Your gym has changed. Your socks probably haven’t.

Once upon a time, going to the gym might have meant lifting some weights, sitting down, lifting some more weights and finishing with ten minutes on the treadmill.

Your socks weren’t exactly being put through military service. That’s not how everyone trains anymore. Let’s take a look at better socks.

Toe socks are divisive. Toe socks are brilliant. Toe socks are weird. Toe socks are the oyster of the sock world.

Some people swear by them. Some people try them once and say never again — the same way some people taste an oyster and immediately decide they’ve just eaten cold snot.

And that’s exactly why this review needs to exist.

There’s a particular kind of silence you get on Mt Bogong in winter.

It’s the sort of silence where you can hear your own breathing, the crunch of snow under your boots and, occasionally, the quiet voice in your head asking why you thought carrying 30 kilos up a 1,986-metre mountain was a good idea.

At 1,986 metres, Mt Bogong is Victoria’s highest peak. In summer, it’s a serious walk. In winter, throw in snow, ice, crampons, mountaineering boots and a pack loaded with enough equipment to make a small expedition, and things get considerably more interesting.

So naturally, one of our team decided it was the perfect place to test a pair of GearSocks Buffalo Lightweight Hiking socks.

What are the best socks for running? We break down what actually matters — cushioning, sweat, fit, blisters, durability and price — and explain why we think GearSocks Elite deserves a place in your running drawer.

We had someone reach out recently with a cracker of a question:

“I’m typically in shoes for up to 16 hours per day, the merino‑cotton blend I’ve been using unfortunately leaves my feet damp, wet, although comfortable.”

If you read that and thought, “Yep, that’s me,” then welcome — you’re among friends. Damp-feeling socks are one of the most common complaints we hear, and the good news is: you can fix it. 

There’s a surprisingly complicated language around socks.

No-show. Invisible. Micro. Mini crew. Quarter. Crew. Mid-calf. OTC.

At some point, you start wondering whether you’re buying socks or learning a new military ranking system.

The good news? Sock height is actually pretty simple.

Can you run without socks? Absolutely. Should you? That depends. We look at running sockless, blisters, sweat, friction and why most runners choose to wear socks.

Mountaineering socks aren’t just about finding the thickest sock you can buy. Fit, cushioning, insulation and how the sock works with your boots all matter. We’ve spent time in the New Zealand Alps, Himalayas and mountains across Europe. Here is our practical guide to choosing expedition socks for cold-weather hiking & high altitude trekking.

Are toe socks better for running?

We get asked this a lot.

Not necessarily. They’re just a different tool.

Toe socks have some genuine advantages, particularly if you struggle with blisters between your toes or like the feeling of your toes being separated.

But traditional running socks still have some pretty big advantages when it comes to technical performance. So let's break it down.

Periodisation doesn’t need to be complicated. In this guide, we break training down into three simple phases anyone can follow: build your engine, add speed and strength, and get ready to perform. No jargon, no confusion — just a practical, easy‑to‑use method that helps you train smarter, stay consistent, and feel great on race day.

Most runners run. Seems fairly obvious.

They run intervals. They run easy. They run long. They run up hills, down hills and occasionally run when their Garmin tells them they shouldn’t.

But there is another way to become a better runner. To become a better and more complete athlete. In our latest Engine room series we discuss the benefits of cross training to achieve this. 

The lessons that can make running easier, more enjoyable and a whole lot less painful.

Nobody starts running knowing what they’re doing.

You lace up a pair of shoes, head out the door and start running. You probably run too fast, breathe too hard, wonder why everyone else makes it look so easy and then spend the next day walking around like you’ve been hit by a truck or riding a horse.