I have been converted~Swiftwick

Many moons ago, when I first started running, I wore an old pair of Addidas and cotton socks leftover from the basketball years. I just squished them down so I didn’t look too ridiculous. It was KLASSY. A few weeks of bleeding blisters and spending more money on Band-Aids led me to a search for socks. (The right shoes took another couple of weeks.) I tried various brand and types and finally found one that worked. They didn’t cause blisters so that was my only criteria. And they were great for about 7 years. They were mostly cotton and they held up pretty good. The only downside is once they got wet with sweat or rain, they stayed wet. No wicking. But, again, not 1 blister in all those years.

I’m a creature of habit. It takes a lot for me to change loyalty on things as important as shoes and socks. I recently changed my shoe loyalty but that’s a very long story and I’m beyond happy with Saucony. Ecstatic. And with all this new found confidence to take a chance on something better, I decided to look into socks that might perform better under the conditions I throw at them. Like dirt. Sweat. Mud. Occasional blood if the briars are bad or if I’m extra clumsy that day (stop laughing, those who know me IRL).

A few weeks later, look what started showing up in my running pictures.

SWIFTWICK. The name alone caught my attention. I was looking for something besides a soggy sock. But, they still had to pass my “no blister” test. I’m happy to say that many miles and 3 races (2 road half marathons, 1 trail half marathon) later, these things are FANTASTIC at not just wicking and blister prevention, but they actually have some compression to them. They do NOT slide down, even when crossing muddy streams. They stay put and almost feel like part of my shoes. No sliding, and no blisters.

As far as type, I have used the ASPIRE and PERFORMANCE socks. Both of these work well with my shoes and my narrow feet and crazy long toes. I wear a size 10.5 shoe..and most of that belongs to my toes. Most of my socks are Zero, which is the size of the cuff. Swiftwick sent me a couple of pairs of One, which is a one-inch cuff.

One last thing I want to mention. These are 100% made in the USA. Tennessee to be exact, and not too far away from my college stomping grounds. I know, I know. If I find out they are outfitting the big orange team from Knoxville, I’ll need hypnotism to reprogram my brain. Until then, GO USA!!

Want to find out more? I encourage you to follow them on Twitter and Facebook. They are very active on both and I love it when a company interacts with their customers. I never feel like I’m alone in a corner somewhere. They are fantastic at social media.

Now, the pictures of my interesting pursuits in my new favorite socks!

My first pairs, thanks to Swiftwick.

My first race in them. Biggest Loser half marathon. Huge PR.

Race #2 Rock N Roll Nashville Half marathon. It was aptly called the “monsoon marathon”. It rained the entire time. Flash flooding. Soaked to the skin. THESE SOCKS WERE A LIFE SAVER! They did not move at all. And no blisters, even in these conditions.

After the race..and a touch of green war wounds.

Before and After Twisted Ankle half marathon. Coincidence that these match my trail shoes? I think not. It’s meant to me. This is the VIBE line. It’s a little thicker and perfect for trail running. I will definitely invest in more of this line. These held up just as good as the Performance and Aspire in mud and water. Another HUGE PR.

Since I will be spending a few weeks in Colorado, I needed more socks! I’m sure I’ll have plenty of Instagrams with my Swiftwick and Sauconys. I wouldn’t have it any other way. When I find a good product to support my active lifestyle, I share it with the world.

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Join me as I share the adventures of fitness, food, travel, and life. I'm passionate about running, lifting, Paleo cooking, food photography, and paper planning. Life is never boring and each day is a story to tell...even Tuesdays. Read More…