★ EVERYDAY · CLOTHING · SIZE CHARTS
A men's US 10 takes sock size L, foot length 28–30 cm. Pick your group and shoe size to find your sock letter and foot length, with the full men's, women's, and kids' tables and the boundary cases explained.
American socks are sold by letter size, and each letter covers a range of shoe sizes, because socks stretch. Pick your group and your shoe size and the chart gives your letter and the foot length it fits.
| Group | Sock size | US shoe size | Foot length (cm) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Men | XS | 2.5–5 | 22–24 |
| Men | S | 5.5–7.5 | 24–26 |
| Men | M | 8–9.5 | 26–28 |
| Men | L | 10–12 | 28–30 |
| Men | XL | 12.5–14.5 | 30–32 |
| Men | XXL | 15–17 | 32–34 |
| Women | S | 4.5–7 | 22.5–24 |
| Women | M | 7.5–9.5 | 24–26 |
| Women | L | 10–11.5 | 26–28 |
| Women | XL | 12–14 | 28–30 |
| Kids | S | 9–11.5 | 14–17 |
| Kids | M | 12–13, 1–2.5 | 17–20 |
| Kids | L | 3–6 | 20–23 |
Two published sources were cross-checked for these ranges: the Darn Tough sock size chart (men's, women's, and kids' shoe-size ranges, which this table follows for the letter boundaries) and the SinoKnit sock size guide (foot-length ranges in centimetres, which this table follows for the cm column). They agree on the points that matter most: a men's US 10 is L, a women's US 8 is M, and a kids' US 3 is L. Where brands disagree — and they do, by half a size or more at the edges — the table notes it rather than hiding it, and the boundary cases above show how to handle it: a men's 12 is the top of L, a 12.5 is XL, a women's 7 is S and a 7.5 is M. Kids' sizes wrap around the scale, which confuses everyone: after 13 comes 1, so the kids' M range reads 12–13 and then 1–2.5, and L runs 3–6. If a child's shoe size falls in the gap between the little-kid and big-kid scales, measure the foot in centimetres and use the cm column instead of the shoe number.
Stand on a sheet of paper with your heel against a wall, mark the tip of your longest toe, and measure heel to mark in centimetres. Do it in the evening, when feet are at their largest, and in the socks you will wear with the shoes, because a thick hiking sock adds length that a dress sock does not. Compare the centimetre figure with the cm column first and the shoe size second: the centimetre figure is the physical truth, while shoe sizes vary by brand, and a foot of 28–30 cm is L on this chart whatever the shoe label says. Between sizes, the rule depends on the sock: size up for thick, cushioned, or wool socks, which need room, and size down for thin dress socks, which should grip rather than bunch.
| Output | Formula | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Sock size | Letter whose shoe range contains your size | Men's 10 is in 10–12, so L at the default. |
| Foot length | Cm range for that letter | L for men is 28–30 cm at the default. |
| Women's 8 | Women's M range 7.5–9.5 | Women's US 8 is M, 24–26 cm. |
| Kids' 3 | Kids' L range 3–6 | Kids' US 3 is L, 20–23 cm. |
| Boundary rule | Top of one range, first of the next | Men's 12 is L, 12.5 is XL; women's 7 is S, 7.5 is M. |
Sock letters are ranges, not exact sizes, and brands cut them differently: one maker's L starts at 9.5 and another's at 10, compression socks use calf measurements this chart does not cover, and stretch means the same letter can fit two adjacent shoe sizes comfortably. Foot length is the more reliable guide, but even it moves through the day and with sock thickness. Treat this chart as the size to try first, then check the brand's own chart for the pair in your hands, especially for hiking, compression, and ski socks, where fit is functional rather than cosmetic.
Bright Side Kit. "Sock Size Chart: Men's, Women's & Kids' Shoe Size Lookup" https://brightoolbox.com/sock-size-chart/ Accessed October 24, 2026.Sock size L, foot length 28–30 cm. Men's L covers US 10–12 on this chart.
Sock size M, foot length 24–26 cm. Women's M covers US 7.5–9.5.
Sock size L, foot length 20–23 cm. Kids' L covers US 3–6.
Men's 12 is the top of L (28–30 cm); a men's 12.5 steps up to XL (30–32 cm). Between sizes, size up for thick socks and down for thin dress socks.
Kids' shoe sizes restart after 13: the scale runs up to 13, then 1, 2, and so on. Kids' M therefore covers 12–13 and 1–2.5, and L covers 3–6.
No, in the US system a sock letter covers a range of shoe sizes because socks stretch. In much of Europe the sock size is closer to the shoe size itself.
Foot length in centimetres is the more reliable guide, because shoe sizes vary by brand. Measure heel to longest toe in the evening and use the cm column.