Dry Max Socks
Are Dry Max socks better than the competition? I decided to find out by comparing them to my favorite combination of socks, the Injinji liner with the Wrightsock Coolmesh.
Contents
1 Why Dry Max?
Dry Max socks have hydrophobic (water–hating) fibers next to the skin, and traditional fibers on the outside. The idea is that the sweat is pushed away from your skin to the outside of the sock, keeping your feet dry. In addition, the ‘maximum protection’ socks have PTFE (Teflon) to reduce friction.
2 Does it matter if my feet are dry?
The unholy trinity of blisters is heat, moisture and friction. Keeping your feet dry will reduce the chance of blisters. If your feet are wet for long enough, they become ‘macerated’; white and wrinkled. In this state, blisters become far more likely.
3 The Reigning Champion
My preferred combination of socks is the Injinji Liner with a Wrightsock Coolmesh. The two socks are thin, and is about the same thickness as the Dry Max ‘maximum protection’ sock. The Wrightsock is made up of two separate socks sown together, giving three layers of material to reduce friction. I have worn this combination on many races and suffer from few blisters, even though I have Epidermolysis Bullosa.
4 Initial Feel and Fit
After the Injinjis, the Dry Max socks ‘maximum protection’ socks feel strange as my toes are not used to rubbing together. The Dry Max socks also seem much too large for their stated size. I’m a 9.5-10.0 shoe size, and the Dry Max ‘Large’ is supposed to fit 8.5-9.5, but either the heel comes up my ankle or the toe is hanging off the end of my foot. In the end I ordered a pair of the latest ‘maximum protection’ in a Medium 6.0-8.0 and they fitted nicely.
5 Comparison on Different Runs
I alternated wearing the Injinji/Wrightsocks and the Dry Max ‘maximum protection’ socks on different days. I was running 26+ miles in conditions that were warm enough that my feet were soaked with sweat (squelching) for at least the last hour. The Dry Max socks seemed to reduce the maceration of feet slightly.
6 Direct Comparison
To remove the difference due to running with the socks on different days, I tried wearing the Injinji/Wrightsocks on my right foot and the Dry Max ‘maximum protection’ socks on my left foot. This felt slightly odd to start off, but I got used to it quickly. Sadly, the weather broke the day I did this comparison, so while it was hot enough to be soaked with sweat, I was not dripping and my feet were not squelching. Therefore this comparison is not under the extreme conditions of earlier tests. While running there was relatively little difference in feel between the socks. The main factor was the lower friction from the Injinji/Wrightsocks, which is not surprising given the three layers of material. After I finished running, a visual inspection of my skin indicated a similar level of maceration, though I think the Dry Max were slightly better. After removing the socks, I stepped onto absorbent paper to see how wet the skin was, and again, the result was remarkably similar. Weighing the socks before and after the run revealed the following measurements (combined weight different to the sum due to limitations of the scales)
| Dry Max maximum protection | Injinji Liners | Wrightsock Coolmesh | Injinji/Wrightsocks Combined | |
| Dry | 26g | 9g | 12g | 23g |
| Wet | 29g | 12g | 15g | 27g |
7 Other Tests
I did try the Dry Max ‘hot weather’ socks with the Wrightsock, but this proved the worst of both worlds. I may try the ‘hot weather’ socks on their own and post the results.
8 Conclusion
Dry Max socks are certainly a good option for those wanting to avoid blisters. I may well wear them in extreme conditions again, and I will continue to test them out in other situations and post the results here. For now however, the reigning champions continue to hold the title of ‘best socks’.
