The internet's favorite sock brand, Bombas, started with a mission: to create quality socks that were better than basic multi-packs but more affordable than technical performance pairs. This mission has been accomplished, thanks to the glowing Bombas socks reviews that have poured in from all over.
As a shoe collector with hundreds of pairs of sneakers, socks are one of the most important essentials for me. From finding pairs that match my shoes - whether they're sneakers, dress shoes, or boots - to seeking comfort and durability, I'm definitely more particular about socks than the average person, and Bombas has always met my expectations.
Bombas has socks for any and every occasion. High-quality construction and detailed design are the two major factors that are markedly different when reading the average Bombas socks review.
While the brand has common styles like crew, calf, and ankle socks, you'll also find heavyweight wool hiking socks, lightweight running socks, dress socks, tennis socks, grippy socks, and so much more.
Regardless of which style you choose, Bombas is known for its proprietary Honeycomb Arch Support System. The technology cradles the arch of your foot for a snug, yet comfortable fit. It also helps to prevent your socks from losing shape after a few wears and washes.
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Other useful design features include blister tabs on its ankle socks, thoughtfully placed tension, or "Stay-Up technology" on calf socks, and a combination of heel grips and contoured seams on no-shows. These features are what makes Bombas socks a little more expensive than your average pair from Target, but we think the price is well worth it because of how long they last.
For every pair of socks you purchase, Bombas also donates another pair to someone in need. The same goes for Bombas underwear and T-shirts. To date, the company is responsible for donating more than 75 million items, all of which are specially designed to meet the needs of people experiencing homelessness.
Bombas is also a certified B-Corp, meaning it has volunteered to be graded by the nonprofit B Lab each year to ensure they're meeting the highest standards of social and environmental performance, public transparency, and legal accountability.
Bombas categorizes its socks for men and women, but it's worth noting that the designs are essentially unisex and that anyone can wear any of the socks. Just pay attention to the size chart, and you'll find pairs that fit your feet in both sections.
I have been using Bombas Socks for YEARS. My family has used all different heights, materials, and styles of their socks. Since I now consider myself an unofficial Bombas Socks Evangelist, it is long overdue that I write an official Bombas Socks Review.
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A few years ago, when one of my children was having some sensory issues, particularly with how his socks felt, an Instagram follower recommended trying out Bombas Socks for him. I’ll be honest. The sticker shock of high-quality socks was a deterrent at first. Up until this point, my mantra on socks was, “The cheaper, the better.” I mean, they’re socks.
You can probably guess how the story plays out, right? I got my hands on some socks for my kids and then wanted to try a pair for myself. And then another pair for myself. And then another style. And then my husband wanted a pair for himself. And so the story goes. I now regularly recommend them to people, have them in our Holiday Gift Guides, and wear them almost 90% of the time.
Bombas launched in 2013, after founders Randy Goldberg and David Heath learned that socks are the most requested clothing item in homeless shelters. They established the brand’s mission to donate one pair of socks for every pair purchased. They’ve donated over 50 million items to more than 3,500 community organizations to date.
A year later, the company raised $1 million in seed funding from friends and family. The founders appeared on a September 2014 episode of ABC’s Shark Tank and secured a deal with Daymond John.
Bombas is Quality Obsessed. The duo spent years in research and development, so you can spend years wearing your Bombas. Each item the company makes is rigorously tested for comfort and durability. They took the time to pinpoint all the small issues with socks and t-shirts: the painful toe seams; annoying pilling; no shows that slip.
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100% Happiness is Guaranteed. I can personally vouch for this too. They even replaced socks that my son tore open on a scooter ride without shoes!
I bought my first pair of Bombas Socks over 4 years ago. That same pair of socks is still in my drawer and in the regular rotation. They are still in good shape, have kept their fit, and show very little sign of their age despite their frequent use. There are very few clothing items that I can say that about. Simply put, you get what you pay for. Bombas socks will LAST. On top of that, they are ethically made and have a generous give back model. Dollar for dollar, it’s worth spending more money on higher quality items that you will use over and over again.
Quality socks fall into that category for me. When you’re used to the prices of low-quality socks, the sticker shock of a premium brand like Bombas can make you hesitate to pull the trigger. The good news is we have a coupon code for you!
Bombas socks are 100% my go-to socks anytime I am going to exercise. When I branch out, I always regret it!
While I initially bought Bombas socks for exercising, I found myself gravitating towards them for non-active times too. I began to branch out and try different fits and styles.
My husband used to be a Nike socks guy. Knowing he doesn’t branch out much, I took a risk and bought him a pair of Bombas socks in the same style of his coveted Nike socks. He was a quick convert. Since then, these two types of socks are his go-to.
Long before I got pairs of Bombas Socks in hand, their socks were recommended to me by a few trusted friends. The recommendations centered around all-day comfort and durability. That, of course, piqued my interest. Afterward, I discovered Bombas’ pledge to donate one pair of socks for every pair purchased. It’s always a nice bonus to be able to support mission-driven brands so I was again attracted to them.
And at WearTesters, if you’ve got a performance focus, we’re intrigued. All that convinced me. Since Bombas offers a lot of options, I’ve divided my review into sections focused on the versions I’ve tried.
I’ve read numerous accounts that Bombas Socks’ customer support is extremely helpful and accommodating. I didn’t have any reason to get in touch with them myself but looked across the internet for reviews. My search revealed very little criticism of their support system. Their customer focus and good return policy stood out thus making purchasing relatively risk-free.
There are some cons but they’re relatively small. First, you’re not supposed to put them in the dryer. I don’t dry a large portion of my workout clothes so this wasn’t a big deal for me, but I know a lot of readers dry everything and this may be an annoyance. Second, the calf and arch compression is really good but I wish there was more compression around the Achilles. That’s a trouble area for many runners and could use some extra blood flow to promote healing.
Bombas Sock Styles: An Overview
Here's an overview of some popular Bombas sock styles:
- Performance Ankle Sock: Lightweight, purpose-built socks for running, working out, and movement.
- Original Tri-Block Marl Ankle Sock: High-quality soft cotton yarn-work as the core ankle collection.
- Donegal Ankle Sock: Everyday socks to keep your feet soft and cushioned while letting your ankles breathe easy.
- All Purpose Performance Quarter Socks: Designed to keep your feet cool, dry, and always comfortable. Ideal for wearing with boots.
- No Show Socks: Engineered to never fall down, providing maximum coverage and staying in place just below the edge of your shoe.
- Youth Calf Size: Comfortable socks for kids.
- Classic Calf Socks: Comfortable everyday socks for men.
Bombas socks also last for years. Some of the original pairs from my first Bombas reviews are more than three years old and still wearable today, even after countless cycles through the washer and dryer. Bombas' women's dress socks are perfect for wearing with Mary Janes. I like that the seamless toes have a similar feel to wearing stockings.
I also tested out Bombas' retro-inspired half-calf socks, which are the softest socks I own. I especially love to wear to them to dance practice because they cushion my arches with a supportive squeeze and retain their shape even after I've sweat in them. You can use Bombas socks to accessorize your athleisure look, or pair them with slides around the house.
The ankle socks are probably my favorite style because I wear sneakers almost every day. The back of the heel features a cushioned rim that sits just above the sneaker heel and doesn't slip down. The Honeycomb technology in the arch also supports my feet for long days of walking or running errands.
All of this to say, Bombas socks are the only ones I buy anymore because they're simply the best in quality and design.
My Merino Wool Calf Socks are moisture-wicking, and the tall calves allow me to fold them down a bit and scrunch them up so they peek out of my Nike Dunks or Chuck Taylors.
Bombas, Absurdly Comfortable
Performance Socks: A Closer Look
There are a ton of “performance running socks” on the market. It can be hard to differentiate between them and tell the good from the bad. In my mind, the “need to have items” are extra cushioning at the toe and heel, arch support, and a heel tab to prevent blisters (if it’s an ankle cut sock). Bombas Performance Running Socks check all of those boxes. They also go the extra mile in terms of arch support with their Hex Tec midfoot band. It’s a breathable, lightweight material that provides a really nice arch hug.
Thickness. Not too thin, not too thick. Will work for wide footers or narrow footers. Usually, running socks go one way or the other. Bombas provide the perfect middle ground of thickness.
Breathability: The airflow is reminiscent of super thin socks even though Bombas are more substantial. The polyester/nylon/cotton/spandex blend is super comfortable. It’s a soft sock that you can wear all day (or for a marathon).
Arch support. As I mentioned above, the Hex Tec band is very effective and comfortable.
Sporting specific design. Bombas’ running design varies quite a bit from their hiking, cycling, and tennis designs. It’s nice to see sport-specific socks.
Durability. Bombas has a great reputation in this area. I wore mine a lot and put them through the washer/dryer many times. They still look basically new. Though I haven’t tested long-term durability yet, that’s a good sign of things to come.
Available in ankle, quarter, and calf heights. In Bombas’ parlance, calf = crew. Depending on where you run and what shoes you use, you may prefer a different height. The calf and quarter socks are only slightly more expensive.
Blister tabs. With Bombas performance running socks you get both front and back blister tabs. It’s a nice little touch that provides 360° protection from potentially uncomfortable shoe collars.
Stay-up technology. Not sure exactly what type of elastic Bombas uses, but it works. The calf socks don’t slide down even when soaked with sweat on a hot day.
Slickness. Bombas Performance Running socks are occasionally a little too slippery for some shoes (heavily dependent on insole material) and floors. They’re not crazy slick like dress socks but they’re just a touch slicker than I’d like. I’ve gotten used to it and I think it’s a fair trade-off for the overall comfort and softness.
Dust. Black colorways dust. Make sure you use dryer sheets.
Overall, Bombas Performance Running socks are winners. The Bombas Merino Performance Running Socks look exactly the same as Bombas’ normal performance running socks.
Materials. The Merino version is 51% wool, 45% nylon, and 4% spandex vs the original’s 51% polyester, 33% Nylon, 12% cotton, and 4% spandex.
Warmth and breathability. Due to the wool, they’re warmer. The temperature regulation is good.
Dust. Just like other wool socks I’ve owned, they pick up hair and dust. They pick up a lot less hair and dust than the highly reviewed Darn Tough merino wool running socks. While durable, the Darn Tough socks run a little too hot. I think the build of the Bombas Merino Wool running sock is much better at cooling down sweaty feet.
Softness. Not quite as soft as Bombas regular performance running socks. That’s normal for merino wool.
Slickness. The merino performance running socks are slightly more slippery than the regular version. If your house has slick wood or tile floors, be careful.
Available in ankle, quarter, and calf heights. In Bombas’ parlance, calf = crew. It’s good to have options.
Price. The merino wool versions cost $6 more. That’s less than I expected. If you need warmer socks or love the feel of Merino wool, the $6 merino wool “upgrade” will be worth it for you.
At 80% polyester and 20% cotton, the all-purpose socks feel more like an upgraded version of the traditional cotton sock. These socks feel built for all-day use with the occasional run, sport, or gym time thrown in. The All-Purpose performance sock is priced the same as the performance running sock but ditches the highly elastic Hex Tec arch support for a thicker, less elastic version (also called Hex Tec on the sock itself). The All-Purpose sock is thicker all around so you get increased padding versus the running-specific version. You also lose the front blister tab.