Adventures with Injinji Toe Socks (review)

Photo 1: No-show sock, Injinji.

I was completely skeptical about toe socks for running. I mean, toe socks were something of a fad when I was in middle school--knee high, rainbow striped toe socks were at every slumber party, bar none. But the concept intrigued me.

Injinji, The Original Performance Toe Sock (words I had never imagined butted against one another), lists many benefits to a toe sock for sportswear:

The advantages of toesocks are so plentiful once you experience them, you may not want to wear any other sock again. The 5 toe sleeve design and superior fiber construction provides:- Proper Toe Alignment (makes for healthier happy feet)- Superior Moisture Management (drier and less smelly feet)- Better posture, better balance (you get full use of your toes!)- Blister and hotspot prevention (relieve some of that foot pain)- Tactile Feel (enabling natural feel and movement in ANY shoe)

I jumped on the opportunity to buy my first few pairs when Injinji tweeted about launching their new website just a few weeks ago. I bought a midweight three pack--one pair of crew socks and two pairs of "no-show" socks--to take them for a spin. *5/17/13 edit: Injinji now sells Run 2.0 socks (read my review of Run 2.0 here). The version reviewed in this blog is the original run sock (now in the sale section).

Before I even received my socks, though, I was impressed with the quality of the customer service. I placed my order, my card was charged, and I was waiting patiently... So I contact them after about ten business days. They admitted to having some difficulty with the automated shipping system and upgraded me to free two-day shipping! I got my socks by the end of the week. How sweet!

Photo 2: No-show sock, Injinji; note heel slip at back.

I've taken the time since then to wear them, run in them, wash them, and see how I like the fit (since these are no ordinary socks). My overall impression is that I think my feet benefit from the feeling of having all my toes free to work individually as I run. These socks did not give me the "slip" feeling that I sometimes get with other socks, where your toes are all grouped together like a mitten.

And that's what I kept thinking--why shouldn't my toes all be separate and available to move about individually? My fingers are. Sure, I depend on my fingers quite a bit more than my toes, but as a runner, my toes are pretty important to my feet.

Photo 3: Injinji toe sock

I did noticed a little bit of pilling in my first and second washes of the socks. (I wash all my running clothes--shorts, tops, undergarments, socks, jackets, etc.--in a cold, gentle cycle and dry per the garment's instructions.) But pilling is probably common for high-friction materials like socks. At least, I've noticed it happening with my other (non-compression) running socks.

Other points of interest:

• You do need to take a bit of time to fit your toes into the toes of the sock. It's not like a dress fitting, though, so it's not going to add to your pre-run time (trust me). 
• I noticed that I needed to cut my toenails a little shorter to be comfortable. Ultimately that's not a huge deal, but I thought I'd mention it.
• Make sure you follow their sizing guide correctly. Originally I thought I was a size large (because as a lady who has always worn a size 10 or 11, I thought I'd for sure be a large). However, I'm glad I checked with someone on Injinji's Twitter account who let me know that I am, in fact, a size medium!
• The "no-show" socks also have a heel slip to protect against rubbing. (See photo #2.) Somehow I managed to not get a picture of the crew sock (pink), but it doesn't require the heel slip because it hits higher above the shoe to prevent rubbing.

All in all, I feel very positively about Injinji as a company and about their socks. The toe socks are a solid addition to my rotation of running gear now and, in time, I'd like to add more as I wear out my other socks. I like the way they feel in my shoes when I'm running. And, no (thank goodness!), they don't give me foot cramps! And the way Injinji responded to my concern about not receiving my shipment in a timely manner shows me that they care about their customers and that they want to do their best.

If you haven't given Injinji a shot yet, I recommend you do so!