With the popularity of yoga skyrocketing in the United States, yoga clothes, mats and accessories have quickly become a hot industry. It is no surprise that yoga gloves and socks are now also available.
These yoga gloves and socks are designed to be used either inside to prevent slipping on a sweat-soaked yoga mat, or for practicing in outdoor settings--and even in place of using a yoga mat. Yoga gloves and socks provide extraction padding and traction, but also for hygienic purposes to protect the user from placing their hands and feet on or near the perspiration of others practicing nearby.
To date, these kinds of gloves and socks are generally made from polypropene, or a blend of cotton and synthetic blends.
What to Look for
For indoor use, using yoga gloves may support the wrist (as at least one manufacturer sells a version that is gel-injected to give the user more support) and also for a non-sliding practice.
Look for gloves that are made from durable materials that can be easily cleaned by hand-washing and drip-drying. Those with a rougher patches in the palms and inner surface of the gloves will provide a better grip on your mat---or for outdoor use, on the ground.
Yoga socks are designed to give the wearer more sure-footed traction on a potentially sweat-slick mat. They are also a consideration for hygiene. If you have ever attended a packed yoga class where yogis are wedged in mat to mat, the small rivers of sweat that can come dangerously close or even invade your own mat, may drive you to seek out protection.
Toenail fungus and athlete's foot are both a hazard, as wood floors (or worse, carpeting) are not cleaned as thoroughly as one might hope for between classes.
And for those who are simply not happy about being bare-footed to begin with, there is even a yoga sock that is more of a "glove" for the foot, with each toe sleeved in a "toe sock."
Some yoga socks are even manufactured with a pebbled surface to increase traction and to prevent sliding in your downward-facing dog or warrior poses. Look for socks that can be easily cleaned and that may be even made from materials that are bacteria-resistant.
Safety and hygiene are two of the reasons why one might seek out yoga gloves and socks. Can yoga shoes and helmets be far behind?
Common Pitfalls
The worst thing would be to buy yoga gloves that have rough seams in their construction that can create calluses or rub painfully on your skin as you bear weight in them during your practice. Ditto
for yoga socks.
Most retail outlets will have a sample pair of gloves and socks that you can inspect (and maybe try on) before purchasing. If you know that you are not going to be wearing the yoga gloves and socks
outdoors, they are apt to last longer.
For outdoor use, select models that are designed for that kind of wear and tear. Materials for this type should be heavier and thicker in order to withstand that kind of abuse.
Member Comments