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7 Best Yoga Shoes to Take Your Practice to the Next Level
Protect your toes and focus on your flow.
If you’re looking to start practicing yoga in 2023 or are looking to enhance your sessions, a pair of yoga shoes is key. While you can generally practice yoga at home or in a studio barefoot, practicing yoga outdoors without shoes is a different story. Whether you're on the beach, in the forest, or on your back patio, your tootsies may take a beating, thanks to rocks, sticks, and leaves that can cause you to slip if they are not protected.
Investing in a good pair of yoga shoes can not only help to protect your feet from cuts, bruises, and blisters, but it can also make your practice more enjoyable, and allow you to get the most out of your flow wherever you are. Unlike running shoes or other casual shoes, yoga shoes are designed to be flexible enough to move with your feet, providing some support and grip without inhibiting your movement. Many yoga shoes also double as water shoes, which is beneficial if there happens to be any light rain or wet grass.
We've rounded up some of our favorite yoga shoes on the market to help make the shopping process easier. Look below for in-depth reviews of our favorite pairs to help you choose one that's right for you.
Best Yoga Shoes
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What to Consider
If you decide to invest in a pair of yoga shoes, there are a few things to consider before making your purchase.
Sole
The most important part of the shoe will be the sole. Most will be made from some sort of rubber, though some will be thicker than others. The thicker the sole, the better it is for uneven surfaces, but the less flexible it will be.
Upper
Also consider the design of the shoe's upper portion. If you tend to get warm or have particularly sweaty feet, you may do better with a more open and breathable design. The material of the upper is also important. While some may be quick-drying, that doesn’t mean that they will be breathable—if you are looking to keep your feet cool, look for shoes with cutouts that allow your feet to get some air, or shoes with areas made of mesh.
How We Selected
To find the best options among the many yoga shoes out there, we researched the most popular models available and considered the price, design, fit, and durability, as well as their size and color options. We looked at both expert reviews as well as more than 144,000 customer ratings, written by people who’ve bought these models on Amazon, to settle on the yoga shoes you'll find below.
Looking for more great yoga gear? Check out our guides to the best yoga mats, yoga blocks, and men's yoga pants.
Jenna Clark is a freelance writer who covers commerce, travel, beauty, and lifestyle. Her work has been featured in Insider, the Daily Beast, Well+Good, and Taste of Home. When she's not reviewing the latest products or traveling, you can likely find her at a theme park or watching the latest Broadway show.
Before joining Runner's World, Gabrielle Hondorp spent 6 years in running retail (she has tested top gear from shoes, to watches, to rain jackets which has expanded her expertise—and her closets); she specializes in health and wellness, and is an expert on running gear from head-to-toe. Gabi began her journalism career as a Digital Editorial Fellow for Runner’s World and Bicycling Magazine, and has since advanced to a Runner's World Editor specializing in commerce. She has a double degree in English and Media and Communication from Muhlenberg College where she also ran cross country and track.
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