MAG "Sticky Sole" Competition Socks - legal? Recommended?

[Sasha]

I'm wondering if those socks with the latex adhered to the bottom to promote traction are:

1) Legal in boys competition?

2) Recommended? Or would there be any reason why the sticky soles would be a disadvantage?

Here is the link to an example of socks in question:

http://www.ten-o.com/TENO-Socks,837.html?b=d*14689

 

[magmom]

I have no idea about "legal" or not. But, I wouldn't go with those for a few reasons...

1) They look to be very bulky. Our coach prefers socks to be thin and stretchy so the foot shape can be seen easily. Bulky cotton bits at the toe could get him a deduction for unpointed toes.

2) The boys don't really need "traction" so to speak. They are really only starting from and landing on socked feet. Their feet will otherwise be up in the air. They need to be able to stick the landing, but if they shouldn't need to rely on sticky socks to do it.

3) The bottoms of the sock will get a little dirty during competition. (Some gyms are worse than others.) I imagine that the white lettering on slightly dirty cotton might be distracting to a judge.

Finding good white meet socks is a bit of an art form. If your gymnast's feet are big enough (US boys size 3 or 4+) you can find nice thin white socks in the womens' section of Target or Walmart. If his feet are smaller, then it gets tricky. (I am still mad at Sports Authority for discontinuing the *perfect* sock they used to make last year.) This year I found a good multipack (4 white pairs, 4 other colors) of no-show Danskin Now socks in the girls section of Walmart. We are also trying some quarter-height socks I found at Costco in a multi-pack of half black and half white.

That was way too much, wasn't it? Seriously, I could write a manifesto on finding the perfect white meet sock.

 

[Dr Maleficent]

Seriously, I could write a manifesto on finding the perfect white meet sock.

Me too! I actually bought some a bit like the above for DS, who tried them once in training and said they didn't help. But finding the plain socks in a small size is so tricky- they all have logos, or worse, bows and lace! They just don't seem to make plain white socks for boys- it's as if they think they couldn't keep them clean for two seconds or something!

 

[AlexsGymmyMom]

Luckily mine wears black! I feel for all you that have to find white socks! And trying to keep them white? With boys? Oh lord!!

 

[Dr Maleficent]

Luckily mine wears black! I feel for all you that have to find white socks! And trying to keep them white? With boys? Oh lord!!

You can't. They don't stay white at all. And when you wash them, something about the process of doing gym in them has ground in bits of dirt so that they stain the bottom of the sock, and they don't go back to that brilliant whiteness on the bottom even after several washes. So I use a new pair for each meet - luckily we only have around 6 per year, and the used pairs get recycled into the general sock drawer.

 

[profmom]

Yep, new pair for every meet. We had wistful hopes that, with the shift from white pommel pants to grey, we might be allowed to go with black socks this year. But no, the word is white.

This is crazy though -- the Perfect Meet Socks showed up at our local grocery store! On SALE! In a SIX PACK!

Fortunately my son loses socks like nobody's business, so having a new pair go into the rotation after every meet doesn't even keep him even.

 

[Sasha]

Thanks, all, this is really helpful! So sounds like the sticky socks may not be the way to go, especially if they are too 'bulky'.

From your awesome advice so far, would you recommend something like these socks from Target?

My son's shoe size is boys 2, so not quite into a regular ladies sock (maybe a small one).

 

[magmom]

Based on the pic, I'd say those look pretty good. Just make sure he can pull them on and off quickly.