the expensive ones.
I don't like the "friction". I don't get blisters (anymore). But, I started running in 1971 and didn't wear socks. Through the years I've worn them on and off but I've settled on not wearing them.
I walked 10 miles through 5 feet of snow to school... one way.. without shoes!
I've found that it's difficult to find mens' ultrathin running socks, so I wear womens' Danskin Ultralite NoShow socks at $7 for 6 pair at Walmart. They prevent blisters, sliding in the shoe, and smells and fit my 9.5 shoe. Swiftwick also makes some really thin socks, so I have a few pair of them as well.
I have different socks for different conditions and workouts. Your feet hit the ground about 10,000 times every hour of running and socks are the only thing making direct contact with your feet. It makes sense to have good socks.
When I find socks I really like on sale, I'll buy a dozen pair or so.
Save a Buck wrote:
Does anyone still run without socks? I know some old-timers who do, but their shoes are very well broken in.
I have tried it but find my feet get sliced, one older guy said to me that it took less time to break shoes in back in the day.
I would figure not needing socks would be one less expense.
This made me lol ahaha. Nice troll. I personally don't like running sock less because my calves get beat up quickly! Also, my spikes fit a half size big so I wear CEP socks. Work perfectly and my calves don't burn as much when i'm running the 800 & 400! Some cheap running socks you can invest in that will last are thick Balega socks. Should last you quite a while! I have both thick and thin.
I always run sockless. In my everyday shoes I don't use socks either. It helps with building foot strength.
Randy44 wrote:
Andre wrote:I like running without socks, especially if it's raining outside (I have less to absorb rainwater without socks). However, running without socks makes your shoes smell HORRIBLE! It got to the point where I'd have to take them to and from meets inside a plastic bag just to keep my teammates from complaining about the smell. Finally, I just gave in to peer pressure, and started wearing socks all time, instead of just some of the time.
Same here. The some teammates at the time always wore their track or XC spikes sockless. A lot of us trained wearing standard running shoes without socks. I was no exception. Running without socks does make your shoes smell HORRIBLE!! The teammates that wore socks complained about the odor if they were not in a bag of some sort. A bout of athletes foot started, combined with mowing wet lawns in old running shoes without socks, and the "burn" took root quickly. I went to my local clinic to have it checked out. They asked me if run and workout a lot and what type of footwear and socks that I wear. I told her I run and wear XC and street running shoes and no socks. She wrote my response down into her records. She looked at my around my toes and made note of the odor. She suggested good moisture wicking socks should always be worn. In my case, no exceptions. Moisture on the skin and bacteria buildup in the shoes was causing my issue she said. They prescribed a clear gel and antiperspirant lotion. The next day I had a xc meet. I decided not to wear socks since it was raining and did not yet purchase and good ones yet. I came in third place and the team placed first. My feet around the toes felt like they were on fire, like on the commercials. The shoes were socked from the rain. Sitting down at the bench I took them off to put on sandals. That was the last time that I wore them. I had left them outside my door to dry, I quickly received complaints about them being their and smelling the area up and offered me a can of Lisol. I tossed my in the trash. I started to wear socks part of the time while running. Eventually wearing those lower cut socks all the time now with all new running shoes. No athletes foot since then and very little foot odor. There was one time I forgot my socks, since I had worn my sandals. I ran my weekly long run anyway. I was fine on the run and no blisters. Just after finishing, I realized how sweaty my feet felt. I quickly removed them and took the insoles out. I layed them out on the grass to dry in the sun while I completed my post run stretch.
Lie^
Finding the right socks to wear is challenging. For long runs I wear Drymax socks like this one:
http://www.drymaxsports.com/product/triathlete-double-tab/
I will wear the thin no-shows that they have in their line of socks.
I rather not worry about socks, but my feet really sweat.
I do wear VFF shoes without socks at times for building foot strength.
I was like you, not wearing socks all the time. Unfortunately, a bad case of foot fungus changed my mind. I think wearing old running shoes while mowing lawns in the summer at that time, without socks, was the biggest factor. Also, I was tired of the embarrassment of the smell. I also noticed my shoes last a little longer.
back in my day... wrote:
I walked 10 miles through 5 feet of snow to school... one way.. without shoes!
Yeah, and uphill both ways.
I've been in and out of the sock thing over the years. The main thing I do when transitioning out of socks is to lube my feet with a good hand moisturizer. It keeps your feet from having dry spots so friction can't build up and cause blisters.
The smell is definitely annoying as I noticed it eventually transfers from my shoes to my feet. But hey, I don't have any friends and I definitely don't have to worry about offending any girls.