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HELP! My shoes keep eating my socks.

Ok, I know the title of this thread sounds really weird, but I think once I describe what is happening it will make sense.

It seems that I cannot keep a pair of dress socks very long before they get holes. In some cases, my socks start to develop holes after one wear. I have tried what I would believe to be higher end socks ($10 per pair) and low-end socks (6 pair for $10). I have tried 100% cotton, wool, and various blends. I have even tried to wear black athletic socks with polyester to help wick away moisture. Also, I thought the additional thickness would have helped the socks to last, but to no avail.

I thought it might be my feet at first, as they were not the particularly smooth. Actually, they were not smooth at all. However, I have been working on getting rid of the hard skin and they actually look pretty good. My wife doesn't jump like some just swiped some 40-grit sandpaper against her leg if my foot happens to bump her leg or foot while watching television.

I also wear orthotics, but I have several pairs. I seem to develop the holes regardless of the orthotic I am wearing.

Finally, I believe it is my shoes. I do not develop the same holes in my white socks that I wear with my sneakers to the gym. However, I have three pairs of dress shoes that I have in rotation during the work week. A pair of black Johnston & Murphy boots, the same pair in brown, and a pair of J & M shoes. For some reason, they keep rubbing holes in my socks. The shoes fit properly, so I am at a loss. I am also tired of buying socks once a month.

As crazy as it may sound, has anyone else had this problem?

Does anyone have any advice?

Thanks in advance,

Bill
 
Where are the holes appearing?

Heel, toe...?

They are mainly on the back half of my foot. They are not confined to my heel, but that is where they seem to appear the most. They also appear in the arch region as a close second. Occasionally, they appear on the bridge of my foot (when they do, I chalk it up to having my shoes tied too tight). Very rarely do I get them in the toe region, but when I do it is always around the fourth and fifth toes.
 
Are you using the thin dress socks? I found that those didn't last for me but it was more a comfort issue than wearing holes in them. I now look for colored socks that are closer to the thickness of a white athletic sock and have found that they last longer for me. The thicker the better, but again, more of a comfort issue although it might solve your wear issue as well.
 
Holes in the heel are usually from your shoes being too loose fitting at the heel. The heel rubs on the shoe when you lift your foot. Your orthotics might also place your heel higher so that it doesn't fit in the shoe properly and rubs just above the heel.
If you're getting holes in the arches you should also be experiencing some discomfort. The only way to get holes there is through rubbing/friction.
I've never heard of holes from wear on the top of a sock.

Do your shoes fit properly? They should be slightly roomy only in the toe box. They should fit snug but not tight everywhere else.
 
I can't go down a size, or a half-size for that matter as my orthotics will not fit in the shoes properly. In my dress shoes for work, I cannot remove the insole so I have to have the 11 so my orthotic will fit. Conversely, in my athletic shoes, I just remove the insole and use my orthotic as the insole.

So in that respect, you all have answered my question. It in fact is my orthotic that is indirectly causing the holes. Because my foot is sitting higher in my shoe, the "extra" friction (if that is what I should call it) is adding to the demise of my sock collection.

Well, I just went out and bought more socks today. I try one more time to get the insole out of my J&M's and report back after a day or two of wear.
 
I have cut out damaged insoles from dress shoes before. You could probably have a cobbler remove the insoles from shoes that fit better to make room for the orthorics.
 
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