Obviously, the most important aspect of our selection of best crew socks would be their crew height. However, this doesn’t offer many variations, since all crew heights are more or less the same, with the difference perhaps being one inch here or there, depending on the brand.

This is why, instead, we are going to focus on a style. Which style you will go for is determined by your own personal style and by the situations you’re planning on wearing your socks in.

For a more convenient understanding of style, we’ve divided these designs into three categories:

• Athletic: Athletic and sports-specific socks are probably the most common ones in our list. They are outfitted with special materials and technologies which give them properties such as moisture-wicking, temperature-regulation, compression, and others which serve to enhance your athletic performance.
  They are great to wear for running, hiking, cycling, team sports, CrossFit, you name it. It would be best if you would do a bit of research beforehand, to figure out what features would be the most useful to you given the sport you’re engaging in.
• Casual: While also being suitable for some light exercise, casual designs usually don’t come with any hi-tech features to them. They are made from soft materials that sometimes aren’t even suitable for training (such as cotton), but that is great for everyday wear. Casual socks can be monochrome in color, but they can also be on the sillier side, vibrant and patterned and with fun prints all over.
  These are perfect for your casual outings, to pair with jeans and shorts and skirts and dresses, and to add a touch of whimsy in your life.
• Dress: The last style we will mention are dress socks. These are more serious in appearance and are suitable to wear to the office, to a meeting or any formal gathering where you are expected to look impeccable. Dress designs come in monochrome colors, often neutral tones such as white, black, navy, gray, etc., and they’re meant to be paired up with suits, tuxes and other types of smart wear. To make sure that you are always presentable at work or a similar event, go for a standard, unembellished dress sock, and you won’t make a mistake.

Whether you’re about to go for a run or start a new outdoor adventure or you simply have some errands to take care of in the city - comfort should be one of the most important aspects of all footwear and clothing you’re wearing. If something isn’t right, if it’s causing irritation or even pain, then not only will our mood be sour but we also might walk away with a blister or two that we will keep feeling for days to come.

So, what does, exactly, make a pair of crew cut socks comfortable?

We will go into more detail in our Materials section, but the first factor is the type of material design is made from.

The material should be light and soft to the touch, without causing any friction or undue rubbing against the skin. Natural materials such as cotton, wool, and bamboo are widely thought of as some of the most comfortable out there. A special place goes to combed cotton which is even softer than regular cotton.

Compared to these, synthetic materials are not as nice to wear. They aren’t bad and probably won’t cause any problems, but if you’re looking for maximum comfort, try to go for a natural option.

Another aspect you should keep in mind is the construction of the sock. Cushioning greatly increases comfort because it absorbs impact and smoothes the ride. If you like to have some bounce in your step and prefer to feel your feet gently cradled, then socks with thick cushioning should do the trick.

Furthermore, don’t forget to take a look at the seams of the design. They should be flat, invisible, or seamless so that they don’t dig into your skin as you move and cause indents or even lacerations.

There is a large selection of materials that can be utilized in the construction of the best crew socks. Rarely is a design made from only one material; blends and different combinations are often used to introduce other features that only one material may not have.

Here are some of the common materials found in this guide, and some of their pros and cons.

Polyester/Polyamide: These two are not the same material, but they belong to the same group - synthetics - and have largely the same characteristics. Polyester and polyamide are durable and colorfast, meaning able to retain color for longer periods of time. In addition to that, they are adequately breathable and not uncomfortable.

Natural materials are a bit softer and more comfortable than these, but the difference isn’t drastic. The downside to synthetic materials is that they are not biodegradable and thus not environmentally friendly.

Acrylic: Acrylic is also a synthetic material, but it is softer in touch than polyester and/or polyamide. It is also quite durable and colorfast. Its other properties are mostly the same as in the previous synthetic options.

Wool: Wool is a natural material that has a whole arsenal of positive qualities. It is moisture-wicking, meaning that it pulls moisture away from your skin and to the outer layers of the sock, eliminating dampness and sweat. It is also temperature-regulating, which is why wool socks are suitable to wear all year round. It is also breathable and comfortable to the touch.

However, wool socks tend to lose shape over time, so they are not the most durable.

Cotton: Cotton is another natural material that is unparalleled when it comes to comfort. It is soft to the touch and certain varieties of it, combed cotton, for example, are even hypoallergenic and suitable for sensitive feet. Cotton is amazingly breathable and is lovely to wear on a regular basis.

Unfortunately, cotton has the tendency to absorb moisture, which makes it a poor choice for high-impact activities.

Nylon: Nylon is added to material combinations because it provides durability and stretch. It has exceptional wear and tear resistance, and the higher the percentage of nylon in design, the more durable it will be.

Spandex/Lycra/Elastane: Finally, these three names are used interchangeably to describe the same type of fiber. Spandex is an incredibly elastic fiber that provides stretch to your socks. Thanks to it, socks are able to fit snugly to your feet, and they don’t restrict your movements no matter what activity you’re engaging in.

You may think that how design fits is not that significant, but we are here to tell you that the fit is quite important in many ways. It is what determines whether or not your new pair of crew cut socks will be comfortable, whether they will aid in your performance or perhaps hinder it. Fit is what can separate a good design from a bad one, even if all the other features are the same.

So, how exactly is a crew sock supposed to fit?

First off, it shouldn’t be too tight. Even designs that come with some degree of compression to them should never be constricting. The cuff, or any other part of the sock, shouldn’t leave dents or markings on your skin, and it certainly shouldn’t be cutting off your blood flow. Poor circulation will lead to cold feet and numbness and maybe even worse consequences if you continue wearing a design that is too tight.

In the same vein, a sock shouldn’t be too loose-fitting either. Excess material will bunch up in your footwear and start causing discomfort. If you’re engaging in some sort of athletic activity, this friction will quickly lead to hotspots and blisters. At the same time, a loose design will also slip down your leg, and you will find it frustrating that you have to keep pulling it up.

It is important to strike a good balance between tight and loose. The fit should be snug, let’s say, but not limiting your movements. Look for a good percentage of spandex, elastane or Lycra to make sure you’re getting a stretchy material that can easily accommodate your foot shape.

If you’re looking for best crew socks, you may not be looking for one specific design for one specific purpose. Perhaps you’re looking at your options and trying to find one that will work in your everyday life. Perhaps you’re looking for something that will be good both for sports and for casual wear.

This is why we felt it was important to rank the items on our list according to their versatility as well. How suitable they are for different situations and different events, and how likely it is that you are going to wear them not only to work and to school but also to the gym or to a fun time with your family.

Technically, you can wear any socks for any occasion. However, there are those which simply might not be worth spending money on if you’re going to wear them like a casual everyday choice.

We’re talking about the special athletic designs, of course. They are outfitted with innovative materials and advanced features, and their price is thus higher than that of a regular option. This is why it would be best to stay away from running socks if you won’t be running or hiking socks if you won’t be hiking. They are high in performance, that’s true, but you won’t have any need for that if you’re not active in those sports.

For everyday wear, a simple cotton design, especially if it is cute and/or fashionable in appearance, will do the trick just fine. You could easily wear it to work, to the classroom, to lunch dates or to the ballgame, and you will love how well it serves you in all of these situations.