Safeguards Ankles
When looking for a pair of basketball socks, you have your choice of different profile lengths. We really like the profile of the Razer Trails because they come up above the ankle.

This not only provides extra support and compression to the ankle area, but it also protects your ankles from rubbing against your shoes (especially when you’re pivoting all over the court). This helps to combat blisters. We award points for Comfort and Support here.

Performance Padding
The Razer Trails provide even more support when you’re hauling up and down the court in the toebox and at the heel. This extra padding works to fight against blisters as well and simply makes you feel like you’re walking on a cloud without adding too much bulk to the sock.

Plus, you’ll get extra compression wraps around the arch and ankle for even more support and stability. These centers are also designed to breathe as they are finished with mesh, so they wick away sweat which helps to lower the amount of friction derived from moisture.

And while many budget products on the market are made with higher ratios of cotton (which stretch out and also hold on to sweat like no other), these are made with an incredible blend of recycled fibers that hold their shape for years to come.

So we award top marks for Compression, Comfort, and Materials here.

Cost and Value
If you’re going to buy a premium pair of basketball shoes, don’t skimp on the socks, man. These are well worth a few extra bucks because they will truly hold up longer than other products on the market, and because they have added technology to make their use even more appealing.

With Polygiene, you won’t have to worry about smelly socks again because they fight the build-up of smelly bacteria. In fact, if you don’t want to, you don’t even have to wash these after every pickup Saturday. That’s a win for you and for Earth.

And to top all of that off, we love the commitment to customers that Rockay displays. If your pair does start to loosen and lose its shape, you can simply notify Rockay and they’ll send you a replacement pair with not a question about it.

Perfect Blend
The Under Armour Phenom 2.0 is made of a perfect blend of 74% polyester, 24% cotton, and 2% spandex.

The HeatGear polyester fibers are treated specially with ArmourDry which works to actively wick moisture (aka sweat) away from your skin. But it doesn’t stop there.

Through the wicking process, sweat and moisture are actually encourages to evaporate more rapidly so you don’t end up with soggy socks. This is a key feature as there is a high cotton content in the socks, which is a fabric that tends to hold on to moisture.

And with just the right amount of stretch, you can be sure that these babies will stay in place (up to your leg where they belong) without cutting into your calves and leaving indentations for hours after your practice.

We also like that there is no pesky toe seam to rub at your little piggies and that there is a left and right foot so that each foot gets the specialized support it needs. Some folks find this annoying on laundry day, but it does seem to create a better fit. In fact, over 90% of reviewers find these to fit as expected.

We award total points for Comfort and a boatload of points for Materials here.

While these are super comfortable, you’ll find that they are missing some of the Support and Compression you will find in other products, so we docked a few points in each of these categories.

Beat the Stink
The Under Armour Phenom 2.0 is also treated with incredible ArmourBlock technology. This specialized formula works to stave off the build-up of an array of bacterias that cause unpleasant odors to develop. This means you won’t have to wage war with your stinky gym socks anymore. More Materials points here.

Cost and Value
The Under Armour Phenom 2.0 rings up in the middle of our price range and we love their value because you get three pairs with each purchase and because you get the specialized fit of left and righties, all while enjoying tons of advanced tech that keeps your tootsies from stinking and sweating up a storm.

Compression Around Arch
The Rockay Flare Quarter features nice padding in the base of the sock to provide cushioning support upon impact. You will also find ample lift and compression around the ankle which is clearly visible in the compression band.

This lift helps to keep your muscles fully supported so that your lower body remains in alignment, steering it away from potential injuries. We award points for Support and Compression here.

Zone Mesh
We also like that the Rockay Flare Quarter is breathable with visible mesh zones around the product. Not only are the fibers moisture-wicking, but the ultra-breathable mesh zones make for a sock that dries quickly and stays dry for longer. We give points for Comfort and Materials here.

And, like the previous two products on our list, the Flare Quarters are treated with Polygiene which words to fight against stinky bacteria so you won’t even have to put these through the washing machine each time you hit the court which works to extend their longevity. More points for Materials here.

Cost and Value
The Rockay Flare Quarter rings up at the top of our price range but we love its value because it is an insanely durable product that can last for years without showing wear and tear. And even if they do start to weather, Rockay will replace them for life--no questions asked. So we extend tons of points for Value here.

4-Way Fit
The Smartwool PhD Pro Light Crew offers up an incredible fit that works to hug to each wearer as if they were custom made. With 4-way fit technology, you will get specialized foot hugs in the arch, toe, heel, and especially the ankle around the calf.
This flex fitting around the ankle allows for a more natural range of motion that is still fully supporting and protecting your ankles with constricting them. There is also an additional strap that wraps around the Achilles to provide extra support and protection to this delicate area, so we love this added feature.
We award points for Support and Compression here.

Indestructawool
The Smartwool PhD Pro Light Crew is made using Indestructawool technology. What does this mean, other than being a cute pun?
These babies are made from premium nylon and wool and are woven together in a fashion that works to fight against pilling, running, and tears. That means you won’t have to deal with loose balls of wool rolling off or stray strings that rip when pulled.
This, in effect, extends the lifetime of the product and means that you get to enjoy them for longer. And on top of that, they are also super soft and comfortable to the touch, so we award points for Materials and Comfort here.

Cost and Value
The Smartwool PhD Pro Light Crew rings up at the very top of our price range and we like its value because it is a super durable product that can hold up where others cannot. Plus, you’ll get tons of added support and you’ll even get a little warmth for outdoor pickup games in the fall.

Stabilizing Zone
The WRIGHTSOCK CoolMesh II Quarter may be a shorty, but it can still hang with the big guys when it comes to delivering the support you need on the court.
With a stabilizing zone that wraps around the arches, as well as braces under the arch for even more support, you will truly feel the lift and structure that these bad boys provide. So we award major points for Support and Compression here.

Anti-Blister System
The WRIGHTSOCK CoolMesh II Quarter racks up points in the Comfort category as they are nice and breathable with panels of mesh included in the construction. They also have a double layer system that works as an anti-blister front to keep your feet fresh, even as you pivot around the defenders.
And with a nice blend of polyester, nylon, and spandex, you will feel cool and dry throughout your practice drills, as well as snug and supported. So we give out points for Materials here.

Cost and Value
The WRIGHTSOCK CoolMesh II Quarter rings up in the middle of our price range and we like its value because it offers up specialized support and comfort at about half the cost of a more premium sock featured on this list.
However, we dock some points for Materials and Value because many users report serious shrinking after putting them in the dryer.

Dri-FIT Tech
The Nike Elite Basketball Crew may be one of the higher-profile products on our list, but that doesn’t mean that you have to sacrifice breathability and comfort.

With Dri-FIT technology, you will be able to enjoy a sock that works to wick away moisture from your feet and speed up the rate of evaporation so that you can stay nice and dry no matter how many hours you long on the court. We award points for Comfort and Materials here.

Cushion Zones
We also like that the Nike Elite Basketball Crew has ample cushioning in the base of the sock to provide tons of impact support that you will need from all of the dunkings you’ll be doing. This impact absorption, along with a band around the arch to provide a bit of extra lift, you’ll feel support and comfort at the same time.

So we award points for Compression and Support here.

Plus, these babies come with ribbing in the forefoot to ensure that the socks stay in place inside of your shoe and that you don’t find yourself slipping around. And the arch band that we mentioned before also works to ensure that the product stays in place on your foot. So more points for Comfort and Matierlas here.

Cost and Value
The Nike Elite Basketball Crew rings up on the higher end of our price range and we like its value because it offers up a lot of fashionable comforts that also work to deliver you the kind of support and protection that you need out of a basketball sock.

Tons of Compression
The Zensah Tech Compression Socks were designed with compression in mind. Made from 82% polyamide and 18% elastane, these guys are serious about their compression status.

We love that these offer up graduated compression which means that you will find more compression around the ankles and knees than you will find up the calf. This works to ensure the flow of blood continues to be circulated.

All of this together helps to bring more oxygen to your muscles which keeps them firing on all cylinders and it also decreases the occurrence of sore muscles which helps to lessen the amount of recovery time you need between games.

So we award points for Compression and Support here.

Fit Anatomically
The Zensah Tech Compression Socks also work to deliver comfort as well. There is no seam in the toe so you won’t have to deal with extra friction and rubbing against your shoes here.
And because they are anatomically designed with a specialized fit for the left and right foot, you will actually be able to feel the difference in lift and snugness which makes the fit more comfortable as well.

Plus, you’ll get even more added ribbing around the arches to provide extra TLC and relief to this area so that you can fight against foot fatigue and soreness as well. So we give out points for Comfort and Materials here.

Cost and Value
The Zensah Tech Compression Socks ring up on the higher end of our price range but we like their value because they offer tons of technology that serves to cut recovery times down and get you back out on the court faster. Plus, they’re super snazzy and a fun way to add some extra razzle-dazzle to your floor game.

Arch and Ankle Support
The MadSportsStuff Basketball Socks feature a good amount of support to keep you on the court for longer without injuries.

With compression zones around the arches and ankles, you’ll enjoy a healthy flow of oxygen to your muscles which helps to keep you in alignment and prevent fatigue. We award points for Compression and Support here.

We also like the profile of this sock as a standard crew as it works to absorb, wick away, and encourage the evaporation of sweat so that you won’t find yourself dripping all over the court. We award points for Comfort here.

Fun Designs
The MadSportsStuff Basketball Socks come in over 25 colors so that you are sure to find the right color combo to match your pick up team, rec league, or for practices. We like the wide variety and we especially like that they are nice and comfy so we award points for Materials here.

Plus, we like that there are sizes for both youth and kids so that everyone can join in on the fun.
With a good deal of stretchy fibers and some spandex, you can rest assured that these are going to stay in place and that they aren’t going to lose their shape super easily.

However, some reviewers find these to be a little thick and had issues with them fitting comfortably into their shoes (while they did find them cushy). So we dock some points for overall Comfort and Materials here.

Cost and Value
The MadSportsStuff Basketball Socks ring up towards the bottom of our price range and we like their value because they offer a fun way to add extra comfort and support to your court drills.

Lefties and Righties
The Adidas Unisex Speed Mesh is designed to fit perfectly to each foot. You’ll get a leftie and a rightie sock with each pair so that you can reap all of the benefits of a custom sock to provide you the support that you need while you’re shooting hoops.

You’ll also get some nice cushioning under the foot to help to absorb some of those nasty impact shocks from dunking and jumping over your competition. We award points for Compression and Support here, as well as for Comfort.

Traxion Areas
We like that the Adidas Unisex Speed Mesh has extra areas of “Traxion” built into the sock on the Achilles and around the foot that works to grip to your basketball shoes so that your socks don’t end up slipping around in your shoes. We award points for Materials and Comfort here.

We also like the moisture-wicking action that works to keep those tootsies dry, driving down the friction from moisture that can likely result in blistering. Points for Materials here as well.

Cost and Value
The Adidas Unisex Speed Mesh rings up on the lower end of our price range and we like their value because they are made of cushy materials that help to keep your foot and sock secure inside of the shoe so that it doesn’t slide around.

Low Profile
The Brooks Glycerin Ultimate offers up a nice and breathable low profile so that your shoes can be the main attraction on the court. You will also enjoy mesh zones on the top of these that allow a nice airflow, as well as quick-drying fabric to keep puddles out of your Jordans.
We award points for Comfort here.

Targeted Support
Even though the Brooks Glycerin Ultimate has a low profile, they offer nice support and cushioning to keep you going drill after drill.
With fully padding at the bottom of the foot and targeted support around the arches, you will feel lifted and supported without being weighed down. We award points for Support, Compression, and Materials here.

Cost and Value
The Brooks Glycerin Ultimate rings up in the middle of our price range and we like their value because they offer a low profile option for those who are still seeking durability and support.