To kick off the new year, we gave you an overview over the grip-sock market and some of most important brands in it. Since TruSox left its mark in the early years of this century, a lot has changed, with many companies expanded into the business, taking inspiration from the TruSox idea and advancing it.
Shortly after we published our article, two brands offered us samples for testing, amongst them SoxPro, which we did not initially include. Although we would have liked to get more time in actually playing football, the weather has prevented us and we want to give you a first overview anyway, based mostly on the experiences had using them when running.
First, a few words about SoxPro the brand. SoxPro is an Italian company founded by former player Cristian Di Leo, who previously worked for Lotto. It's product lineup is very straightforward with just one variant of socks available - the RRP is €29 / £25.
In terms of professionals, there are quite a few well-known players who use the socks - mostly ones that used to or are still playing in Italy. The most prominent players are probably Arsenal's Lucas Torreira, Roma's Justin Kluivert and Raúl Jiménez of Wolves.
But let's now get to the actual review. Our first impression when putting on the socks, which come in two sizes, was that they felt quite similar to the Tapedesign socks we reviewed back in September.
The SoxPro socks feature lots of chevron shaped grip pads, only on the outside, and are generally more tight-fitting than regular Nike or Adidas socks - although not as much so as with Tapedesign. This allows SoxPro to work even though they are only available in two sizes (UK 3-6.5 and 7-11).
The chevron shape and their rotation, as well as the supremre grip levels, which are on par with the best, mean that it's almost impossible to slip backwards inside the shoe. The socks' anti-grip features result in much faster turns and quicker acceleration, which is especially noticeable when running uphill, where you can go much faster than with regular socks without the anti-slip features.
Due to their pretty tight fit and high price, it might be a good idea to use them for matches only, although we never found them to be uncomfortable to wear.
Durability-wise, the socks have fared pretty decently over the few weeks.
SoxPro - Features
- Arrow-shaped silicone grip pads to prevent any slipping inside your shoes
- Arrows are placed not only sole but also on the heel to prevent micro-movements
- Great comfort and balance
- Increase of speed and explosiveness
- Extra cushion
- Reduction of sprains caused by lateral movement of the foot
- Price: €29 / £25
Have you tried some of the many anti-slip socks yet? Would you like to know any other details about the SoxPro socks? Comment below.