I’ve worn and tested dozens of socks over the years and so in this article, I’m going to be talking about some of the best no-show socks I’ve worn over the past handful of summers.
Not only that, I’m going to break down the key properties that make up a great no-show sock.
Then, I’m going to wrap things up with the three things that you’re going to want to look for in a no-show sock.
Related:
Best No-show Socks
Best for loafers: Falke
Material: 70% Cotton, 26% Polyamide, 4% Elastane
Believe it or not, this German-based company has been around since 1895. It is in its 4th generation as a family-run business. Falke is all about quality and heritage.
As for their no-show socks, they are quite thin and very low cut. These socks are wearable with everything from sneakers like Yeezys down to loafers and shoes like Hey Dude.
They wear similar to a loafer liner as opposed to a sock but with much higher quality cotton. The low-cut nature of these socks will keep them hidden with virtually all of your shoes.
They actually offer high-cut, mid-cut, and low-cut options which not many other brands offer.
These have a diamond hatch silicone rubber grip pattern that still stays up on my feet even after several years of wear.
Ultimately, Falke is one of my highest-recommended no-show socks in the market.
Pros
- Excellent quality
- Thin & very low cut
- Silicone gripper holds heels well
Cons
- A bit expensive
| Where to buy (not affiliate) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Falke | ||
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Sheec
Material: Secret 3.0 – Cotton, Poly, Nylon, Polyurethane // Active X – Modal, Nylon, Spandex
Sheec is a New York-based brand that stands for stylish, hidden, essential, easy, and comfortable.
Like Falke, Sheec has the most variety of sock styles in a range of cuts from low-cut to mid-cut and high-cut socks which are ideal for all types of footwear.
Their Active X line is ideal to wear with fabric-lined sneakers and casual slip-ons while the Secret 3.0 socks are designed to pair with leather-lined dress shoes.
You can definitely tell the difference between these socks as the Active X is more of your typical cotton and the Secret socks are more like a “spandexy” type of material.
So, since I’ve been wearing Sheec for the past several years, I am impressed that they’re always iterating and improving upon the product year after year.
I’ve seen a handful of new styles and designs with various fabrics, and the socks have only gotten better over time.
I love that they offer a range of cuts. In addition, they have all of the essential colors to choose from. I particularly like that it comes in a tan color which is essential in my opinion.
Sheec’s silicone grippers hang tight on your heel and prevent the socks from slipping down through everyday wear.
Ultimately, Sheec is definitely among my favorite no shows hands down.
Pros
- Excellent quality
- Variety of sock styles & colors
- Silicone heel pad holds heels well
Cons
- Expensive
| Where to buy (not affiliate) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Sheecsocks | ||
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Feetures
Material: 56% polyester, 37% nylon, 7% spandex
Features is a US-based brand focused on performance wear. Feetures no-show socks are comfortable and lightweight with a performance-type fabric.
They fit well due to the three sizes that are offered. I opted for the medium which covers shoe sizes 6 through 8.5 US.
They have updated their no-show sock styles which they’ve taken design cues from their running socks actually.
As, I mentioned earlier, Feetures no shows have this updated ultra-light design that provides this a custom-like fit with a targeted compression zone down by the arch of the foot.
The updated socks also have an L and an R label for left and right.
Grip-wise, in my experience, the socks do not slip. These socks are based around performance and so they hold up quite well if you’re going to go running or exercising, for example.
Pros
- Excellent quality
- Comfortable & lightweight
- Come in 3 sizes
- Targeted compression zone by the arch
- Never slip down behind the ankle
Cons
- Expensive
| Where to buy (not affiliate) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Feetures | ||
Premium pick: Boardroom Socks
Material: 74% Merino Wool, 24% Nylon, 2% Spandex
Boardroom Socks is a small US-based family-owned business that is known for their high-quality dress socks actually.
They spent over a year perfecting their no-show socks according to Nathan James, the company CEO.
I’m happy to report that they knocked it out of the park on their first go-round. The Boardroom Socks no-shows are some of the most comfortable and perhaps a lightweight breathable pair that I’ve worn.
They clearly did their research and they are certainly made for those hot summer days.
This isn’t surprising considering their dress socks are some of my favorites in my rotation.
Additionally, the no-show sock is made primarily with this soft merino wool which is a fantastic warm weather fabric.
They were going to go with pima cotton, but they did opt for merino wool instead.
These socks not only fit great but they are quite comfortable as well coming in two sizes of shoe sizes 7 to 9.5 and 10 to 11.
The no-slip silicone heel grip is extra thin, which is definitely key and it’s minimal, which aids in the comfort and a tendency to stay up all day long.
Out of all the brands on this list, Boardroom is the most similar to Sheec in terms of design, style, comfort, and overall value.
I really like that they have that tan skin color which is perfect for a no-show sock.
Furthermore, these socks have not slipped once since I started wearing them earlier this summer.
Pros
- Great materials and construction quality
- Comfortable & breathable
- Soft merino wool
- Come in 2 sizes
- No-slip silicone heel grip never slips
Cons
- None that I can think of
| Where to buy (not affiliate) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Bordroomsocks | ||
Fits Socks
Material: 60% super-fine merino wool, 35% nylon, 25% lycra
Fits Socks are unique in that they are the only no-show socks that I’ve come across still to this day that don’t have any type of silicone grip behind the heel.
However, the socks still manage to stay up all day long.
Is it magic?
It’s actually due to this unique proprietary heel lock which helps to prevent slippage. I don’t know what it is or how they designed it, but it actually does work.
Unlike most other socks that are cut and sewn, Fits Invisible sock is fully knitted and it features a seamless one-piece construction.
This slick design with the ribbing along the front of the sock comes in a wide range of colorways and cool patterns as well.
Fits is thin and lightweight and super comfortable just like the other socks previously mentioned, and it’s the only other sock in addition to Boardroom Socks which is made with merino wool, and so it’s a perfect warm weather fabric.
Pros
- Great quality
- Truly invisible
- One-piece construction
- Soft merino wool
- Great heel lock system
- Stay in place even without a silicone pad.
Cons
- None that I can think of
| Where to buy (not affiliate) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fitssocks | ||
Now for a brand that everyone knows…
Budget pick: Uniqlo
Material: 59% Cotton, 30% Nylon, 6% Polyester, 5% Spandex
We all know Uniqlo is a Japanese-based brand with stylish and affordable menswear essentials.
It’s still one of my favorite places to shop in general. So, just like their Supima cotton tees, their no-show socks are still the best value play in the game.
These socks are about a mid-weight to lightweight fabric and they don’t slip in my opinion. They’ve got all the basic solid colors of navy, white, and gray.
The socks are very minimal and they fit well. I believe they only have a single size, which could be an issue for some guys as there is definitely not one size fits all.
Luckily, I’m in a range where the sock does actually fit me pretty well.
Pros
- Great value
- Truly invisible
- No toe seams
- Heel grip works fine
Cons
- Come in only one size
| Where to buy (not affiliate) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Uniqlo | ||
And now on to pair of thieves…
Pair Of Thieves
Material: 70% Combed Cotton, 25% Polyester, 2% Spandex, 1% Natural Latex Rubber, 2% Other Fiber
Pair Of Thieves is based in Portland, Oregon, and their no-show socks have some of the best designs hands down.
Subtly sneaky, Pair Of Thieves no-show socks are best for sneakers in my opinion since the sock is thicker than the usual no-show socks.
They’re similar to Stance in that these no-shows have a 3-band silicone gripper and they only offer one size, which isn’t much of an issue in my case because the socks fit pretty well.
That middleweight fabric lends itself to being very comfortable.
But there are better options to wear such as the other lightweight thinner fabric no-show socks for your loafers and boat shoes.
These socks do a pretty good job of staying up all day long. They haven’t slipped once when I’ve been wearing them with my sneakers.
Pros
- Great quality & designs
- Great for sneakers
- No toe seams
- Stay up all day
Cons
- Offer one size
| Where to buy (not affiliate) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Pair Of Thieves | ||
Stomper Joe
Material: 77% Bamboo, 18% Polyester, 3% Rubber, 2% Spandex
Stomper Joe, aka Jays Barely, are based in Chicago, Illinois.
They’re still the only no-show sock that’s primarily made of bamboo. They’ve got a different variety of sock thicknesses as well for different types of shoes.
They have thicker no-shows which are more appropriate for sneakers and that’s the sock in this roundup.
They’ve got this little compression band near the arch of the foot, which aids in the comfortability, and thanks to the multiple sizes that they offer, the fit is on point.
Pros
- Good quality & fit
- Made with bamboo
- Offer a variety of sock thicknesses
- Come in multiple sizes
- Don’t slip thanks to the compression band
Cons
- The fabric doesn’t stretch much
- New versions are cut too low in the heel (might slip off)
Now, for the penultimate no-show sock…
Etiquette Clothiers
Material: 85% Cotton, 13% Nylon, 2% Elastane
Etiquette Clothiers are pretty luxe since their socks and underwear are all made in Italy.
Their no-show socks are ultra-thin rivaling Falke, Sheec, Boardroom Socks, and Feetures.
It’s one of the few no-show socks where it feels like you’re wearing nothing at all.
On the heel, there’s a wavy 3-band silicone gripper.
The only knock on it is that they only offer one size.
Although these socks do fit pretty well on my feet, they are a little bit big and so if you have smaller feet 8 and under, it might be an issue.
It is surprising that even after all of these years, they still only offer one size.
If your shoe size is 9 to 12, you should be good with these.
Pros
- Excellent quality
- Ultra-thin
- Offer a variety of sock thicknesses
- Come in multiple sizes
- Silicone gripper works really well
Cons
- Fit a bit big
- One size
| Where to buy (not affiliate) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Etiquette Clothiers | ||
Zederna
Material: 100% natural cedar wood and cotton
Zederna is the wild card here because it’s not actually a sock but an insole slip-on instead.
Zederna specialize in natural foot care products made of cedar wood and cotton to keep your feet and shoes fresh all day long.
I just included Zederna in this roundup because these shoe insoles are great and they offer an excellent no-show socks alternative.
And even though they’re not always necessary, actually, more often, I slip them into my sneakers with typical sneaker fabric. So, even if I’m wearing socks, it’s just double protection.
There are different options with the Zederna…
They have the standard regular cedar shoe insole and then they have their Silver Care version which will actually last longer and provide stronger protection.
These cedar insoles are great for hot days of summer.
But do these really work?
These actually do work because I’ve been wearing my Silver Cares all summer long and they are still going strong.
Pros
- Excellent no-show sock alternative if your feet tend to smell in no-shows
- Great for summer
- Super comfortable (conform to your feet)
- Easy to slip into shoes
- Provide a nice grip so your feet won’t slide around
- Helps fight odor (no more stinky feet)
Cons
- No arch support
| Where to buy (not affiliate) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Zederna | ||
5 Features of the best no-show socks
First, your no-show socks should be made out of a lightweight and breathable fabric.
Second, there should be a very thin silicone gripper behind the heel.
Third, they should be a simple design with a seamless toe and heel.
Fourth, the socks should be comfortable as if you’re wearing nothing at all.
Fifth, the socks should be made with high-quality materials such as bamboo, merino wool, or even silver.
All of the no-show socks in this list have most if not all of these properties.
What makes a no-show sock stay put?
The determining factors as to whether or not a no-show sock stays up is the fit, the fabric, and that silicone gripper behind the heel.
- Fit
The sock has to actually fit you snug but not too tight where it’s restricting. If it’s too big, it most definitely is going to slip.
- Fabric
The fabric should be thin and lightweight like a loafer liner. Thicker no-show socks are more prone to slipping down.
- Silicone Gripper
Look for a rubber gripper behind the heel that’s really thin. The thinner, the better. If it’s too thick, it’s going to be more prone to slipping in my experience.
You would think that the more lightweight socks wouldn’t be all that durable, but they actually hold up quite well over dozens of wash/dry cycles.
This pretty much wraps this best no-show socks list. If you’ve ever tried a pair of socks that you’ve been really happy with, please share your experience down below.
Stay safe and see you in the next one 🙂
