Jimothy had been hiking for hours, and his feet were aching. Normally, this much physical exertion was nothing to him, but today was different. His face contorted in a pained and frustrated expression. He stopped for a moment to rest his feet, long socks scrunched around his ankles. Jimothy decided to wear long socks instead of his usual short socks today, expecting that they would help keep him warm. Instead, all they did was trap heat and moisture around his extremities, rendering his hiking experience awkward and uncomfortable. He mumbled under his breath, “Man, I really should have worn short socks.”
Short socks are indubitably worthier than long socks for a variety of reasons, the first being the fact that they are far more versatile. While long socks may be effective in cold weather, they become a hindrance in warmer weather. They simply aren’t afforded the convenience that short socks offer: short socks are adequate in both warm and cold weather even when worn in conjunction with pants. Proponents of long socks may argue that one can roll down the elongated cuffs to allow the legs to breathe. However, all this rolling down does is put unnecessary pressure on the ankles, making it difficult to maneuver while also impeding circulation and aeration. Therefore, short socks are more suitable to be worn year-round, while the use of long socks is confined to specific weather conditions. Moreover, short socks are easier to maintain and have a reduced risk of malforming while being washed.
In addition, short socks are more breathable and hygienic. The length of a long sock causes trapped heat and moisture to accumulate under its wooly lining. Continuous exposure of one’s feet to these conditions may cause them to develop a persistent stench and amplify the sock-wearer’s risk of being afflicted with maladies such as fungal or bacterial infections. Justin Ely (10) graciously chose to share with us his wisdom, saying, “Sweat and heat = malodorous feet.”
Jimothy’s older brother, Meffrey, went on a similar hiking trip a few hours after Jimothy returned– around 8:30 in the night. Normally hiking through devious paths would be no sweat at all, but as a result of a mixup with his younger brother, Meffrey was stuck with the ankle-reaching short socks. Meffrey despised these socks for obvious reasons; they barely kept a portion of his legs warm, and they were little protection. Even with long pants on, Meffrey’s legs were always cold. And while normally the long socks would catch burrs scattered across the promenade, Jimothy’s short socks weren’t there to protect his legs from the little spiky menaces.
Long socks are superior to short socks for, well, one of the main purposes of socks is” I find them more comfortable " (Sakthi Thayumanavan 10).” Although one may argue that long pants already fulfill the purpose of keeping your legs warmer, some pants that don’t fully compress near the bottom end up leaving air to rush through the excess space between the end of the pant. Long socks help with this issue, keeping the bottom of the leg warmer better than how short socks do. Diva Shah (9) has a similar view,”Cuz with short socks, half [yo]ur foot is touching your shoe and half of it isn’t, so it feels weird. With long socks, your entire foot is covered in fluffiness! So it’s comfy and not weird.”
For anyone who takes part in athletics or just any physical activity, longer socks would be more beneficial than shorter socks. Naturally, sweat will start to form and slide down one's leg when exercising. If this sweat were to reach the sole of your foot, it would most likely cause long-term contamination or stench, whereas long socks can absorb more sweat. When more sweat is trapped in the sock, the sock will spread a pungent odor, but the socks are washable. A common habit everyone shares is wearing socks for around one day at a stretch, then disposing of those socks for cleaning. But with shoes, it isn’t really possible. Having multiple pairs of shoes is expensive, whereas numerous pairs of socks are quite cheap and normal. In conclusion, a lengthier sock would be preferable to a smaller sock due to warmer conditions and overall superior living conditions.