The Best Compression Socks

There are basically two reasons to wear compression socks: because your doctor suggested that you do or because you find them comfortable.

Compression socks are made of elasticized fabric that squeezes your legs, with the goal of facilitating circulation. Across the board, the evidence on whether compression socks help is mixed. But as long as you’ve checked in with your doctor if you have skin or circulation issues, “there’s no downside in wearing them,” dermatologist Bruce Katz, at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, told us.

Your doctor may advise wearing compression socks for one of several reasons. They can help control post-surgery swelling. They have been found to reduce instances of deep vein thrombosis (DVT) on flights and reduce risk of complications following treatment for DVT. Compression may help people heal from specific skin conditions, like rashes involving leg ulcerations. And (though there’s no conclusive scientific evidence) it’s possible that they’re helpful in treatment of varicose veins.

However, this guide is focused on compression socks to be worn for non-medical purposes. (Unless your doctor tells you that any kind of compression socks will be fine, we recommend that you follow their specific advice in choosing them.) Non-medical uses include wearing compression socks for comfort on a long flight, during or after tough workouts, or during a shift spent on your feet. Even if compression socks aren’t magic, they do make for a nice ritual.

What about running? Compression socks have a reputation for improving performance and reducing fatigue, but a small unpublished study suggests otherwise. The Ohio State University’s Ajit Chaudhari and some colleagues had 20 runners do a hard, 30-minute run while wearing compression socks and one without them. They then measured how high the runners were able to jump after the run compared with before it—a metric of their fatigue. The compression socks didn’t show a clear benefit.

Why we like them: Sockwell Lifestyle Firm Compression Socks, which come in both men’s and women’s designs, are comfortably snug and made of a luxe, merino-wool blend. They fit and feel better on than most socks in their price range, and they’re among the least expensive merino-blend compression socks available.

The Sockwells we like best are firm-compression socks (20 to 30 mm Hg) made of merino, as well as rayon from bamboo (a silky, cozy synthetic), nylon, and spandex. This is an overall lightweight sock, and the foot has a slight additional thickness to it (though not enough to describe it as cushioned). The brand also sells less-compressive socks.

The sock shaft doesn’t bunch up uncomfortably under the knee, and there isn’t a lot of excess fabric around the toes (though there is some), so they fit comfortably. In both men’s and women’s versions, these socks come in just two sizes: S/M and M/L for women’s versions and M/L or M/XL for men’s versions, and though we generally like to see more size options, we had no issues getting these to conform to the feet of multiple testers.

The instructions specify air-drying these socks, but we washed and dried them in the machines anyway. They fared better than any other merino sock, with just a slight stretching at the top of the cuff. We think if you take the time to air-dry these, they will likely last a long time.

Sockwells come in 10 patterns in women’s sizes and four in men’s, in an array of neutral tones, so they’re easy to wear with a casual, everyday wardrobe.

Flaws but not dealbreakers: The strongest criticism we can level at Sockwells is that they are moderately difficult to pull on compared with other picks. But there are just two firm-compression sock options in this guide, and the Sockwells are one of them. Based on our experience with this compression level, we’re not surprised these socks require a little extra effort to pull on.

Compression level: 20 to 30 mm Hg
Maximum calf size: 16½ inches
Materials: The Elevation version is 31% merino wool, 31% rayon from bamboo, 30% nylon, and 8% spandex. The other options from Sockwell are nearly the same, with slight variations in synthetic content. The women’s New Leaf style is a no-cushion sock (the others are all ultra-light cushion options).
Other compression options: Women’s Moderate Compression Socks (39 styles; 15 to 20 mm Hg) and Men’s Moderate Compression Socks (18 styles; 15 to 20 mm Hg), neither of which we’ve tested

Why we like them: The Go2Socks Compression Socks come out of the washer and dryer looking like they just came out of the package. And their price is impossible to beat—these socks cost nearly a third less than most other socks on this list (though the Go2Socks’s styling isn’t for everyone, and they tend to bunch at the toes).

These are firm-compression socks (20 to 30 mm Hg) that are made of nylon. They’re a thin sock with no cushioning, and they outperform many other options that cost about the same. The sock shaft fits appropriately, without being too tall. They come in four unisex sizes: S, M, L, and XL. The XL size also accommodates up to a 21-inch calf, which is rare (something that high-end athletic brands, with socks in the $50-plus range, generally boast about).

There are 20 different patterns and colors to choose from, including solids, stripes, and multiple variations on dots. Some color combos obscure the brand’s logo on the top for a more toned-down look.

Flaws but not dealbreakers: The colors and styling aren’t the most sophisticated, but the giveaway that these are relatively cheap socks is the amount of fabric around the toes, where the seam comes together. If you have close-fitting shoes, or you want an athletic sock that requires a better foot fit to prevent blisters, these might rub in the toe area. We also found when we re-tested these socks that the heels pilled more after a few months of wearing and washing than they did on our other picks.

Compression level: 20 to 30 mm Hg
Maximum calf size: 21 inches
Materials: 80% nylon, 20% spandex
Other compression options: none

Why we like them: Comrad Knee-High Compression Socks immediately caught our eye because of their modern styling. And we were surprised to find out how well they stood up to washing and drying.

Comrad Knee-Highs are medium-firm compression socks (15 to 25 mm Hg) made of nylon and spandex. They are thin and have no cushioning, though the toe and heel have a thicker weave (for durability). The unisex sizing is significantly broader than for most other options, with a total of six options; this is the same number offered by Vim & Vigr, another brand we recommend that has a wide size range.

Most of all, we really like this pair’s shelf life. These socks suffered no visible damage after a trip through the washer and dryer (as with all compression socks, the instructions specify to air-dry), with no warping in the cuff or damage to the fabric. And after a few additional washes, they still looked new.

The Comrad socks come in four different modern designs, including stripes, solids, color block, and ombre styles, in about 30 different color combinations.

Flaws but not dealbreakers: This can be a difficult sock to pull on, even for something in the range of firm compression. We suspect the relentless elasticity is also why this sock is enjoying longevity in the wash cycle. This might be one to avoid if you have difficulty putting on compression socks.

Compression level: 15 to 25 mm Hg
Maximum calf size: 20 inches
Materials: 91% nylon, 9% spandex
Other compression options: none

Why we like them: Dr. Segal’s Energy Compression Socks are like a pleasant, light hug for your calves. We instantly noticed how easy these were to put on—more so than any other socks we tested—and, subsequently, how comfortable they were to wear for several hours.

The Energy socks are a medium-strength compression sock (15 to 20 mm Hg) made of cotton, nylon, and Lycra. These socks, which are thin with no cushioning, are nice for lounging around the house and working from home. In addition, if you happen to have a winter boot with a lot of padding that’s hard to get your foot into, these are smooth enough that they may help your foot slide right in.

The sock shaft doesn’t bunch up uncomfortably under the knee, and these socks fit closely around the toes, eliminating some of the extra fabric where the seam meets (a typical characteristic of cheaper options). They come in four unisex sizes: S, M, L, and XL. Though there are two separate tabs to shop from on the website, one for men and one for women, they direct to the same pages.

Did we air-dry these, as requested per the care instructions? Of course not. But one pass through the washer and dryer did them very little harm, resulting in some barely perceivable warping, typical of any cotton sock.

There are 18 different patterns and solids to choose from, mostly horizontal stripes of varying widths, plus some polka dots, and a trippy space dye. The company also sells more-compressive socks.

Flaws but not dealbreakers: Because these socks are cotton, we believe they will hold up better if you avoid putting them in the dryer. We will continue to wear and wash them, and we will watch for quality issues.

Compression level: 15 to 20 mm Hg
Maximum calf size: 20 inches
Materials: 45% cotton, 38% nylon, 17% Lycra
Other material options: We tested a cotton-blend Energy Sock, but Dr. Segal’s socks are also available in entirely synthetic fabric in a couple of styles
Other compression options: Dr. Segal’s Medical Compression Socks (20 to 30 mm Hg), which we haven’t tested

Why we like them: The best thing about Vim & Vigr is the incredible variety of options it offers, including more fabric choices, more compression levels, and more size options than those offered by any brand except Comrad.

We tested the medium-strength compression socks (15 to 20 mm Hg) in a cotton blend. With thin fabric and no cushioning, these socks check all the boxes for a good fit, including no bunching under the knee and nothing excess around the foot and toes. They also fared well in our wash test, warping slightly (as all cotton socks did), but not in an unexpected way.

Now onto those abundant choices. In addition to cotton, you can choose a sock in nylon or a merino blend. There are three compression levels, including medium (15 to 20 mm Hg), firm (20 to 30 mm Hg), and extremely firm (30 to 40 mm Hg), a level typically prescribed by a doctor, rather than worn casually. There are six sizes, including S/M, M/L, L/XL, plus wide-calf versions of each, up to 21 inches. And among the medium-compression options, we counted 20 different colors and patterns. Overall, there are more options than offered by any other brand we recommend.

Flaws but not dealbreakers: It’s possible the exact combination of fit and style you’re looking for may not be available. For example, the extremely high-compression socks don’t come in a merino blend. But we’re confident the wide range of options provided here can help many people tailor their preferences.

Compression level: 15 to 20 mm Hg
Maximum calf size: 21 inches
Material: cotton blend (48% cotton, 42% nylon, 10% spandex)
Other materials: nylon blend (91% nylon, 9% spandex), moisture-wick nylon (83% moisture-wick nylon, 17% nylon), and merino blend (45% nylon, 40% merino wool, 15% spandex)
Other compression options: firm (20 to 30 mm Hg) and extremely firm (30 to 40 mm Hg), which we haven’t tested

To learn why people wear compression socks and figure out what makes a good pair, we sifted through hundreds of customer reviews and chatted with a dozen Wirecutter readers who wear them regularly.

We spoke with Ajit Chaudhari, associate professor of physical therapy, orthopedics, mechanical engineering, and biomedical engineering at the Ohio State University, who studies the effects of compression on exercise. (Although he designs his own studies, Chaudhari has received funding from Nike, which sells compression socks.) We also talked to Bruce Katz, a professor of dermatology at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, about when and why he advises some patients to wear compression socks.

We started with a heaping selection of full-length socks. (We didn’t consider compression sleeves or stockings for this guide.) Although compression socks come in a few lengths, the knee-high cut is the most common and should work well for most people. Compared with thigh-high compression socks, knee-highs are typically much easier to put on.

The most commonly available strengths of compression socks are 10 to 20 mm Hg (which is considered moderate) and 20 to 30 mm Hg (which is considered firm, and sometimes called “medical compression”). A millimeter of mercury, or mm Hg, is in this case a measure of blood pressure. For compression that’s stronger than 30 mm Hg, you’ll need to turn to a specialty store to ensure the right fit.

Socks with the same strength rating often feel different. They can feel looser or more snug for a number of reasons—from fabric to knit to the size of your calf. Because of this, some companies, like Nike, don’t assign a compression rating at all.

Compression socks are typically graduated; that is, they are tighter at the bottom than at the top so as to not cut off circulation. All of the socks we tested are graduated socks.

Among compression socks that cost less than $25, they mostly follow shoe size (for high-end compression socks, calf length and width measurements are more common). Though some of the socks we considered included calf measurements on their sizing charts, there is often only one calf size range to correspond to each shoe size, making the calf measurements not all that useful. We tried to select socks that came in at least three sizes. But ultimately the elasticity of the fabric had a lot to do with how well a sock fit, so fewer sizes wasn’t a dealbreaker.

In addition, many of these socks are unisex, even when there are separate women’s and men’s shopping pages on the site. As such, fit really came down to how tall the sock was and how the toe box was cut.

We didn’t think much about materials, because they’re such a personal choice. What you want in compression socks may depend on how they feel against your skin or how you want to wash them.

Compression socks can cost up to $50. Many of the pricier pairs are marketed as athletic socks or offer a higher level of compression for medical reasons. But there are dozens of pairs of highly rated socks for $35 and under, so that’s what we focused on. That said, one reader who reported wearing compression socks daily for 20 years told us that they spent more than $60 per pair. In this reader’s experience, “The cheap ones don’t last as long or fit as well.”

We rotated through 18 pairs of highly rated socks that fit our requirements, evaluating how firm they felt, what the fabric was like, and whether there was any bunching at the top of the calf or around the toes. We washed each pair at least twice, to see which ones warped or lost their stretch. Though most brands recommend air-drying socks, we also tumbled our test socks in the dryer, to see how they’d hold up for people who might toss them in the machine (purposefully or not). We compared notes against customer reviews and enlisted second options (and foot sizes) from our editors.

If you want compression socks to help you run in style: You may love Lily Trotters Signature Compression Socks. We previously named Lily Trotters a pick in this guide, but over more than two years of wearing and washing the same pairs of socks we found Lily Trotters became notably stiffer and more worn-feeling than other pairs. And one tester wore holes in the soles of hers in just a few months of wear. Still, the Lily Trotters are a good contender for a running compression sock, thanks to synthetic materials (they’re 93% nylon and 7% spandex) and a close fit around the foot. They come in several neon-ish colors that could help runners increase visibility, as well as in solid black, polka dots, and many other fun prints, some of which include outdoor iconography that mimic the styling of hiking socks you’d see at REI. The compression level is 15 to 20 mm Hg.

If you want wide-calf socks that are a little more affordable: Wellow Compression Socks are 18 to 25 mm Hg and available in wide calf sizes that go up to 22 inches—one inch more than Vim & Vigr, but they cost less than all of their styles. Wellows come in fewer colors and fabric choices, but in testing they were cozy, warm, and held up well through months of washing and wearing.

If you’re looking for a slightly shorter sock: Most of the socks we’ve tested go right to the knee (or slightly above), but Bombas Everyday Compression Socks are just a little bit shorter if you don’t like the feel of elastic around your knees. They still stay up on the leg without sliding down. The compression level is 15 to 20 mm Hg.

The medium-strength Sockwell Incline Compression Socks for women and men have a noticeably cushioned sole, not just a heavier weave around the foot. This is Sockwell’s idea of a running sock. But, unlike with a ski sock, there is no one way a running sock should fit. Some people want cushioning and some don’t. If you’re looking specifically for a running compression sock, and you don’t have initial opinions about how you want it to fit, we’d start with the Sockwell firm compression sock. It’s exactly the same sock, without the extra cushioning and with a higher compression rating (20 to 30 mm Hg), which we find many runners gravitate toward.

Figs Compression Socks for women and men are firm compression socks created with medical professionals in mind, and the cute illustrations of doctoring llamas, pills, and body parts are awesome. However, they suffered heavily in the wash, unusually so for a synthetic sock. One tester said, “I’d be disappointed if something I liked so much wore out so quickly.” Overall, the fit is comfortable, and if you like the patterns, you can care for them by air-drying (which is what Figs recommends).

SB Sox are a unisex budget compression option (20 to 30 mm Hg) that we recommended in a previous version of this guide, but we decided the Go2Socks are a better choice. The length of the Go2Socks is more comfortable (the SB Sox run ultra-long and tend to bunch at the knee), and there are more sizing options.

The unisex Comrad Merino Wool Compression Socks fared the worst in the washer and dryer—the heels and toes were fuzzy and used-looking after just one wash. All merino does poorly in the washer and dryer, and Comrad says to air-dry, so this isn’t a surprise. But even so, other socks—including the nylon-spandex Comrad socks we recommend—suffered far less wear and tear in our testing.

Ostrichpillow makes a pair of Bamboo Compression Socks with sort of a color-blocked, modern styling. The compression is low, at 8 to 15 mm Hg. But like many other socks, they didn’t stand up very well to a washing machine, and we don’t think they’ll stay new-looking for long. If you want very light compression, this sock has the lowest of all those we looked at.

Blitzu Compression Socks (currently unavailable) offer some compression on the foot, which some people find comfortable. But after one wear and one wash, the bottom of the sock started pilling. Plus, there’s effectively only one size for women (the small/medium option covers women’s shoe sizes 5 to 11), which means people with smaller feet may not feel much compression.

Physix Gear Sport Compression Socks are very similar in appearance, packaging, size, and color options to our budget pick, the Go2Socks, but they are comparatively longer.

A lighter-compression version of our pick, Sockwell’s Circulator Graduated Compression Socks for women and men come in a wider variety of colors than the firm versions. However, the compression (15 to 20 mm HG) didn’t feel snug enough, and the top of the sock became a little loose and warped after just a few wears.

Nike Elite Lightweight Compression Over-the-Calf (currently unavailable) socks cost more than double the price of socks we recommend, and they are available only in a single strength.

This article was edited by Tracy Vence and Kalee Thompson.