With the introduction to grip socks about 10 years ago, the entire soccer community was changed forever. Before TRUsox, players were stuck with the thick, uncomfortable team socks (shudder) that you were required to wear. Now, the sock market has changed drastically, with a large volume of options for you to choose. Today, we are reviewing one of the biggest faces on the grip sock market, the adidas Alphaskin Traxion crew sock in three categories: grip, comfort, and durability.
To purchase the adidas Alphaskin Traxion click here.
THE GRIP
The adidas Alphaskin Traxion crew sock is one of the most aesthetically pleasing grip socks on the market with its gray Traxion grip on the bottom. Adidas have implemented some arch compression on the midfoot with a great design that can never go wrong: the Three Stripes.
When I slid them onto my feet for the first time, the grip was very noticeable, with a very unique feel on foot. It feels almost grainy to the touch, giving you the confidence to make the huge cuts that you weren’t able to make with normal socks. It gripped my feet in the cleat very well, providing a large amount of friction on the insole. The grip is easily good enough to rival the socks with the silicon grip pads on the bottom.
In the Make the Cut test, where we go through a grueling gauntlet of agility drills, lateral cuts, and suicides, the Alphaskin Traxion performed admirably well. I was wearing Mercurial Vapor 13 Pro IC shoes, which are extremely tight-fitting, so you can feel them every time the sock bunches up.
Our first test, sprinting at full speed and coming to a complete stop, had 20 reps. The Alphaskin Traxion only bunched up 20% of the time, which is a very respectable score. The sock was only bunching up near the toe area, which won’t be significantly noticeable during a match.
In the second test, where we one-touched passed a soccer ball against a wall 100 times, the sock squeezed together on 2% of the reps, but only on the forefoot, so it is not a major concern.
In the third test, where I jumped 1 yard laterally 50 times, I felt the sock bunch up 3 times, equalling 6%. This was the test where I thought the Alphaskin Traxion performed the best. In other socks, I could nearly feel the blisters forming as I slid up and down the shoe. But with adidas, I could easily and confidently cut back and forth without any worry of blistering.
Adidas have implemented their Aeroready moisture-wicking technology on the sock, trying to keep the grip elements as dry as possible to keep the performance consistent throughout your training or match. While it’s a really great attempt, I do feel that it doesn’t work as well as I would like. After particularly physically demanding training sessions, you do slide around a little bit towards the end of the training session but it’s not a deal breaker.
COMFORT/FIT
After playing with the adidas Alphaskin Traxion for about 2 months now, I have to say that the comfort level is much superior to a lot of other grip socks. The feeling on your feet is elite and is one of the best socks on the market in terms of comfort.
Material-wise, the knit feels very luxurious and soft and stays that way when you start to play. The collar on the crew socks is very comfortable, because it has a great material blend that combines great feel with great durability.
The only thing to be aware of is during your first time playing in them, the seam running over your toe is definitely noticeable, but softens up nicely after the first wash.
The adidas Alphaskin Traxion fits very well and is true to size. It has foot-specific fitting to match each foot’s shape and stretches out very nicely when you put it on. In particular, the heel of the sock feels and looks like it has a different material blend that fits and feels great.
Adidas have designed a great sock, but the collar does have some issues that bother me. First, the heel tab on the collar really doesn’t have an impact on the performance of the sock, but I am not a fan of it aesthetically. Second, the Alphaskin Traxion doesn’t have the best compression. Unlike other grip sock competitors, it doesn’t hug your leg and give it that unique compressive feel. The collar did have the tendency to slip down during training, albeit only about an inch or two.
DURABILITY
Adidas have produced a great grip sock. In terms of durability, the Alphaskin Traxion is pretty good. After about 2 months of regular playing time, the grip still feels like it’s relatively new. With an average sock, the old ratty pair from the bottom of your dresser, playing physically demanding sports can be painful, with the thinned out grip of your socks having a prime opportunity to create blisters.
Inevitably, the Alphaskin Traxion’s footbed did suffer from some natural wear and tear. After many fresh washes, it does feel a little bit crusty, but it all went away when I started playing, eventually softening up.
A TOP-CLASS GRIP SOCK
The adidas Alphaskin Traxion not only is a great sock, it is one of the best grip sock options on the market at the moment. Hopefully, the German brand can keep up the good work and continue to produce quality soccer products. Well done adidas!
Buy the adidas Alphaskin Traxion here.
cool, will buy soon!