While yoga is best done in bare feet, that’s not always realistic. So, today we are going to look at the best yoga socks for your practice.
Ideally, yoga should be done with bare feet. It helps you connect to the ground beneath you, which improves stability and balance, and lets you stretch and strengthen the muscles in your feet.
But if you happen to be training in very low temperatures, you get sweaty feet that slide around on the mat, or you have foot injuries, you might want to practice in a pair of yoga socks.
These are generally small socks that don’t go above the ankle made from a light moisture-wicking fabric that draws sweat away from the mat, and imprinted with patterns for enhanced gripping of the floor.
Are you interested in a pair of yoga socks, but you aren’t sure what to go for? Check out our recommendations for the best yoga socks on the market, as well as our complete buying guide.
Best Yoga Socks
Mar Ka Professional Yoga Socks
If you are looking for a trendy pair of yoga socks to keep your feet dry and fresh and give you good contact with the mat and good grip, then these premium socks from Mar Ka are a great choice.
Made from super soft cotton-polyester mix, these socks last longer than most thanks to reinforcement around the heel and toe, usually the first parts to tear. They have ballet slipper-style elastic straps to keep the socks firmly in place throughout your practice.
The grips on the bottom are made from safety silicon, and are in a stylish mandala pattern that is also highly effective for gripping the floor. There is also an anti-slip design on the inside of the sock at the heel so that you don’t feel like your feet are sliding around inside the sock.
These socks are affordable, coming in a two pack with a black and a grey option. It is one size fits all for most women’s feet.
- Cotton-polyester blend
- Ballet slipper straps
- Mandala design grips
- Internal heel grip
- Black and grey two-pack (one size)
Hylaea Non-Slip Grip Socks
No products found.If your main issue is cold feet, then you are going to want a full yoga sock that covers your entire foot, like this option from Hylaea, designed for both men and women.
The socks themselves are made from a premium stretchable and breathable cotton that comes up over the ankle for warmth. Light elastic support keeps the socks in place and provides comfort around the ankles.
The top of the sock has a slightly meshed design for greater breathability, while there is light cushioning on the bottom to protect your feet without undermining the feeling of the floor.
The bottom of the sock is embossed with a geometric pattern design which gives great grip both under the toes and the heel. The socks come in four different sizes, with small and large options for both men and women. Get two pairs, either black and grey or black and black.
They also come with a special case both for transport, and to safely pop your socks in the washing machine.
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Tucketts Yoga Socks
If your main issue is slippery feet or an injury, and you don’t want to compromise on performance, then you might want some toeless socks, like this option from Tuckets.
The sock hooks around the big toe and then covers the sole of your foot with high-performance silicon grips. The top of the foot is also open, with only a strap across the ankle, for maximum breathability.
Made from 70% recycled cotton with a Polyamide mix for stretchiness, the heels are reinforced to make sure that the socks don’t wear out too quickly.
As well as using recycled cotton, Tucketts is an actively green company making products that a sweatshop-free, tree-free, low-water, and low-carbon footprint.
Available in one size for women, there are twelve trendy colours to choose from including turquoise, orchid, and jellyfish.
- Open-toe sock
- Cotton-Polyamide mix
- Recycled cotton
- Actively green company
- Multiple colours (one size)
GHB Non-Slip Skid Yoga Socks
If you are one of those people that wants a full sock, but likes the ability to move your toes individually, then you might like these toe socks from GHB, which are like gloves for your feet.
They are a full ankle sock made from a cotton-elastic mix that is soft, breathable, and ear resistant. The 360-degree stretch means that it fits your foot perfectly and stays in place without applying uncomfortable pressure.
The dot grips on the bottom of the socks are made from full silica gel particles which are durable and won’t wear away quickly. These machine-washable socks are available in one size for women and five colours including black, purple, pink, grey, and blue.
- Toe sock
- Covers the ankle
- Cotton-elastic mix
- Machine washable
- 5 colours (one size)
Tenquan Non-Slip
Most yoga socks are designed for women, and this is often reflected in the use of pinks and purples in the design. But these funky socks come in black, blue, or grey, with cool dotted and whale grip patterns on the bottom.
They are a full ankle sock made from a cotton-spandex blend with a smooth cuff to keep the sock in place without rubbing. The top of the sock has a breathable mesh panel to keep your feet dry and comfortable, while the bottom of the sock has modest cushioning to reduce impact on the floor without interfering with balance.
The silicone grips keep your feet in place, and won’t be damaged if you pop these socks in the washing machine.
- Ankle sock
- Cotton-spandex blend
- Whale and dots grip pattern
- Machine washable
- Blue, grey, and black (one size)
LA Active Grip Socks
For men, it can be very difficult to find a pair of yoga socks. While most designs claim to be unisex, their relatively small “one size” won’t be comfortable for men with bigger feet.
If you need a bigger sock, then look at this option from LA active, which comes in four sizes covering up to UK size 13. Choose from black, grey, blue, red, pink, and purple.
They are a full ankle sock made from a cotton-polyester mix with a dotted silicon pattern on the bottom for grip. The bottom of the sock is also linked with blend four-yarn terry loops which add just a little bit of cushioning for comfort.
- Ankle sock
- Cotton-elastic mix
- Light cushioning
- Larger sixes for men
- Four sizes and six colours
Urban Calm Eco Bamboo Yoga Socks
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These yoga socks are a little bit different because they are made from environmentally friendly bamboo mixed with nylon, resulting in a durable but soft fabric that feels a lot like cotton.
They are a ballet slipper style with silicon dots on the bottom for the best possible grip while trying to find your balance on the mat. Slight padding on the bottom of the sock provides additional comfort.
These socks are one size, available in black and grey, and they are machine washable. This is another one-size design that should be appropriate for women with UK size 3-8 feet.
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Yoga Socks Buying Guide
Yoga is generally practiced with bare feet. This is good for your stability and balance, and it also makes it easier to work into the muscles in the feet, which are also strengthened and stretched as part of the practice.
But there are times when this might not be possible, desirable, or convenient.
- While your toes should warm up while you are training, if you are somewhere really cold, that just might not happen and can be quite painful for your little digits. A good pair of yoga socks can help you practice despite the cold, and you can always take them off once you warm up.
- Not everyone sweats the same way. Some people sweat more than others, and some are inclined towards sweaty hands and feet. If you are the to get sweaty feet, you can find it very difficult to find your balance, and might find yourself sliding out of certain positions. A good pair of socks can give you grip, and the moisture-wicking fabric should help deal with the sweat as well.
- If you have an injury on your foot, some socks might help your practice. They can cover any band-aids that you might have, and help them stay on, and the socks also provide some light cushioning so that you don’t put as much pressure on affected areas.
- As hard as Yoga studios try to remain clean and hygienic, it is possible for bacteria and fungus to transfer from other people to their mats, and then their mats to you. If you are sensitive to picking up these kinds of fungi, you might want to protect yourself with socks. And, hopefully, it goes without saying that if you have a foot fungus and use a shared mat, you should probably be wearing socks.
OK, so those are the main reasons why you might want to use a pair of yoga socks, but how do you find the right pair.
These are the things to consider.
Type of Socks
You have quite a few options when it comes to the type of socks that you can use, and which one is right for your will come down to personal preference. Though if you are dealing with cold feet, you will probably want something that comes up to the ankle and covers the whole foot. If you are concerned about fungus, you won’t want a toe-less variety.
The types of socks that you will see are:
- Standard ankle socks, which look like a complete sock that comes up to the ankle.
- Ballet slipper socks, which look like a ballet slipper and a held on with elastic straps across the top.
- Toe-less socks which let your toes poke through, allowing you to grip the floor with your toes while the rest of your foot benefits from the added grip.
- Toe socks, which are like gloves for your feet and offer individual spaces for each of your toes.
These are all appropriate for yoga, so the right pair will come down to the type of challenge that you are dealing with and your personal preference.
Material
You will find that most yoga socks are made from cotton mixed with elastic, spandex, or something else stretchy to allow them to fit snugly to your foot. You will occasionally see socks made from other materials such as bamboo, which is an environmentally friendly alternative to cotton.
But anything more than 30% nylon is probably best avoided as they don’t let your feet breathe in the same way, so you might just end up with sweatier.
You will often see that socks have a kind of mesh panel on the top to offer additional breathability. The material on the bottom of the sock will also be a little bit thicker to provide some cushioning. This is great if you are injured but you don’t want too much of it. Too much padding can undermine your contact with the floor.
Good socks will often be reinforced around the toes and heels, since these are the parts that tend to wear out first.
Grip
There is no standard grip design, and almost any grip design that covers both the ball and the heel of the foot will give you the non-slip grip that you need. The grips don’t tend to need to extend down onto the toes, but they sometimes do.
The grips are usually made from silicon, which should be durable enough to last several months of consistent use.
Care
You should be washing your yoga socks after every session, so you might want something machine washable so you can just throw it in with the rest of the laundry. Most options on the market are now machine washable.
Never put your socks in a heated dryer as this can undermine the integrity of the silicone spots.
Size
One of the toughest things about yoga socks is that they often come in “one size”, which rarely fits all.
Most socks are made for the standard woman’s foot, and so should feel comfortable on anyone who wears a UK size 4-8.
But if you have larger or smaller feet, you are going to want to look out for lines that give you size options to cater to your feet. The biggest size that we have come across is a UK men’s size 13.
Men struggling to find yoga pants as well? Find our top recommendations here.
Style
As you shop the market you will see pretty standard-looking socks in plain blacks and greys with simple dot patterns, and you will see options in elaborate multicolour patterns with mandala-designed grips design to appeal to yogis.
While the style doesn’t make a difference to function, it makes a difference to how you feel. Yoga is all about feeling good about yourself and caring for yourself.
If you have to spend a few extra pounds to get something that you love and makes you feel good, why not?
Want to know more about the different types of yoga? Read our complete guide here.
FAQs
Will the grips on my yoga socks wear away?
Yes, over time and use the grips on the bottom of your yoga socks will start to wear away and it will be time to replace them.
Can I wear my yoga socks with shoes?
While you can pop a pair of shoes on over the top of your yoga socks on your way to class, it is not recommended to wear your yoga socks with shoes on a regular basis.
Firstly, you will be able to feel the grips as they push into the sole of your shoe. While this is no problem for the short walk from the car to the studio, it could become uncomfortable if you walk around for an extended period.
Secondly, if your shoes smell, they can transfer that smell to your socks. So, when you head into a yoga class you might see the person behind you wrinkling their nose at the smell of your feet.
How do I wash my yoga socks?
Just like most socks, you will probably want to wash your socks after every use. How you should wash them depends on the fabric and the material of the grips. Some will be fine in the washing machine and dryer, while others will need to be hand-washed and air-dried. Follow the instructions on the label.
If in doubt, hand wash and air dry. This will help your socks last for longer.
The Verdict
While yoga is best practiced barefoot, that’s not always practical or possible. If you get cold feet, sweaty feet, or have an injury or other problem with your feet, a good pair of yoga socks can let you continue to practice without discomfort.
Choose a style of sock that protects the type of challenge that you are dealing with. If you get cold feet, you probably won’t want a toeless design. Then choose a breathable but elastic material. You can go for any grip design on the bottom as long as the design covers the balls and heels of your feet.
Apart from that, it is just about trying to find a pair that is the right size (challenging if you have big man feet), and that you love to wear as part of your yoga practice.
References:
- Barefoot Yoga: Why is it done – Exhale Yoga
- Foot Fungus Alert – Yoga Journal
- The Importance of Your Feet in Yoga: On and Off the Mat – Yoga Journal
Last update on 2024-04-08 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
