A sock size chart works from your shoe size: find your US shoe size and read across to the sock size. Per Darn Tough’s chart, men’s shoe 8 to 9.5 is a Medium and 10 to 12 is a Large; women’s 7.5 to 9.5 is a women’s Medium. Each sock size covers about two to three shoe sizes, and every brand sets its own ranges.
Sock size is not the same number as shoe size, and there is no universal standard. Letter sizes (S, M, L) and numeric sizes (10-13) both appear, and the same shoe size can land in different sock sizes at different brands. This guide gives Darn Tough’s full men’s, women’s and kids’ charts, the Bombas and Gold Toe ranges, and how to choose when you fall on a boundary. For crew, quarter, no-show and wool styles, see the guide to types of socks.
Men’s and unisex sock size chart (per Darn Tough)
Darn Tough knits the size inside the cuff, so you can check an old pair. Its men’s/unisex chart, with the women’s shoe equivalent for unisex styles:
| Sock Size | Men US | Women US* | Euro | UK |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| XS | 2.5-5 | 4.5-7 | 35-38 | 2.5-4.5 |
| S | 5.5-7.5 | 7.5-9.5 | 38-40 | 5-7 |
| M | 8-9.5 | 10-11.5 | 41-42 | 7.5-9 |
| L | 10-12 | 12-14 | 43-45 | 9.5-11.5 |
| XL | 12.5-14.5 | — | 46-49 | 12-14 |
| XXL | 15-17 | — | 50-53 | 15-16 |
Women’s sock size chart (per Darn Tough)
| Sock Size | Women US | Men US | Euro | UK |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| S | 4.5-7 | 2.5-5 | 35-37.5 | 2.5-4.5 |
| M | 7.5-9.5 | 5.5-7.5 | 38-40.5 | 5-7 |
| L | 10-11.5 | 8-9.5 | 41-42.5 | 7.5-9 |
| XL* | 12-14 | 10-12 | 43-45 | 9.5-11.5 |
*Darn Tough says the women’s XL is available in select styles for a limited time.
Compare the two tables and the labels shift: a Darn Tough women’s Medium covers the same shoe range as a men’s Small, and unisex sizes run on the men’s scale. If you wear a women’s 8 and buy a unisex sock, look for the Small, not the Medium. Darn Tough also notes its men’s styles reach a bit higher on the leg than women’s styles with the same height name. For converting shoe sizes themselves between men’s and women’s, see the women’s to men’s shoe size guide.
Kids’ sock size chart (per Darn Tough)
| Sock Size | Kids’ US | Euro | UK |
|---|---|---|---|
| S | 9-11.5 | 26.5-29.5 | 8.5-11 |
| M | 12-2.5 | 30-34 | 11.5-2 |
| L | 3-6 | 35-38 | 2.5-5.5 |
The kids’ Medium “12-2.5” spans little-kid 12 through big-kid 2.5, because US kids’ sizes roll over from 13 back to 1. If you are unsure of a child’s current shoe size, start with the kids’ shoe size chart.
Sock size vs shoe size at other brands
Bombas uses different breaks. Per a Scheels copy of the Bombas adult chart (via search snippet):
- Women’s: S = US women’s 4-7.5, M = 8-10.5, L = 11-13.
- Men’s: M = 6-9, L = 9.5-13, XL = 13.5-16.
DICK’S lists the Bombas women’s Medium as 8-11.5 instead, and advises women between sizes to size down and men to size up. No official Bombas kids’ chart was found.
Numeric sock sizes are the older system you still see on multipacks. Per a Belk copy of Gold Toe’s men’s chart, shoe size 6-12½ takes a regular sock size 10-13, and shoe size 12-16 takes an extended sock size 13-15. Hanes men’s packs (from package labels on retailer listings) say “Regular Size Fits shoe size 6-12, Extended Size Fits shoe size 12-14.” Hanes girls’ crew socks list S/P 6-10.5, M/M 10.5-4 and L/G 4-10 in girls’ shoe sizes.
Where brands disagree
| Shoe size | Darn Tough | Bombas (Scheels copy) |
|---|---|---|
| Men’s 9 | M (8-9.5) | M (6-9) |
| Men’s 10 | L (10-12) | L (9.5-13) |
| Women’s 8 | M (7.5-9.5) | M (8-10.5) |
The letters often agree but the ranges don’t, so a men’s 9.5 is a Darn Tough Medium and a Bombas Large. That is the boundary where a second look at the chart pays off. Know your shoe size in US, UK and EU first; the shoe size conversion chart and the men’s shoe size chart cover all three.
What size socks do I wear?
- Confirm your US shoe size, men’s or women’s. If you’re unsure, measure your foot length with a soft tape measure and check a shoe chart.
- Check whether the sock is men’s, women’s or unisex. Unisex usually follows the men’s column.
- Read across the brand’s own chart, not a generic one.
- On a boundary, follow the brand: Darn Tough says size up; DICK’S advice for Bombas is size down for women, up for men.
- For an old pair with a worn label, check inside the cuff; Darn Tough knits the size there.
If you only know your size in EU or UK, convert it first; the women’s shoe size chart lists all three systems by foot length.
The verdict
Start from your shoe size and the brand’s chart, never from the letter on the package alone. Darn Tough’s chart is the clearest published reference, with men’s, women’s, kids’, Euro and UK columns, and its rule is simple: size up between sizes. Watch the unisex trap: unisex sizes follow the men’s scale, so a women’s shoe size usually lands one letter smaller than expected. For multipacks with numeric sizes, the “regular” sock size 10-13 fits most adult men’s shoe sizes from 6 to about 12, and “extended” covers larger feet.
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FAQ
Is sock size the same as shoe size?
No. Each sock size covers a range of roughly two to three shoe sizes, and you use your shoe size to find it on the brand’s chart.
What size socks for a men’s size 10 shoe?
Large at both Darn Tough (10-12) and Bombas (9.5-13). On Gold Toe’s numeric scale, a regular sock size 10-13.
What size socks for a women’s size 8 shoe?
A women’s Medium at Darn Tough (7.5-9.5) and Bombas (8-10.5). In Darn Tough unisex sizing, that shoe size is a Small.
Should I size up or down in socks?
Darn Tough says size up when you fall between sizes. For Bombas, DICK’S suggests women size down and men size up.
How do kids’ sock sizes work?
Per Darn Tough’s kids’ chart, S fits kids’ shoe 9-11.5, M fits 12 through 2.5, and L fits 3-6.
