These socks are really comfortable to wear when I'm running, running errands or just wearing around the house. When I wear them with tennis shoes you don't see the socks except for the back, but it's barely noticeable. The back of the socks are high enough to protect the back of the ankle from chafing from the shoe and maybe even cutting into the skin. Especially with some new shoes I've bought and am still trying to break in. There's more than enough padding at the toe and toe to not only provide comfort, but also add extra protection to keep these socks to last. I took a photo of the middle of the socks because although they have no padding and are a bit thinner, they fit snugly in my arch to give me the extra support I need. The socks are breathable and easy to wash and dry. Even after 2 weeks of wearing these socks look great and don't change the color of my feet.