I promised to amuse you with “shit I like” posts, but this time around we’re coming at this from the “shit I really don’t like most of the time” angle. There are sorts of things out there that *seem* like a good idea, but the design just sucks. Bottom line: a good idea only turns into shit we like if it works.

Enter these blasted no-show socks. I was starting to wonder if I was an unusually inept sock user, but one silly Facebook post revealed the truth — lots of these dinky little socks suck. It’s not me; it’s them. Hallelujah for validation.

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And another hallelujah for crowd-sourcing because it turns out some of my friends have been seeking solutions to this pesky little problem while I’ve been busy swearing under my breath a lot and aggressively throwing little sock lumps out of my shoes and onto the floor.

So here’s what I did. I gathered up the brands that my super smart buddies recommended — in the name of science, obviously — and I took this test to the streets. These were my very unscientific but practical data points:

The Testing Subjects
*In order of LOVE to not-so-much…

• Bombas Women’s Low-Cut No Show Socks
• VERO MONTE 4 Pairs Women’s TRULY No Show Socks
• SKECHERS 3 Pack Sport Mesh No Show Liner Socks
• Peds Women’s Ultra Low 4pk Sport Liner Socks

Bombas Women’s Low-Cut No Show Socks

Overall review: 1st place, uncontested. I *really* wanted to love these less, but they’re my new go-to, even though they’re an investment.

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1. Were the socks comfortable?
   Super duper. The fabric is a little thicker than most of these liners (a little more like a sport sock).
2. Did they show with shoes on?
   Almost invisible.
3. Did they come off in my shoes during the day?
   Nope.
4. Did they hurt my feet after some wear?
   Not a bit. So comfy I didn’t even change into slippers when I got home.
5. Price per pair?
   $10.50 from bombas.com (You get 25% off your first order, plus free shipping, free returns & a money-back guarantee from their website.)
   
   

VERO MONTE 4 Pairs Women’s TRULY No Show Socks

Overall review: 1st Runner-up. Great value with pretty dang good performance. Bonus points for the “No Show” label that’s actually no show!

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1. Were the socks comfortable?
   Not uncomfortable, but not the most comfy.
2. Did they show with shoes on?
   Just the teensiest bit. (The image below is a little unfair because those shoes dip really low on the sides.)
3. Did they come off in my shoes during the day?
   In two days of wear, one sock slid off one time. Pretty solid, but not perfect.
4. Did they hurt my feet after some wear?
   Slightly more than any of the others on this list, these cut into the back of my heel a bit and sometimes needed a little readjustment. Then they were good to go again.
5. Price per pair?
   $2.60/each ($10.39 for a 4-pack) from amazon.com
   
   

SKECHERS 3 Pack Sport Mesh No Show Liner Socks

Overall review: They’re comfy but a little on the sporty side for dressy use. The sport mesh would make these a good option for someone with sweaty feet and/or not-so-dressy shoes, though.

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1. Were the socks comfortable?
   Very comfy. Fabric is very lightweight, breathable and comfortable.
2. Did they show with shoes on?
   More than I would like. And the “sport mesh” is white (no nude option that I could find), so it’s really obvious.
3. Did they come off in my shoes during the day?
   Nope. They stayed put.
4. Did they hurt my feet after some wear?
   Not much. I had to make one minor adjustment to the heel of one sock once throughout the day because it was cutting into my heel a bit.
5. Price per pair?
   $3.61/each ($10.83 for a 3-pack) from skechers.com
   
   

Peds Women’s Ultra Low 4pk Sport Liner Socks

Overall review: Meh. Not the most comfy. Not sufficiently “Ultra Low.” Not terrible, but not a stand-out. At least the price is right.

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1. Were the socks comfortable?
   Pretty standard. The fabric is soft, but the fit wasn’t as tailored as the others I tried.
2. Did they show with shoes on?
   A ridiculous amount. I felt fairly silly wearing these out and about for a whole day.
3. Did they come off in my shoes during the day?
   They slid off when I took my shoes off, but stayed on while my shoes were on.
4. Did they hurt my feet after some wear?
   The seam cut into the inside and heel of my foot slightly after many hours of wear.
5. Price per pair?
   $2.06/each ($8.22 for a 4-pack) from target.com
   
   

This was actually pretty fun, and now I have a drawer full of no-show socks that suck SO much less. [Insert applause.] Hopefully you will, too…soon! What else should suck SO much less in our daily lives? I’m up for some more testing in the name of science (and the joy of finding more shit I like).