ArmaSkin Socks Review
Overview
Many types of blisters are caused by shear forces between layers of skin in your feet. Whilst walking, this occurs when your foot hits the ground and your bones move at a different rate to the outermost layer of skin. This causes different layers of skin to pull on each other, resulting in blisters and/or tender, ‘hot’ feet. These problems can be debilitating, and occur even in shoes that fit perfectly.
ArmaSkin socks are a unique product as they are the only sock we know of that can significantly reduce these shear forces. The exterior of the sock is smooth, whilst the interior is grippy and ‘sticks’ to your foot. This means that when your foot strikes the ground, there is less friction between your sock and your shoe. As a result, the layers of skin in your feet move at a more similar rate to each other. This significantly reduces shear forces, resulting in fewer blisters and less painful feet.
ArmaSkin socks can be a real lifesaver in the realm of hiking, running and other endurance events. However, it is important to note that they do have some drawbacks and might not be suitable for all situations.
Disclaimer: Maddie and Tom purchased their first pairs of ArmaSkin socks at full price. They are now ArmaSkin Ambassadors.
Testing
We have carried and used ArmaSkin socks for ~7000km of hiking, up to 100km/day.
Tom relied on ArmaSkin socks whilst setting the self-supported Fastest Known Time (FKT) on the Bibbulmun Track (1000km, 11 days 22h).
Maddie and Tom both used ArmaSkin socks whilst setting the self-supported FKT on Te Araroa (3000km, 54 days 14h).
In both cases, we used the Polymer Anti Blister Long Liner Socks without an outer sock over the top.
Specs
Weight
38g/pair (size Medium)
Price - $49.99
(20% off with the coupon code adventuregene20)
Pros and Cons
Pros
- Great at preventing blisters
- Your feet feel cooler
- No change in performance when wet
- A very simple solution to blister problems
- There is no other product like it
- Good durability (~500-1000km depending on terrain and friction levels)
Cons
- External seams
- Tight fit
- No protection against toe blisters
Discussion
We think that ArmaSkin socks are an excellent and unique product that are very effective at reducing blisters (especially around the heel). With ArmaSkin socks, we find our feet feel cooler and less painful. This is particularly noticeable during long mountain descents and when walking on hot fire trails or footpaths. Unlike other blister prevention methods, the socks work well when wet and are simple to use. Whilst tape may need to be reapplied and lubricants lose their effectiveness over the day, ArmaSkin socks are a consistent and reliable source of blister management.
Despite all these benefits, we do think the product has some room for improvement. The external seams on the socks are quite pronounced and can be uncomfortable in certain sock/shoe combinations. This problem would be reduced by wearing a second sock over the top of the ArmaSkin sock. This is what ArmaSkin recommends, however, we don’t like it because it is too hot and holds more liquid (both rain and sweat).
Perhaps the biggest downside of the socks for us is that they don’t accommodate for foot swelling. The nature of the grippy, tight fitting sock is crucial for reducing shear forces, however, it means that they can be less comfortable to wear with swollen feet. For us, this has been problematic on FKTs or multi-month thru hikes. On both the Bibbulmun and Te Araroa FKTs, we have had to cut small slits in the tip of the socks to make space for our swollen toes. On a more general note, for us, the tight fit means that they are typically not the most comfortable sock to wear for prolonged periods of time.
Finally, normal ArmaSkin socks don’t protect against blisters between your toes. ArmaSkin does have a toe sock version, however, we have found that they don’t work for us due to the large number of seams. This is definitely a product we are excited to see improved in the future.
Conclusion
ArmaSkin socks are a great tool to have in your blister prevention toolbox. They can be an absolute lifesaver and save you a lot of pain. Indeed, Tom has cried in joy from the pain relief brought by putting on a pair of ArmaSkin socks during an FKT.
However, they aren’t a sock that we would wear all the time because we find other socks are more comfortable for prolonged use. For us, ArmaSkin socks are perfect to carry and put on if you start developing problems. When we feel a hot spot coming on, we know we can rely on ArmaSkin to fix the problem 9/10 times.
This means ArmaSkin socks earn a place in our pack, even when we are cutting every single gram and trying to go as fast as possible.
