There are two different listings of targeted cushion low ankle socks, and I bought one of each. The striped pair seems to take up more room in my shoe, so the cushioning must be a tiny bit thicker--not something everyone would notice. The advantage of the targeted cushion is that it's still a lightweight sock that doesn't take up too much room in my running shoes. I'm very sensitive to wool, but these are truly not itchy, unlike some other Smart Wools that I have. Notice that there are no washing directions in the description page. I wash everything in cold water and dry on low--you really shouldn't have to hang socks to dry, especially in the cold months.. I'm not happy about the amount of shrinkage that resulted.