Best Grip Socks for Pilates, Barre, and Reformer Classes

If you only buy one pair of grip socks for reformer, mat Pilates and barre, make it the Tavi Savvy: its full-sole grip holds on a vinyl carriage and a polished floor, and it held up to washing. Below is how the others compare, and whether to go full-toe, five-toe or toeless.

Our picks: the Tavi Savvy for one pair that does everything. If you want your toes free, get the ToeSox Bellarina Half Toe for its five-toe balance, or the Tucketts Flow for a fully open front. The Gaiam Grippy is fine for occasional classes, and the Gripjoy 3-pack keeps a frequent class-goer in clean socks for less than one premium pair.

How we tested

We wore all five through reformer, mat and barre classes over three months and washed them on a normal cycle after every wear, at least 25 washes per pair. We checked each sole's grip coverage and tried it on a reformer carriage, a wood barre floor and a rubber mat. Then we looked for what usually goes wrong with grip socks: heels sliding down, toe seams twisting, grip dots peeling, cuffs loosening and holes at the big toe.

The five socks

1. Tavi Noir Savvy Non-Slip Grip Socks: best overall

The Savvy is Tavi's everyday ankle sock, and the grip is the reason to buy it. A patented triangle pattern covers the whole sole from toe to heel, arch included. On the carriage your midfoot doesn't slip in standing splits, and at the barre the arch grip lets you press into the floor in relevé without your foot creeping back.

The fabric is a soft organic cotton blend with enough nylon and elastane to hold its shape. After more than 25 washes our pair had no grip loss, no loose cuff and no thinning at the toe. The low-cut ankle with a small heel tab stayed put through jump board work, which is where cheaper socks slide down the heel.

It is full-toe, so if you want bare toes look at the Bellarina or Tucketts. The drawbacks are price, at the premium end, and popular colors selling out. Tavi also makes crew-height styles and two-packs.

Buy it if you want one pair for reformer, mat and barre. Skip it if you want your toes out.

2. ToeSox Bellarina Half Toe Grip Socks: best five-toe sock

The half-toe Bellarina has a separate pocket for each toe that stops just past the base, leaving the tips bare. With the toes separated they spread and work independently, which helps balance in relevé and gives you a more precise feel for the foot bar.

Grip covers the ball, the heel and a strip across the arch. A firm arch band and a heel tab stop the sock rotating during footwork. The fabric is a 77 percent organic cotton blend that breathed well through a 55-minute reformer class, and there was no grip loss after our washes.

Expect a learning curve: putting on a five-toe sock takes a minute the first few times, and the toe pockets feel odd for the first few wears. If you want the same sock with the toes covered, there is the ToeSox Bellarina Full Toe.

Buy it if you do reformer or barre regularly and want your toes spread. Skip it if you want to pull socks on in five seconds.

3. Tucketts Flow Toeless Non-Slip Grip Socks: best toeless sock

Instead of toe pockets, the Flow is open across the front, with a soft band just behind the toes. Your toes are fully bare, the closest you get to barefoot on the mat and foot bar, while grip dots cover the ball, arch and heel.

The recycled cotton blend wicked sweat noticeably better than the pure-cotton budget socks, and the fit is snug through the arch and heel. They are made in Colombia by a women-owned company, and quality was consistent across the two pairs we tested. For more leg coverage there is a knee-high toeless version.

The trade-off is no grip under the toes at all. In a deep relevé the ball of the foot does all the gripping, and on a very smooth carriage we noticed a little more toe slide than with the Bellarina. The front band can also feel tight on wide feet.

Buy it if you want as much barefoot feel and ventilation as a studio will allow. Skip it if you have wide feet.

4. Gaiam Grippy Yoga Socks: best budget single pair

These are in every big-box store and are often the first pair people buy. They come full-toe, toeless and lace-up, the dots cover heel, ball and arch well enough, and the cotton blend is comfortable for a full class.

Fit and lifespan are the weak points. They run small, so size up if you are between sizes. After about three months of weekly use the dots on our pair had worn visibly smooth on the ball of the foot and the cuff had loosened. For the price that is acceptable, but one Tavi or ToeSox pair will outlast two or three of these. Gaiam's Grippy Crew Socks come in 2- and 3-packs with the same grip if you prefer crew height.

Buy it if you go to class occasionally and need a pair that meets studio rules. Skip it if you go weekly or more.

5. Gripjoy Grip Socks for Pilates, 3 Pairs: best budget multi-pack

If you go three or more times a week, one pair isn't enough, and premium socks add up. Gripjoy's three-pack gives you a week of clean socks for less than two Tavi pairs. The full-sole silicone grip held on carriage, mat and floor, and the crew height means they double as house socks.

The compromise is feel. The thicker cotton dulls your connection to the foot bar and floor, and the heel is less shaped; it sat loosely on our narrow-footed tester. Grip survived our washes, though the socks lost some shape. This is the pack we point new students to when they don't yet know how often they'll go.

Buy it if you go often or are just starting. Skip it if you have narrow heels.

All five compared

Full-toe, five-toe or toeless

If you can't decide, start full-toe: it is the most forgiving and works in any class. Move to five-toe or toeless once you know which classes you go to most.

Read the sole, not the color

Turn the sock over before you buy. Good grip socks cover three zones: the ball, the heel and the arch. Budget socks often skip the arch, which lets your midfoot slide whenever it touches the surface, as in standing work on the carriage. Hospital-style socks with a few widely spaced dots do nothing on a smooth carriage. Silicone patterns (triangles, lines or dense dots) beat sparse rubber dots, and close-set patterns grip vinyl better than big isolated blobs.

Which zone matters most depends on the class. At the barre it is the arch, because so much of the class is in relevé with the arch pressed into the floor. On the reformer it is the heel and ball, which carry footwork and standing splits.

Fabric is the other variable. Most grip socks are cotton blends; the better ones use organic or recycled cotton with nylon and a little elastane to keep their shape. Thick cotton is warm and durable but reduces floor feel, and thin technical blends feel better but wear faster.

Sizing by brand

Grip socks are meant to fit tighter than normal socks, because a loose sock slides around inside itself. Most brands size by US shoe size in two or three ranges. From our testing:

• Gaiam runs small: size up if you are at the top of a range.
• Tavi and ToeSox run true: pick the range your shoe size falls in.
• Tucketts is slightly narrow through the toe band: size up for wide feet.
• Multi-packs are loose in the heel and can be baggy on narrow feet.

Red marks on your ankle after class mean the sock is too small; a heel sliding down during footwork means it is too big. The right size is snug through the arch and unnoticeable once you are moving.

Making the grip last

Grip is the first thing to fail, and the dryer causes most of it: heat weakens the bond between the silicone and the fabric.

1. Turn socks inside out so the grip doesn't rub against the rest of the load.
2. Wash cold on a normal cycle, without fabric softener, which coats the silicone.
3. Air dry. If you have to use the dryer, lowest heat, and take them out promptly.
4. Rotate two or three pairs so none is washed every day.

If a pair's care label says something stricter, follow it: under the FTC's Care Labeling Rule, the label has to warn about any washing or drying step that would damage the sock.

Our guide to washing workout clothes covers the rest of your activewear. For what to wear with the socks, see what to wear to Pilates class.

Why studios insist on them

• Hygiene: bare feet on shared equipment spread fungal infections and warts, and a sock is a barrier for you and the next person on the reformer.
• Safety: carriages are vinyl, foot bars are padded or metal, and barre floors are polished wood. Sweaty bare feet and ordinary socks slip on all three.
• The equipment: sweat and foot oil break down vinyl upholstery.

The same logic applies to a machine at home; our home reformer guide covers that setup.

Fuzzy hospital socks with a few rubber dots don't count; they won't grip a carriage. And if your studio allows bare feet and you only do mat Pilates on a grippy mat, you may not need grip socks at all. Hot yoga is a different problem: a towel or a non-slip mat for hot yoga does more than socks, and our hot yoga clothing guide covers the rest.

Related: grip sock toe styles compared, men's grip socks, how to wash grip socks and Pilates grip gloves.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I have to wear grip socks to Pilates?

At most reformer and barre studios, yes, for hygiene and safety. Mat-only classes are often more relaxed. Check the studio's policy before your first class.

Are toeless grip socks better than full-toe?

Neither is better overall. Toeless socks give more floor feel and ventilation; full-toe socks are warmer, easier to put on and grip under the toes. Five-toe socks like the Bellarina sit between the two, with spread toes and grip under the ball of the foot.

Can I wear grip socks for yoga?

Yes, and they help in balance poses. They are less useful in flowing vinyasa, where you want to feel the mat and the socks can make lunges feel stuck. For hot yoga, a towel and a non-slip mat work better.

How long do grip socks last?

It depends on the pair and on keeping them out of the dryer. Our Tavi and ToeSox pairs showed no grip loss after 25-plus washes, while the Gaiam pair's grip was worn smooth on the ball of the foot after about three months of weekly use.

Do grip socks work on a home reformer?

Yes, and they protect the upholstery. See our home reformer guide and home Pilates equipment guide for the rest of a home setup.