Fit for Athletic or Everyday Shoes

Thorlo socks work optimally when fitted with your activity shoes. If you wear them with shoes that have already been fitted with your regular socks, you may feel your shoes are too tight. 

If your shoes are too tight, your feet may feel hot, cold, or just generally uncomfortable. 

Follow this guide to get the best protection and comfort from your Thorlo socks and your shoes.

  • Put on Activity Specific Thorlo socks when being fitted with the appropriate activity specific shoes.
    • Activity Specific Thorlo socks may increase your shoe size.
  • Select the activity specific shoe of your choice.
    • Choose the shoe size to fit the larger of your two feet (Most people have one foot larger than the other).
    • Purchase shoes by the way they feel, not by the size indicated
    • Try the shoes on with your Thorlo socks and feel how they fit
    • You should be able to move your big toe comfortably
    • There should be the width of your thumbnail between your longest toe and the end of the shoe.
    • The heel should fit comfortably with minimal slippage.
    • Notice that the ball of your foot fits comfortably into the widest part of the shoe.
    • Fitting should be done towards the end of the day, as the feet tend to enlarge slightly from the exertion of daily activities.

Fit for Boots

Note: Boots typically have a deeper last and thus there are fewer fitting issues with boots
  • Put on Activity Specific Thorlo socks when being fitted with the boots. Activity
    • Specific Thorlo socks may increase your boot size.
  • Select the boot of your choice.
    • Choose the size to fit the larger of your two feet (Most people have one foot larger than the other).
    • Purchase boots by the way they feel, not by the size indicated (Sizes differ among all shoe and boot styles).
  • Try the boots on with Activity Specific Thorlo socks and feel how they fit.
    • You should be able to move your big toe comfortably.
    • There should be the width of your thumbnail between your longest toe and the end of the boot.
    • The heel should fit comfortably with slippage of no more than ¼ inch; and the curve of the back of the boot should match the natural curve of the Achilles tendon area.
    • Notice that the ball of your foot fits comfortably into the widest part of the boot. Make sure that the boot flexes in the right place for your foot (at the last 'knuckle' on the big toe).
    • The arch area of the boot should 'wrap' snugly around the foot's arch area.
    • A key to proper fit is that the space between the eyelets of the boots when they are laced and tied should be about ½ to 1 inch - less than this and the boots are probably too large; more than this and the boots are probably too small.
    • Fitting should be done towards the end of the day, as the feet tend to enlarge slightly from the exertion of daily activities.
  • Purchase your boots and Activity Specific Thorlo socks as a system for maximum protection and comfort.

How do I decide which style I should use?

Thorlo socks are designed and constructed to protect your feet from the specific activity demands of a variety of sports and activities. To select the most appropriate Thorlo socks for you, follow these guidelines:
  • Think about what specific sport or activity you will be doing:
    • What type of shoes, boots or footwear will you be wearing?
    • What conditions will you be subjected to (for example, will you be doing your activity inside or outside; will there be heat, cold, high humidity or other environmental factors)?
  • Determine if there is an activity-specific Thorlo product for your particular activity. Thorlo socks have been anatomically designed, and are available for the following sports and activities:
    • Basketball
    • Extreme Weather
    • Fitness
    • Golf
    • Hiking
    • Mountain Climbing
    • Running
    • Skiing
    • Snowboarding
    • Tennis
    • Trail Running
    • Walking
  • In addition, Thorlo Lifestyle products are available in the following categories:
    • Casual
    • Dress
    • Military (combat boots)
    • Uniform in regular and support versions (typically worn with public safety uniforms, government uniforms or company uniforms)
    • Western (typically worn with western dress boots, western riding boots or western work boots)