The interest in parkour has been growing year on year, but in 2019 we’ve seen some of the biggest growth in the industry. More people than ever are getting involved with the parkour scene either performing themselves or following some of the big names.
There’s no doubt that the culture has evolved and it’s now more accessible than ever. Beyond the activity itself there’s now a philosophy and style underpinning it. A distinctive look has emerged in clothing and branding that is spreading internationally. More specialist parkour clothing is being introduced as some of the most popular traceurs set up their own companies.
It’s no wonder that more people are starting to get involved with parkour and take it up themselves. Parkour itself only relies upon you, and no other equipment, but you have to be careful, especially when you’re starting out. Without some of the right gear you risk some pretty serious injury. Thankfully there’s plenty of parkour clothing to choose from.
Parkour Protective Clothing
Parkour has a distinctive style. It’s about finding something unique that fits your personality and getting noticed. However, parkour clothing also has another important function, it’s there to offer protection and support.
Whether you’ve been involved with parkour before or not you’ll be aware of what it entails. It’s intense movement over a range of surfaces, often from building to building. There’s a lot of risks involved if you slip or fall (which you undoubtedly will when training), but even when everything goes right your body will be absorbing a lot of impact and being put under strain.
Before you hit the streets to take part you should consider upgrading your wardrobe. There’s a wide selection of parkour clothing available that offers extra protection, from pants and tops to accessories, and it’s really worth your time getting set up properly.
Contents
Parkour Socks: Protecting Your Feet and Giving Your Grip
While you might focus on the more stylish parkour clothing like hoodies or tops, it’s the parkour socks that you really don’t want to overlook. Socks might not seem like they’re important, but when you consider how important your feet are for parkour you’ll suddenly start to realise that they need the right layers on top.
Without the right pair of socks you can easily injure yourself, damage your soles, sprain toes, slip, fall, get blisters or cause other injuries that will put you out of action. In fact there aren’t many other physical activities where the right pair of socks will be so important.
Socks used for parkour aren’t necessarily parkour specific, but there will be certain qualities you’ll want to make sure you have. They need to be thick and durable. This means they’ll offer your feet protection and not tear (or allow your skin to tear) while you train. They also need to be well fitted with excellent grip. This will stop them sliding within your parkour shoe and allow them to hug your feet tightly, maximising your range of movement.
There’s a lot of different choices out there, but we’ve identified what we think are the best 3 pairs of socks for parkour. Let’s take a closer look.
Best Socks for Parkour
Footy Sox: Anti-Slip Socks
Footy Sox Anti Slip Socks look up to the job from the moment you see them. The noticeable ridges show they mean business and won’t compromise when it comes to grip. They’re available in 3 different colours offering a wide range of choice for buyers.
Footy Sox make a range of products but specialize in their socks and accessories. They have designed and delivered solutions to a lot of problems by creating socks which can grip on different surfaces. They’ve incorporated a lot of functionality into the humble sock, and this comes through with this product.
Key Features:
- Tough but Soft
Made to be durable but comfortable, the Footy Sox Anti Slip Socks are made from 97% and 3% spandex. The material is hand knitted and therefore more durable, making it extremely difficult to tear. The Footy Sox socks are breathable to keep you dry and remove sweat, perfect for intense physical activity.
- Grip
Ridges along the back of the socks give a high level of grip even on smooth surfaces. This will allow you to keep you balance even at a difficult angle, a perfect quality for traceurs.
- Great Fit
Suitable even for wider feet, the Footy Sox Anti Slip socks are designed to hug your feet tightly. The increased arch support keeps the sock where it is so it won’t slide at any point.
This sock is designed to be well suited for activities like yoga, pilates or parkour. It’s guaranteed not to slip and will keep your feet dry and well protected. Definitely a strong option when it comes to parkour socks.
Drymax Hot Weather Run Mini Crew Socks
The Drymax Hot Weather Socks are designed to mirror performance socks for runners but with slight tweaks for parkour. This sock has extreme sweat protection, allowing you to stay dry even in hot conditions. This makes it the perfect sock for Spring or Summer.
Drymax themselves are a new company, founded in 2018, that produce socks and other accessories. They specialise in creating socks which are dry and resistant to sweat, using some of the latest technology to do so. With a wide variety of very popular socks it’s no surprise they made the list.
Key Features:
- Sweat Resistant
The number one feature of this sock is its ability to handle sweat. The wicking used will remove even a large amount of sweat with ease which is important when your having an intense training period. This helps keep you cool and avoid any unfortunate odour problems.
- Great Fit
The Drymax socks are built like running socks which means the fit is incredible. The snug and secure fit allows you to move quickly with confidence that the sock won’t slip.
- Blister Resistant
The material and fit of this sock helps prevent any blisters on your feet when training. Plus by keeping your feet dry it helps reduce any other issues that might occur. This is crucial to allow you to keep training without interruption.
Drymax know feet and they certainly know socks. They’ve created a versatile running sock which has been adapted for parkour, making it the perfect companion for your training. One of the best socks for parkour out there and definitely one to consider.
Injinji Run 2.0 Parkour Socks
The last sock on our list is the Injinji Run 2.0. This one is slightly different from the others as it’s a toe sock. This means that each individual toe has its own pocket, allowing for a greater range of movement and increased protection for each toe. There’s a minimalist design which is subtle but some strong materials that guarantee a long lifespan for this sock.
Injinji are sock specialists, making toe socks that are well suited for performance. They’ve been operating for almost 20 years creating solutions for athletes and investing in technology to improve sports socks. There aren’t many companies with better credentials when it comes to creating footwear for parkour!
Key Features:
- Blister Proof
The separation of the toes in these socks lowers the friction dramatically. This essentially makes these socks blister proof, preventing anything nasty popping up to interfere with your training.
- Better Grip
While the sock itself is built with grip, the separation of the toes allows for greater levels of movement. This in turn allows you to physically grip onto surfaces with your toes much more easily. As you can imagine this has many positive advantages for parkour practitioners.
- Durable
A similar theme for all these socks, but the materials used here mean that this sock is not very susceptible to damage. A lightweight combination of materials gives you full range of motion but with no risk of tearing the fabric.
The toe sock fit can definitely take some getting used to, but for activities like parkour you’ll likely find you won’t want to go back. This sock is designed to feel like another layer of sick and therefore avoid any of the side effects that can come from parkour. A really well designed sock and worth looking into further.
Choosing your Parkour Socks
Hopefully you’ll now have more understanding of the importance of having the right pair of socks for parkour and all of these socks offer a range of features that make them suitable. There are slightly different styles but all of them will allow you to train for longer, secure in the knowledge that your feet are better for it.