Gear Closet: Balega Running Socks For Breast Cancer Awareness Month

As many of you know, October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month and to show their support for for the event sock maker Balega is launching a line of socks to help in those efforts. Those socks come in the traditional pink color that is so closely associated with the Breast Cancer Awareness movement and feature inspirational slogans such as "Don't Tell Me I Can't" and "Never Give Up." Sales from these limited edition socks will benefit the Breast Cancer Fund with $1 from each purchase going directly to the organization.

If you're not familiar with Balega socks, they are specifically designed for runners and other athletes who are looking for comfort and performance from every piece of their running gear. The socks feature a blend of soft, natural fibers and synthetic fabrics that help your feet breathe while also keeping them comfortable dry, even in warm, demanding conditions.

I have to admit, I'm one of those runners who doesn't think much about the socks that he puts on his feet. Sure, I wear socks that are suppose to have been designed with the athlete in mind, but I've always felt that my shoes were far more important to the comfort of my feet. That may still be true, but it turns out a good sock can have some benefits too. I took a pair of the Balega socks out for some test runs recently and found that my feet were more comfortable in the same pair of running shoes that I wore with my more generic running socks. The thicker Balega socks provided more comfort on my daily workouts but actually kept my feet cooler and drier. That is certainly something I can appreciate in the Texas heat. Even in the fall we're still approaching triple digit temperatures.

Of course, like all good athletic gear the Balega socks don't come cheap. They'll set you back anywhere from $10 - $18 per pair, which obviously makes them an investment if you're an everyday runner like myself. But, much like most other gear that we buy, you get what you pay for and the investment in a good pair of socks is no different. Not only do they perform better than what you're probably wearing now, they're also more durable and will last longer too. Considering how much I spend on running shoes every three months, buying a few pairs of really good socks doesn't seem like much of an issue.

It is tough to write a review about socks. There is nothing fancy about them and they don't exactly have a lot of features. But if you're looking for something comfortable that also happens to perform well, it is tough to beat what Balega has to offer. And if you want to help the fight against cancer while picking yourself up some quality footwear, than be sure to look for Balega's Cancer Awareness line. You'll get all the performance that I spoke about above and you'll benefit a good cause at the same time. What more could you ask for?