In the shoe these are the best socks out there. They really do what they claim and make just about any endeavor more comfortable. They have less bulk than most other socks. Most sock companies claim to have different materials/construction in different areas for support , etc. but I think X-Socks takes this to a whole new level of precision and performance. I'm not sure where these ones specifically were made, but I know some of the X-socks I have are made in Italy (either these or the Speed Metal). I have used the biking ultralight for years now for biking and the hiking socks in boots and picked up some of these recently for walking/golf. I would advise that they are not the most durable out of the shoe for walking around in just socks. I found them easy to get holes in compared to other brands such as Smartwool and Bridgedale, which have much more material to them. I had lost several right foot socks from the mid-hiking ones before I stopped doing this. At this price you should be careful with them and wash them as per the instructions with air drying only. An occasional one has made its way into the dryer and come out okay though. In the shoe they do seem to last forever. The biking ones that I immediately take off after a several hour ride are still as good as new. It can be a bit confusing with all the different types, so I would suggest trying a pair from several different models until you find your favorite and then splurge for a half-dozen or more pairs if you can afford it.

Yes these socks are spendy. But for me any extra comfort I can get while doing high mileage training runs is worth their weight in gold. I ran my first marathon in these socks and my feet felt great all the way to the finish line. Would purchase again!

These are the most comfortable socks I've ever worn. They fit very well; they don't bunch up and move around on my feet; they don't cause hot spots or blisters. They're great and worth the price.

The socks look a little funny for the uninitiated but the last laugh is on you when you run in comfort.

My new performance socks are OK, but for the price I paid, they really should be GREAT. I wouldn't spend the same money again for the same socks.

They had much less padding in the footbed than I was expecting (I am used to Thorlos). I would personally stick with the thorlos as they have more padding--I didn't notice the difference with the achilles heel protection in this sock.

Love the socks - very comfortable on long runs - tough to justify the cost for everyday use but for long runs and events you can't do better.

I own several different styles of X-Socks and the Run Performance is one of my favorites. Looks and fits great. The only negative is that X-Socks are not cheap. 2 year warranty helps!