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  • If you want to keep your feet comfortable, protected against blisters, and with added support, you need great socks.
  • If you want to do all that without your socks ruining an outfit, you need great no-show socks.
  • The Feetures! High Performance Ultra Light No Show Tab Socks are the best no-show socks you can buy, thanks to their fine fabric blend and bands of Lycra for compression and support.

I lived in Los Angeles for 12 years, and during that time, no-show socks played a relatively minor role in my life. From mid-March through November, I wore sandals most of the time, and then during the LA “winter” I wore shoes with long socks under jeans. And usually a T-shirt – LA winters aren’t all that intense, see?

Now that I live in the Mid-Atlantic region of the East Coast, no-show socks have become much more of a thing in my life, and for multiple reasons. One is rain. When it’s raining, sandals are a bad choice. But when it’s raining and it’s 90 degrees out, no way am I donning long pants with longs socks, and of course, I’ll not be caught dead with long socks sticking up out of my shoes.

Another reason is the fact that there are actual seasons here during which daily temperatures can change dramatically. While I might start a fall day wearing long pants and a jacket, I may have switched to shorts and a long sleeve shirt by early afternoon. And, thus, to no-show socks again.

While it might seem funny to devote so much thought to choosing socks that, by their very nature, won't even be seen by anyone, when your shoddy pair of no-shows slips off your foot and balls up in your shoe, or when it turns out that your socks are very much showing, you'll wish you had invested just a bit more time into choosing the right pair.

Also, you'll be amazed what a difference a great sock can make in offering support during running, hikes, or long walks. I know I was, at any rate, when I first started wearing great socks, many of which you would never even know I had on.

Here are the best no-show socks you can buy:

Read on in the slides below to check out our top picks.

The best no-show socks overall

Foto: sourceFeetures

Why you'll love them: Your feet will enjoy superb support thanks to the Lycra power bands stitched into every Feetures! Ultra Light No Show Tab Socks.

Just to clear the air here, I own five or six pairs of Feetures! socks at present, and yes, my opinion about them is probably biased. But I've developed that bias based solely on the fact that the company makes superlative socks. The High Performance Ultra Light No Show Tab Socks are one of the most comfortable, supportive, and high-performing socks I've ever worn, and that goes for no-shows, crew socks, hiking socks, and on and on.

First, let's talk about support. These socks are made out of a high-density knit blend of polyester, nylon, and spandex, so they are snug and resilient, conforming well to your feet with zero stretching out even during hours of use. A "power band" of added Lycra around the center of the sock offers excellent arch support and compression.

Now for temperature regulation. Not only do the primarily polyester Feetures! No Show Tab Socks wick away plenty of sweat, but two large mesh panels along the top of each sock allows for excellent breathability and release of heat.

These socks were designed for performance, and I do wear Feetures! socks while running at times, but I wear them more often just because they're comfortable.

With nearly 200 reviews posted on Amazon at the time of this writing, customers have given these socks a collective 4.4-star rating. One lady reported her "feet feeling energized after a four mile run" in Feetures! No Show Tab Socks, while another customer reported the socks keeping his feet "dry" and without "any rubbing at all" during training for a marathon.

Pros: Excellent support, great breathability, durable construction

Cons: Slightly pricey per pair

Buy a pair of Feetures! High Performance Ultra Light No Show Tab Socks on Amazon for $13

The best no-show socks for men's dress shoes

Foto: sourceThirty48

Why you'll love them: With a pair of Thirty48 No Show Loafer Socks tucked under your loafers, boat shoes, or stylish sneakers, your feet will stay cool and dry whether you're sailing the high seas or swapping ideas at a lunchtime meeting.

Certain types of shoes are tricky. Loafers, slip-ons, moccasins, and a few other types of men's shoes really only look good when worn without socks, and that's true whether you're wearing shorts or long pants. While some boat shoes or slip-on sneakers might feel fine without socks, others feel clammy or poke your feet or cause rubbing and blisters with any extended wear.

Enter the Thirty48 No Show Loafer Socks. These extra low-riding now show socks come in a variety of colors that blend into most dressier shoes and that won't draw attention when worn with sneakers if anyone sees them at all.

The Thirty48 No Show Loafer Socks have a very low rise at the back of the foot, just covering your heel and eliminating a common hotspot for blisters. They stay in place thanks to a silicone grip stitched into the sock at the heel, so even if you're quite active while wearing them, they rarely slip off and bunch up.

On those hot days, these thin, minimalist socks help keep your feet cool thanks to patented CoolPlus fabric design that uses a capillary system to draw moisture and heat away from your feet.

More than 1,500 people have left reviews and ratings for the Thirty48 No Show Loafer Socks, and they enjoy a fine 4.5-star rating overall. A gentleman Daniel speaks for many when he says these socks "fit well, the rubber heel ensures the sock stays on the foot, and the different colors are [well] matched to all [his] shoes."

A writer from The Gear Hunt praised the Thirty48 No Show Loafer Sock's "moisture wicking" properties and appreciated that the sock "stays on your feet."

Pros: Very low profile, silicone band holds sock in place, available in several muted colors

Cons: Elastic wring around collar too tight for some feet

Buy a six-pack of Thirty48 No Show Loafer Socks on Amazon for $20

The best no-show socks for women's dress shoes

Foto: sourceEedor

Why you'll love it: The Eedor Thin Casual Boat Line Sock won't stick up above even a low-cut flat thanks to the low-rise back, which just covers the heel.

Many women's shoes have a low cut to begin with, so many otherwise no-show socks will very much show when worn with flats, pumps, and other types of shoe. With a pair of Eedor Thin Casual Boat Line Socks on your feet, you can enjoy the blister protection afforded by socks without the faux pas of visible socks.

While quite low cut, these socks stay in place thanks to a band of silicone affixed to the rear of the sock. The rest of your foot will be kept comfortable thanks to the snug feel created by an 80% cotton, 20% spandex fabric blend. That blend can keep your foot feeling clean and dry under most normal circumstances, but do note that if your feet sweat heavily or get wet due to rain or a puddle, these socks won't dry out any time soon - cotton holds water much more readily than synthetic fibers.

The Eedor Thin Casual Boat Line Socks come in four different colors that are generally neutral and will blend in with the look of many shoes, further enhancing the no show of it all. Also, you can get eight pairs for well under 20 bucks, which is a fine deal indeed.

With more than 3,000 reviews posted on Amazon, the Eedor Thin Casual Boat Line Socks enjoy a commendable 4.5-star rating. One customer loved that the are "very comfortable" and "stay in place all day." Another lady called them "perfect [for when you] don't want the look of socks creeping out of your shoes but you want your foot covered."

Do note that many women reported the sizing running too small, so buy accordingly.

Pros: Great low price, good color variety, stay in place reliably

Cons: Sizing runs small

Buy an eight-pack of Eedor Thin Casual Boat Line Socks on Amazon for $17

The no-show running socks

Foto: sourceLorpen

Why you'll love them: Lorpen Athletic T3 Ultra Mini Socks are made with a unique five-fabric blend that keeps your feet remarkably dry even during intense exercise.

For the record, I wear the aforementioned Feeture! socks for running all the time, both because I like them and because they're well made. But for longer distance runs, I usually don my pair of Lorpen Athletic T3 Ultra Mini Socks. Why? Foot sweat. Also, they're comfortable and stay in place well even after miles run on the road or on the trail.

The T3 Ultra Lights are so good at minimizing foot sweat and regulating heat largely because the fabric is so breathable. A looser weave across the top of the sock lets air reach your foot and heat and moisture escape it. The fabric blend contains 35% Coolmax fibers, Coolmax being a moisture-wicking fabric that has enhanced capillary action thanks to the shape of the fibers. Basically, it draws a lot of moisture off your feet. And mine.

As 36% of the sock is made from Tencel fabric (a Rayon-like semi-natural fiber) that rejects odor-causing bacteria, not only do feet tucked into Lorpen Athletic T3 Ultra Mini Socks stay drier, but they stay less pungent, too. The nylon, Lycra, and Model that finish out the fabric blend ensure compression and support and keep the socks firmly in place.

A writer from Outdoor Gear Reviews noted the Lorpen T3 sock's wide "toe box" that provides more room for "toe splay when your foot strikes the ground" and said that the blended fabric "feels very good" the first time you pull the socks on.

Pros: Great moisture wicking, durable fabric blend, wide toe box

Cons: Higher rise than other no shows

Buy a pair of Lorpen Athletic T3 Ultra Mini Socks on Amazon for $12

The best no-show toe socks

Foto: sourcePACKGOUT

Why you'll love them: The PACKGOUT No Show Toe Socks provide excellent blister protection for your toes and comfort for your whole foot whether you wear them with toe shoes or not.

I'll be honest here: I'm not a big fan of toe shoes. And neither are many podiatrists, running coaches, and other people who know a lot about feet. I don't like the look of toe shoes, and they don't suit the sort of distance road running and mixed terrain trail runs I enjoy. If you like toe shoes, though, more power to you. What we can all agree on, toe shoe fans or foes, is that PACKGOUT No Show Toe Socks are fine apparel and that they're comfortable worn in any sort of shoe.

With your toes individually encased in the cotton, spandex, and nylon blend of fabric, there is none of the skin-on-skin rubbing that can lead to blisters. The toe compartments also mean more surface area contacting your skin that allows for more moisture wicking and heat dispersion, so your foot will stay a bit drier and potentially less odorous, too.

As for the non-toe parts of these socks, the elasticity of the fabric keeps them in place while a reinforced band around the center of the sock gives arch support and compression. The 70% cotton of the blend means great comfort but slow drying if they saturate, but for moderate runs or everyday wear, the PACKGOUT No Show Toe Socks are a great choice whether or not you wear toe shoes.

More than 200 people have left reviews of the PACKGOUT No Show Toe Socks on Amazon, with the socks enjoying a fine 4.3-star averaged rating. One customer named Lyn said they had become both her "everyday and fitness socks" while another appreciates how the "low cut... make[s] these socks looks fashionable while the five fingers make them comfortable."

Pros: Great blister prevention, arch support band, good price point

Cons: Too much cotton in the blend

Buy a six-pack of PACKGOUT No Show Toe Socks on Amazon for $17.39