Choosing the best socks for your baby can be tough. Which is kind of crazy when you think super hard about it. They’re just socks for a little one, who will likely take them off three or four times before you can get out the door. In my case, he isn’t even walking yet. We throw them on to keep his feet warm outside or around the house. But let’s be honest, a lot of baby socks suck. As much as they’re being pulled off by little hands, they’re also sliding off on their own because some baby socks have a tough time staying on baby feet. But there are are options! In this post I break down some of the best socks I’ve come across.
- Best sock – You’re getting the best, and you’re paying for it
- Most bang for your buck
- They’re cheap and you get a lot – which you’ll need
I’m not sure you need more than three options for a pair of socks. I have spent and unconscionable amount of time looking at socks and testing some of the ones you shouldn’t buy. They are scattered throughout my house, car and neighborhood. Everywhere but my kid’s feet. Why are socks one of the first things I’m talking about? Because every second you spend wondering where the sock went instead of experiencing your adventure is a complete waste. But let me tell you about the sock you should buy if it’s feasible for your family.
Bombas Baby Gripper Socks
These are the socks I want to buy myself . I want to my feet to slide into luxury and never worry about holes or heels slipping. I want the same for my little one. I want to know that when they put on a sock, it’s got a good chance of staying on as long as I, the parent, want it to. I also want warmth in my baby’s socks. I want traction in my baby’s socks. I also want some style in my baby’s sock.
If you want all that too, then buy your kid Bombas and sneak in a pair for yourself to get you over the free shipping threshold. I have no doubt that the quality will hold for toddler socks, kid socks and parent socks.
What I like about them
These are made to last and grow with your kid. Do infant socks really need to be of the best of quality? They’re not running marathons with them. But you do want to know that as your kid grows a bit and starts moving, they’re going to hold up for a while. Bombas has great colors for their socks that are fun and generally match your child’s outfit. Or not. But that’s a thing too, right?
These socks stay on. That’s probably what I love most about them. As a parent who always had one sock in his pocket and the other just hanging onto Little One’s toes, I really appreciate putting them on and not having to worry. They will get lost in the laundry just as easy as others though. No escaping that. I also like the thickness of Bombas socks. If your baby is just in socks a lot (baby shoes are such a pain to put on), their feet will have a fighting chance at staying warm in these. The grippers on the bottom are solid, but I’m not sure how much of a difference those really make on any sock.
I do like that for every pair of socks you purchase, one pair of socks is donated to a homeless shelter. Here’s what Bombas says about the program:
One Purchased = One Donated™
Socks are the #1 most requested clothing item in homeless shelters, so we donate 1 pair of socks for every pair purchased. From the beginning, the Bombas mission has been to contribute to the homeless community and encourage others to get involved.
So instead of buying one expensive sock, you could think of it as purchasing two socks, and just giving it away to someone who really appreciates it.
Any drawbacks?
Nothing. But they’re expensive as far as baby socks go. Eight socks will cost you a whopping $62. That’s $7.75 a sock. Parent socks run about what you’d pay at REI for fancy socks. I purchased a pair for myself and GearMom to get the free shipping. So far so good.
Why Bombas baby socks are worth it
Often parenting feels like you’re throwing money at a problem, in a desperate attempt to make life easier. Socks may not be at the top of your problem list, but here, the money is much better spent than that sixth sleepsack you’re praying works as you rock your kid to sleep for the sixth time tonight … Maybe not, that extra sleep sack brings hope, which is all you have during those long nights.
But the fact of the matter is, Bombas socks stay on. They provide ample warmth around the house. They look damn good.
Primary Baby Stripe Socks
When I got serious about finding baby socks for the little one, I started with Primary Stripped Socks. At that point in time, I had some frustrations with other socks that barely slipped passed the itty bitty heels of my six month old. So I was immediately attracted to the calf-length socks from Primary. If you are unfamiliar with Primary, you should check them out. I’ll definitely be featuring them more on the blog as I have been blown away by their gear, particularly at the price point it is offered. I got a couple pairs of baby socks on sale during the winter holidays (and great jackets and vests which are no long in stock, but some are on Poshmark).
What I like about them
I love the length of Primary baby socks. These are in no way, no how sliding off on their own. I got the 6-12 months for my six month old baby, and they went halfway up his calves. Loved the idea of another layer for his legs. The colors are a lot of fun as well. I got a two pack, white and black with stripes. They go with everything, choosing to stand out rather than complement an outfit. I was really happy with how well they stayed up. With a kid that is learning to move they do slip down a bit, but that’s the just the name of the game. The material, which is 80% cotton / 18% polyamide / 2% elastane, felt really nice and soft. These aren’t fuzzy warm socks, but they still seemed like they would hold up for a while.
For the price, it’s a pretty good deal. If you get the seven pack of the Primary Baby Stripe Socks, which runs $32, it comes out to $4.57 a pair. That’s a little more than 40% less expensive than the Bombas.
Any drawbacks?
As you may have noted, we ended up getting Bombas and really enjoying them. But that isn’t to say Primary socks aren’t good. For me it was a matter of warmth. The primary socks are thinner, and during the winter months we noticed that the baby’s feet were just as cold with the socks as without them. I suspect in warmer months, these socks would be particularly fantastic, or if your baby, toddler or kid wore them regularly with shoes.
Why Primary baby socks are worth it
It’s hard to argue with the quality of sock for that price. Not to mention, you can find them on sale at times, making them especially worth it. Plus they look awesome. You won’t regret picking up a pair.
Hudson Baby Unisex-Baby Cozy Fleece Booties
Okay, these aren’t socks. But they’re also not shoes. I guess you could call them slippers. Either way I absolutely love these. I’ve bought three pairs for the little one in various sizes and designs. My favorite were the orange fox ones and we did get moose ones which are a lot of fun, though I do appreciate the gray versions on those days I would like his outfit to somewhat match. But these are so much fun! So much so that during a recent trip to the zoo, little one wanted to look at his booties more than the giraffe right in front of him. But these baby socks/slippers are fantastic for their warmth, ease of putting on and style only a baby can get away with.
What I like about them:
I like that they are very warm. They are the warmest sock on this list. That was my main motivation for getting them. I also like that they’re relatively easy to put on. They have a wide opening that allow you slip your baby’s foot in, and the velcro straps are well designed and placed, so that you can close it all up before your baby kicks out of them. They also stay on as long as you secure them. I absolutely love that there are 61 designs you can choose from.
And the price is great. They are as low as $10.99.
They also have a ton of reviews on Amazon – over 50,000 reviews – that somehow manage to average out five stars. How many products on Amazon have five stars with that many reviews? For me, they are absolutely five stars.
Any drawbacks?
Not that you can really complain about, given what they are. They aren’t socks, so your kid is only wearing these on outings. They’re probably not great for walking outside with, if your kid is doing that. They’re also probably best when the temperature dips.
Why Hudson Baby Booties are worth it
It’s tough to beat the combination of warmth, ability to hold on to baby feet, and price with these booties. They won’t work for every occasion, but when they do, they’ll work great.