Bamboo Socks vs. Polyester Sports Socks

Short answer: Sports socks in polyester dry quickly but hold freshness poorly, because odour bacteria thrive in synthetic fibres. Bamboo socks also move moisture effectively, but at the same time slow odour and feel softer. For everyday wear and light sport, bamboo is therefore the more comfortable choice.

Polyester dries fast but smells faster

Synthetic sports socks push the sweat out to the surface where it evaporates, which is why they dry quickly. The problem is that polyester fibres are water repellent and oil attracting: they bind skin oils, and it is in those oils that the bacteria thrive. That is why a polyester sock can smell after only a couple of hours, and the odour often stays put even after a wash.

Bamboo moves moisture differently

Bamboo viscose takes the moisture into the fibre itself and spreads it through the fabric where it evaporates. That is slightly slower than polyester, but in return the moisture does not sit as a film on the surface facing the skin. Combined with the fibre not binding skin oils in the same way, that means fewer odour problems over a day.

When polyester is still the right choice

For competition, long distances and sport in the rain, polyester and other synthetic fibres have an advantage, because they dry fastest and are strongest when wet. If you choose a synthetic sock, wash it after every session and do not leave it in the bag, because that is where the odour really settles.

For everyday wear and light sport

For walks, the gym, classes and everyday steps, bamboo is more comfortable, because it lies softer against the skin and does not smell as quickly. See bamboo tennis socks for men and bamboo tennis socks for women, which are the height that suits both training shoes and sneakers.

Blends exist in both camps

Most socks are blends, and a bamboo sock almost always contains a few per cent elastane to hold its shape. Some sports socks mix polyester with viscose to get both properties. Read the percentages in the description: the first figure decides how the sock behaves, and the rest are details.

Washing differs

Polyester tolerates high heat and can go in the dryer, but the odour often does not disappear at 30 degrees, and then it has to be washed warmer or soaked. Bamboo viscose is washed at 30 to 40 degrees and hung to dry, because the fibre is weaker when wet. The full range sits under bamboo socks for men and bamboo socks for women.

How to get the odour out of a synthetic sock

Soak the socks for half an hour in lukewarm water with a couple of tablespoons of vinegar before washing. The vinegar loosens the skin oils the detergent cannot reach, and the odour sits in the oils rather than in the sweat. Then wash them alone at the highest temperature the label allows. If that does not work after two attempts, the fibres are saturated and the sock should be replaced. See also bamboo for training and sensitive skin.