One of the many items I received as a member of Nuun Hydrations 2013 Hood to Coast team was two pairs of Swiftwick socks. I'm a little neurotic when it comes to my race outfits and sticking to the rule of never trying anything new on race day, so I didn't have the chance to wear my Swiftwick socks while running Hood to Coast, but I did take them out for a few test runs first thing when I got back. I've had a month now of running in both pairs and feel like I've got a good feel for whether I like them or not. The two pairs of socks I received were the VIBE ONE and the VISION TWELVE. Both are touted as compression socks, which I'm finding is my new sock of choice. My personal preference is a nice tight sock, with no cushion that is no show, but doesn't slouch into your shoes when running. It seems that most "compression" socks fit this bill nicely, so a lot of my cotton blend socks that don't have as much stretch to them have slunk to the back and bottom of my sock drawer.

I tried the VISION TWELVE first and wore them post-run as a "recovery" sock. I'm not really a fan of wearing tall compression socks while running, unless it is absolutely necessary, like the other day when my calves were screaming after having done over 60 burpees as part of the Jack Attack challenge at Granite State Kettlebell, but I had to run so I wore knee high compression socks. I have one other pair of compression socks, from ProCompression, which served as my point of comparison. I noticed that the Swiftwick VISION TWELVE were slightly shorter, the fell nicely below the knee joint which made for a more comfortable fit. But the one thing that I wasn't such a fan of was the lack of "tightness," they definitely weren't as tight as I am used to (and prefer). But after reading the VISION TWELVES description on the Swiftwick website it seems that they aren't meant to be super tight: "built for those who prefer a looser fit." I'm not one of those people who prefer a looser fit so the VISION TWELVE didn't exactly appeal to me in regards to the fit [Swiftwick does have several socks with a higher compression rating that may be more appealing to those wanting a tighter feel.] But what I did like about it was the feel of the fabric and the construction of the sock itself. There is definitely a quality there and the long cuff on the sock added to the comfort of the fit. The fit was true to size, I wear a women's 10 and have the medium socks. It is also a much more reasonable price point $24.99 vs. the $50 or $60 of most other knee-high compression socks.

I've logged quite a few miles in the VIBE ONE and really like it. I'm not sure if I'm the only runner who does this (am I??), but I often "save" my favorite apparel for certain runs: long runs, tempo, track. These are now a pair of my "saver" socks, the ones I put aside for my "important runs." The fit of the socks are great, a nice compression feel for a snug fit. The fabric in the footbed is not too cushioned, which I like and the toe box has no seams which makes them really comfortable. The fabric itself does a great job wicking sweat away, my feet are dry when I'm done with a run. I also like the slight cuff on the sock, which doesn't slip down at all. I found the fit to be true to size and the medium fit nicely. At $13.99 they are pretty much on par with other low-compression socks I've purchased. Overall I think these are a great sock and would purchase them again, plus I love the fact that they are made in the USA.

You have a chance to try Swiftwick too! Swiftwick will be giving away a $25 gift card to one lucky reader! Here's how you can enter:

Required for entry:

-Leave a comment: What's your favorite style of sock? Tall, no show, compression, cushion?

-Tweet the giveaway: "I just entered to win a @Swiftwick gift card on @Run_Far_Girl, you should too! #wicknation #giveaway" and leave a comment here saying you did. [If you are not on Twitter you can share the giveaway on Facebook.]

Additional Entries:

-Like RunFarGirl on Facebook and leave a comment here saying you did.

-Like Swiftwick on Facebook and leave a comment here saying you did.

-Follow RunFarGirl on twitter and leave a comment here saying you did.

-Follow Swiftwick on twitter and leave a comment here saying you did.

Six possible entries. Entries open until Thursday 10/3 at midnight. Winner will be announced on Friday 10/4.

--Sarah

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