Socks for Big Feet – Sizes Above 46

Short answer: If your shoe size is above 46, you know the problem: standard socks pull across the toes and slide down at the heel. The answer is socks in large sizes where the fit actually works. Several of our brands carry bamboo socks in sizes that go above 46.

Why standard socks do not reach

Most socks are sold in ranges such as 43 to 46 and are knitted for the middle of the range. If you sit above the top, the whole sock is stretched by the foot. The thread goes thin, the heel sits in the wrong place, and the toe seam is pulled down over the toes where you feel it all day.

What goes wrong when the sock is too small

Three things happen at once. The toe seam moves from in front of the toes to across them and starts to press. The heel sits too high or too low, so the reinforced part is not where the wear is. And the stretched thread breaks sooner, so the sock gets a hole long before it should.

How to find your correct size

Use the brand's own chart every time, because there is no common standard, and a range can cover three sizes at one brand and five at another. See the size guide for JBS of Denmark men, which shows which ranges the brand has and how far up they go.

What to look for on the item

Look at the upper figure in the range rather than at the word large. A sock listed as 43 to 48 is knitted for the middle around 45 to 46, and if you take 49 you are still above it. Also look for a reinforced heel and toe, which matters more when the foot is large and there are more kilos on every step.

Height matters too

A large foot often needs a longer shaft, because a tennis sock that just sits on a 42 slides down on a 48, since the ankle is larger in circumference. Choose a slightly taller model than you otherwise would, or one with a wide cuff that has more to hold on to.

Where to find them

Search the category and filter by size rather than going by the picture, because a large size looks identical in a product photo. The full range sits under all bamboo socks for men, where the size ranges are listed on every item along with the fabric composition.

Washing when the sock is large

A large sock holds more fabric and gets heavier when wet, and bamboo viscose is weaker when wet. Hang the socks lengthwise to dry rather than giving them high heat in the dryer, and turn them inside out in the wash. Both the shape and the reinforced heel then last longer. See also guide to the right size and bamboo socks against sweaty feet.