Socks vs. no socks

hi smoom,

I never use socks on my bike leg - I bought a decent pair of tri specific cycle shoes and have never looked back. Not even during my half IM race in SA did I suffer any sort of problems due to not wearing socks on the bike.

As for the run - I use a pair of Zoot tri shoes and run sockless only up to 10km. I always put some vaseline in the shoes around the heel section, and on the section where my feet arches would rub. This has worked really well for me and as with my cycling, I've never had blisters on the run leg.

I've yet to do a half marathon without socks - but I'm not that keen on trying it. I use my Zoot tri shoes for the shorter distances & tend to use my running shoes with socks for anything over about an hour of running.

I think it comes down to trying it work shorter distances first, and use vaseilne to help reduce the rubbing. I've seen things about using talc powder, however I've also seen people commenting that this just creates more friction & might ultimately help cause blisters ??

hope that helps

I don't wear socks on the bike if it is 20 miles or less.  

However, I always wear socks on the run. 

One exception being a super lite tri that I regularly do were the run is only one mile.  No socks on that run.

No socks on the bike, no matter how long the ride for me.

The run is a 10K cut off. At or below I don't bother. When longer than 10K I wear socks.

Just run more without them. Bring them with you at first and put them on after a mile. Use body glide on your feet where you normally get blisters, before you run. Run more without them.

x2 on all points.

Thanks everyone.  Good ideas.  I like the idea of bringing them with me during practice runs then putting them on in a mile or two.

A lot of people seem to not wear socks for the bike but put them on for the run.  I always figured that if I had to spend the time putting them on at all, I might as well wear them for the bike.  Is the thinking that no socks allows you to do the barefoot shoes on the bike start?

I don't do the "flying bike start", it's just quicker and simpler in T1 to not put socks on, particularly as my feet are probably still wet from the swim. I also put on socks for runs over 10k, but those are compression socks and the time it takes in a HIM isn't going to affect my race standing in any meaningful way.

I built up the callouses on my feet up so I could run without socks by doing short runs sockless and making them progressively longer and also by bringing socks on my longer runs and putting them on after a mile or so.  The process didn't take long at all.

Just did 20 miles this morning on the bike with no socks for the first time.....no problem whatsoever.  Actually I liked it better.  Haven't tried running without them yet. 

I'm also curious about this.  I've only done one tri but I took the time to put my socks on because I didn't want to chance getting blisters.  I also think that if someone takes the time to put socks on at all during a race, it might as well be in T1 so that you can wear them for the bike too.  But I guess it would be easier to put them on later when your feet would be less wet.  I'll have to experiment with this for future tris.

Edited by carlwithac 2009-08-08 1:41 PM

No socks for me on the bike (except when it gets cold) but I can barely avoid blisters while running when I wear socks so I haven't been brave enough to try sockless running yet.

I had always been a no sock guy no matter what until I started going longer. I usually train with socks (good socks. I threw all my crappy cheap cotton socks away) and decided this morning that I'd go ahead and put socks on in a sprint tri I did. It only took me an extra 15 seconds or so and I got half of that back it T2 because my running shoes slid on easier. I think I'm hooked on socks.

I just started off with no socks on both the bike and run. Clipless pedals and my Bontrager RXL shoes feel great without socks.  I have very sweaty feet and have found that the ventilation in the shoes help keep things dry.

I also started with a pair of Zoot shoes.  I have never considered running without socks before, but did 4 miles in these the other day and felt amazing, only a bit of rubbing on the back of the ankle where the pull straps are.  I will probably use some Glide or something in the future, but at this time I will only run with the Zoots w/o socks for a 10k at most.  Since I mostly do Sprints and will be branching into some Olys next year these are going to be my tri shoes and I will stick with socks and my Brooks for most of my training and marathon running.

Yep. I don't understand why folks feel the need to wear socks with their cycling shoe's. You shouldn't get any blisters from them.

I think that is debatable. In a Sprint, no way putting on socks is faster. it might be your preference, but it's not faster.

I didn't say it was faster to wear socks. I put my socks on in T1 which I figure cost me about 15 seconds. When I put my running shoes on barefeet my heel has a tendency to hang up but with socks my foot just glides in so I get some of that time back.