Cozy grip: 4 best socks for yoga, pilates & barre

by Kate Johnson | Appearance, Cozy lifestyle

Looking back, I was pretty wrong in thinking what would make a good pair of non slip yoga socks.

Anything with a tiny bit of grip should lead to some steady yoga (or pilates) action, right?

Nope, it turns out. Before I finally got a proper pair of yoga socks like Gaiam’s toeless pairs, I was sticking to a variety of these:

Some good things to remember when picking the proper socks for yoga, pilates or barre. The amount of grip...

I’m not sure what had crossed my mind. It’s obvious that you need a few more traction zones and a few silicone grip lines won’t cut it…

If you’re as confused as I was before, this post is for you. I’ll introduce the best yoga socks for men & women…but in fact, they’re equally fine for pilates or barre too.

After all, who wants a slippery, uncomfortable yoga session? Nobody, that’s who! 

Toeless
SmallGaiam
  • Gaiam 2 pack
  • Materials:
    81% cotton, 11% nylon, 5% polyester, 2% rubber & 1% spandex
  • Grip provided:
    ★★★★★
  • Cut length:
    A little above the ankle.
  • Keep warm?:
    Medium thickness, good for year round.
Hand-dipped
SmallOmbre
  • Great Soles Ombre
  • Materials:
    80% cotton & 20% spandex, more elastic
  • Grip provided:
    ★★★★½
  • Cut length:
    Standard ankle cut.
  • Keep warm?:
    Quite thin and no padding, not optimal for colder months.
5 toes
SmallFiveToesYoga
  • ToeSox Five Toe
  • Materials:
    Fully cotton w/ silicone grips
  • Grip provided:
    ★★★★½
  • Cut length:
    A little higher cut with arch support.
  • Keep warm?:
    A bit thicker, good for year round.
Chic
SmallWithStrapsYoga
  • Great Soles Ballet
  • Materials:
    75% cotton, 23% polyester & 2% elastane
  • Grip provided:
    ★★★★½
  • Cut length:
    Slighlty lower cut, near ankle.
  • Keep warm?:
    Most optimal for warm/mild weather.

Cozily recommended:
Best yoga socks for men & women

1. Best toeless socks for yoga:
Gaiam Grippy [Unisex, 2 pack]

Gaiam make the best toeless socks for yoga, in my opinion.

Gaiam is my best buddy for yoga and pilates sessions. There’s something about the quality you get from a whole brand dedicated to yoga products…

I like toeless socks because they provide more grip and balance. Additionally, if it’s too hot, they give me a bit of extra breatheability.

Gaiam’s pairs are made of 81% cotton, 11% nylon and smaller amounts of polyester (5%), rubber (2%) and spandex (1%.)

All this amounts to a pair of cozy, flexible and quite durable non slip yoga/pilates socks. You won’t find a better grip due to the open-toe design and the numerous traction zones.

As far as height goes, these aren’t that high. A little above the standard ankle cuts, I feel. Quite similar to most of Toesox’s grip socks for yoga.

The designs are very attractive, without going overboard. They are unisex, so guys who’re keen on practices, rejoice: you have a pair of the best men’s socks for yoga!

A small remark: if you have extra (and I mean, really!) big toes, these might be a little restricting for you. But in most cases, they should be just fine.

2. Best women’s yoga & pilates socks:
Great Soles Ombre Dyed

If you’re a fan of hand-dipped art, these are for you. The vibrant colors of the Great Soles grip socks are a product of a unique process that makes each of them quite distinctive.

Of course, cuteness isn’t the only factor. We’re here for stability and non slipping action on the floor (or mat), after all!

And the Great Soles pair does just about that. This pair has a constellation of traction points! Like, a lot of them! I think one of the record-breakers among the standard sock type.

The materials used here are two: 80% cotton, with the rest 20% being spandex. This makes them a bit more elastic than the Gaiam – more spandex does that!

These workout socks with grip are your traditional ankle cut. Perfect for more summery months, but might run a bit cold for those chilly autumn or winter moments.

The fit is very snug, way better than usual full socks. If you’re doing more active yoga or you go crazy on your pilates/barre sessions, you’ll love them.

The only problem is that they’re a bit thin and they lack any padding. As I said, for harder surfaces or colder months, that might be an issue for some!

3. Best five toe non slip socks:
ToeSox Women’s

ToeSox are legendary. Awesome grip and freedom is what makes them the best men's socks for yoga with five separate toes.

I mean, do ToeSox need an introduction? They’re at least as popular as Gaiam among those of us who do yoga, pilates or barre.

I like the purple ones (maybe to substite my previous socks failure…), but there’s a lot of designs for men too, actually.

The biggest benefit here is the five toe design, hands down. It keeps you warmer during winter yoga months, sure. But it also provides you with better freedom of movement than the usual full socks.

Greg spoke about sweaty feet and slippers before…Well, the ToeSox are quite good yoga socks for sweaty feet too. The secret lies in the separate toes!

Aside from the grips, these are fully made of cotton. A bit thicker than the Great Soles, so even on colder or harder surfaces (like laminate) they’ll work just fine.

Last but not least – aside from the great grip, these have arch support for pilates/yoga. That, and the higher cut, make them a real cozy dream for workouts!

Sizes for women to keep in mind: XS is 3-5.5, S is 6-8, M is 8.5 – 10.5, L is 11-13!

4. Best elegant yoga & barre socks with straps:
Great Soles Ballet Grip

Personally, I’m not a fan of grip socks for yoga with straps…But I understand the appeal! These do look very chic and gorgeous.

Designed in the heart of New York City, these pilates grip socks are made of premium cotton. Despite looking very fragile, they will surprise you with their durability.

23% polyester and 2% elastane complete the last quarter of materials for some flexibility.

Alright, but what about the grip?

Good news! Bundled up with the elegance is a myriad of traction points, just as the Ombre Dyed socks. Spread throughout the sole, they’ll provide you with a stable yoga session whatever surface you decide to practice on.

The cut here is a bit lower than all other pairs. It kind of makes sense – otherwise the straps would look out of place.

Definitely not the best choice for colder pilates or barre sessions, though…

The straps are a tricky part. Not that they’re low quality, I just mean you should treat them carefully after washing the socks.

In my case, this means no other method of drying except good ol’ letting them enjoy the great outdoors. No tossing them in a tumble dryer!

Why use yoga & pilates socks at all?

I was wondering about this too…

…Before I got a good pair of non slip socks.

There’s just so many things that could go wrong with your supposed-to-be-cozy session.

For example, your feet might get sweaty. This holds especially true for more intensive types of yoga.

And once your feet get sweaty, you start losing stability. Feeling all slippery and stumbling when you want to nail the next position is far from my definition of fun.

An alternative reason would be cold or extra hard surfaces. We’ve talked about how harsh can hardwood floors be.

Yogaing around barefoot gives the best grip, for sure…But does it justify your feet hurting after every session? Proper non slip socks for yoga soften things up, especially if they’re a bit thicker.

Last but not least, germs. Dirt, bacteria, other pesky things all lurk around shared spaces.

Yes, your studio gets cleaned, but how often? And is there a guarantee that would keep all the bacteria way?

Workout socks put a grippy barrier between your naked skin and these not-cool-at-all agents. You needn’t be a clean freak to consider this benefit of pilates and yoga socks, right?

 Newsflash, ladies!

Are you suffering some of the dreaded dimples like me? Cellulite and yoga might not mingle that  well…Check out my quick guide on leggings that will cover up your cellulite. They do a good job, seriously 🙂

Adventures, cute dogs and traveling over the world. I like writing about whatever's on my mind. Proud to have sparked Greg's interest in digital nomading 🙂

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