Custom Grip Socks

Custom grip socks are non-slip socks with rubber or silicone attached to the bottom of the sock. They are used to prevent slipping when a person wears them without shoes for activities such as trampoline jumping or yoga. These socks are usually made of cotton, polyester and terylene and can be imprinted with logos, slogans or designs. They are often used by businesses, organizations and events to promote their brand or message. Grip socks are also commonly used as giveaways or merchandise at trade shows, conferences and charity walks.

Grip socks have exploded in popularity within the rugby and football communities over the last decade. Watch any rugby or football game and you’ll see multiple players wearing them. They aim to enhance foot grip inside rugby boots and football boots by reducing internal slippage that is detrimental to agility performance. They do this by incorporating sticky elements, typically rubber or silicone, that provide contact between the sock and shoe.

Previous research has associated different sock materials with varying amounts of in-shoe slippage. This study investigated whether the addition of grip elements to the sock-shoe interface would reduce in-shoe movement and increase agility performance. A sledge and pulley system was used to measure the static coefficient of friction between the sock-shoe interface in both grip and regular socks. Results confirmed that grip socks reduce in-shoe foot motion and improve change of direction performance compared to regular socks.

These findings suggest that grip socks can be a useful tool to minimize in-shoe foot movement and enhance agility performance, especially in female sports players. However, further work is required to determine if this sock technology may have the potential to impact other health outcomes and injury risk in female sports players.