If you’re a practised yogi or just getting started, there are some key essentials you need. A yoga mat, comfortable gear to move in, a yoga book to guide you through the moves, or a tutor-led video tutorial to take you through a sequence.
But one thing you may not have considered is yoga socks.
Yoga socks are designed to give you the best grip so you can master your poses and keep your balance without shuffling out of position or, as we’ve experienced, having your sweaty bare feet sliding on the mat.
Yoga socks are sweat-wicking, anti-slip, and will give you the confidence you need to practice everything from your 'downward-facing dog' to your 'tree pose', without the extra wobbles.
Are yoga socks worth it?
We think so! As well as helping you keep your grip and balance by keeping your feet in the right place, yoga socks are a more hygienic option than going barefoot. They’ll protect your feet from any bacteria that may be lurking on the gym floor, stop your feet from picking up unwanted debris or dust, and will keep your feet warm without overheating as they may do in a regular pair of socks.
They’re designed to help absorb sweat and they’re a great shout too for anyone who doesn’t like to have their feet on show, especially if you’re attending a yoga class at your local gym.
There are a range of options available, from toe socks and toeless socks that still give you flexibility if you find socks to be restricting, elasticated strap socks to keep them firmly on your feet, and stylish trainer-style yoga socks that’ll look the part and serve you with all the slip-free benefits.
Best yoga socks
We’ve listed our favourites that stand out as the best yoga socks to buy that’ll keep you on your mat and more importantly, on your feet.
Just so you know, while we may receive a commission for purchases made through our links, we never allow this to influence product selections. Why trust us?
Yours Recommends: Best all-round yoga sock
Adidas is a trusted brand that can trace its roots back to the 1920s and has been the choice of athletes for decades, making kit that appeals to everyone no matter what sport they do.
These yoga socks are comfortable, soft, stretchy, and breathable, with a dotted, rubber grip tread to keep you steady. The strap sits over the arch of your foot keeps them from slipping off during your session and even if you're not a yoga expert, they certainly help you look and feel the part.
Sizes: S/M (3-5) and M/L (6-8)
Promising review: "I belong to a chair yoga group for disabled people. The floor of our room is always very cold which puts me off practising barefoot. These little slippers are very comfortable with a good grip on the base of the foot. They help keep my feet warm too. A choice of colours would be nice."
Best yoga socks for making a statement
These pretty, rainbow colour yoga socks are everything. They're sweat-absorbent, anti-slip and we love that you'll get four pairs with random colours for less than a tenner. They're only available in one size, but they promise to be well elasticated so they'll fit your feet perfectly and comfortably.
At first, if you've not used toe socks before, it might feel a little strange, but you're sure to get used to it!
Sizes: One size
Promising review: "Super comfortable socks, no seams or rubbing over toes. They haven’t slipped down at all and don’t punch around my toes. The grips are in very sensible places and do not slip at all on my yoga mat or my laminate flooring. The colours are very fun."
Best yoga socks for grip
www.decathlon.co.uk
These socks from Decathlon come available in black or grey, but both boast silicone dot grip under the foot and toes, and a cotton-elastane material that gives you freedom of movement, freeing up your toes with the toe sock design.
Sizes: 2.5-5, 5.5-8, and 8.5-11
**Tried and tested review from contributing writer, Clare Howcutt-Kelly: "**Committing to doing a daily yoga routine is tough, but it's even more difficult in the warmer seasons. Slipping and sliding is not fun while you're trying to hold a half-moon pose. However, these non-slip yoga toe socks from Decathlon ground you even when it's hot outside.
"Not only was the grip great for form and position, but it was also good for hiding my toes. I have wide feet, which I hate getting out in public - so the option to cover them up made me feel less conscious and able to concentrate on my class."
Best yoga socks for style
We love the ballet-style design of these yoga socks that are stylish, feminine, and will make your feet look oh-so dainty with each yoga position. As well as having the unique elastic-cross strap, they also come with a SilicaGel grip tread in a beautiful ethnic pattern.
We wouldn't mind receiving these socks as a present!
Sizes: One size (2.5-9)
Promising review: "Fantastic! I ordered the night before I was going to a yoga weekend. They arrived an hour before I was due to leave. I was a little dubious as I have wide UK size 8 feet but no need to worry they fit perfectly. They kept my feet warm (and hid ugly toes) they gave good grip during standing postures. Excellent value for two pairs and a cute carrying bag. Well worth it and super fast delivery with amazon prime."
Best yoga socks for a barefoot feel
For when you want the barefoot experience, but want to keep your feet warm and dry, Tucketts Patented Allegro style toeless grip socks have you covered.
Available in a choice of 12 colours, these Mary Jane style open-toed socks are perfect for yoga with a unique high-performance gripper design on the sole that makes them stickier than most other non-slip socks. They're lightweight for that barefoot feel, are open-top to allow plenty of airflow, are breathable and have a flexible support ankle strap to aid in your pose stability.
Plus, we love that they're incredibly environmentally friendly in their material, packaging, and production process - thumbs up from us!
Sizes: One size (4-7.5)
Promising review: "Just don’t like taking these incredible socks off, all-day comfort!! Have tried other yoga socks, these are the only ones that never let me down. Great if you have wooden floors. It lets you exercise your toes all day while not getting cold. Wish I could get smaller and larger sizes for children & husband."
Best yoga socks for quality
www.sweatybetty.com
Sweaty Betty is a big player in the world of women's fitness gear, and they've catered to studio activities with these Pilates socks that are ideal for yoga, barre, and home workouts too.
Available in grey and black and made of organic cotton, these socks have a super soft-hand feel whilst still being breathable and sweat-wicking. They're designed with a grip panel on the sole to ensure you don't slip, a low-cut heel and toe for skin exposure, and a cross strap over the foot to keep them in place.
Sizes: 2-5 or 6-8
Promising reviews: "Lovely and soft with excellent grip, you don’t know you have these socks on at classes" and "These are my favourite purchase in 2021. Beautiful, comfortable, and exceptionally good quality."
Best yoga socks for versatility
With over 5,000 reviews rating an average of 4.5 out of 5 stars, these highly practical yoga socks will help to maximise your performance and keep your feet off unclean surfaces.
Perfect for yoga, Pilates, ballet, and other studio activities, these eco-friendly yoga socks will absorb sweat to keep your feet dry and have 100 per cent silicone grips on the soles to provide effective anti-skid support. Their medium thickness makes them a good choice for all seasons, while still being well ventilated and breathable to keep your feet cool. Plus, they come in a range of colours with a nice gift bag to pack your socks in, useful for storage and keeping them clean.
Sizes: One size (2.5-7)
Promising review: "High-quality product at an extremely affordable price. I bought these in conjunction with a superb exercise mat at the same time for my daughter, she loves them both, the socks are extremely comfortable, and have great grip on and off of the mat. They literally don't move on surfaces, you can't go wrong with these. 100 per cent recommend these and the mat."
Best yoga socks for Achilles tendon protection
These ballet-inspired Bellarina socks come with patented non-slip soles to ensure secure footing on any surface. While they're ideal for Barre workouts, they're also a great pick for yoga too with the arch band helping to provide support.
They have a heel tab to provide extra comfort and protection to the Achilles tendon which could risk becoming strained if you're relying too much on your joints to hold your weight instead of utilising your surrounding muscles. They're also made from 90 per cent organic cotton for softness and great quality.
Sizes: S (3.5-5.5) to M (6-8.5)
Promising review: "I bought these for yoga. They look really good and fit well, and they have a great grip on my mat. One downside, though, is that in certain yoga positions they slide down and cut in between my toes slightly. I have a full-toe pair of these, from the same brand, which do not give me that problem."
How do I choose yoga socks?
Ultimately it’s completely down to you on what you feel the most comfortable in. However, it might be worth considering the type of yoga you’re doing and where.
With hot yoga, for example, you may prefer to have more of your skin exposed or prefer to have your feet fully covered to help wick away the sweat and prevent you from slipping. If you’re often practising yoga, pilates, or barre in yoga classes at the gym, a closed-toe design would be more hygienic and a versatile choice for each activity.
We think closed-toe yoga socks are a great pick for beginners, but if you’re more experienced you may want to opt for toeless yoga socks if you’re looking to try and perfect more advanced positions.
Some yoga teachers prefer you to keep your feet bare to help you to fully connect to the earth during your practice, and so they can see that your feet are properly aligned. If you’d feel more comfortable in socks but still want to be able to connect to your mat, opting for toeless socks gives you the best of both worlds.
How to wash yoga socks?
Each pair of yoga socks will come with its own set of instructions for washing so make sure to check the care label before throwing them in the machine, as you may risk shrinking your socks otherwise.
Where possible you should also try to keep your socks together as a pair. We always end up losing a sock in the washing machine, and as these socks are smaller than your regular day-to-day pairs, and a bigger investment, we’d definitely prefer for one not to go missing!