Wrestling Shoes Buying Guide

Why Are Wrestling Shoes Important?

First things first: why bother about wrestling shoes anyway? The market for wrestling shoes isn’t that large. People interested in the sport seldom think about the shoe aspect of it. But that doesn’t take away from these shoes’ tactical advantage.

When you’re wearing wrestling shoes, your ankles and feet are provided that much-needed support and stabilisation. This way, you’re protected from slipping on the sweaty wrestling mat that the sport is usually played on. Further, they also protect your ankles from spraining or rolling injuries.

However, that’s not where the advantages of using a pair of wrestling shoe end. You’d need a lot of traction during any match to ensure stability. Good quality shoes provide wrestlers with this stability and balance from every direction.

Overall, you can glean the maximum out of your physical strength and skill with a pair of quality wrestling shoes.

Factors To Keep In Mind When Buying Wrestling Shoes

Now that you know why wrestling shoes are vital before hitting the mat, it’s time to look at the different factors to keep in mind when buying wrestling shoes. We will go deep into each aspect in the following sections and explore them in detail.

1. Flexibility And Grip

As we’re sure you’ve already understood, gripping the mat stably is one of the essential characteristics of a good pair of wrestling shoes. Wrestling mats are typically covered with vinyl, and this shiny and smooth surface can become excessively slippery during a match.

To counter this, you must wear wrestling shoes with flat, well-gripping rubberised soles. At the same time, you also need to ensure that you can feel the ground beneath your feet to move on the mat efficiently.

Although wrestling shoes allow for efficient movement, sole variations change the flex and grip on offer. Here’s a breakup of the different types of soles you can find on wrestling shoes.

2. Unisole

A unisole shoe sports a single, full-length rubber soles, extending up to the edges to gain traction. These shoes offer the maximum grip and are usually lightweight and adequately flexible.

Another reason why wrestlers often opt for unisole shoes is their extended longevity. Unisole shoes are usually more durable and almost always last longer than other sole types. They are also relatively strong and sturdy, making them a good investment.

3. Split Soles

If your fighting style focuses more on flexibility than grip, then we recommend you go with split-sole wrestling shoe. As the name suggests, a split sole has soles that are split into two rubberised segments on the heel and forefoot.

As split-sole shoes reduce the amount of material underfoot, they help the feet bend better. Split-sole shoes make you feel barefoot on the mat, allowing quicker and lighter movements. This can provide an advantage over opponents wearing shoes with a unisole.

4. Hybrid Soles

Wrestling shoes with hybrid soles attempt to balance, grip and flex by leaving a rubber portion connecting the forefoot and the heel. This helps the shoes reach a performance trade-off between split and unisole shoes.

Here, it’s important to remember that this classification is not strict, and there can be shoes of any type that offer the right grip and flex. In general, we recommend beginners start with shoes that are neither too flexible nor too grippy. Advanced players must settle on a shoe type that matches their fighting style.

5. Amount Of Ankle Support

After grip and flex, ankle support is the next important factor to look into while buying wrestling shoes. Most wrestling shoes are usually mid-top to high-top; hence they don’t skimp on the ankle support front.

Another essential thing to note is the collar/tongue, extending to protect against injuries. If you’re looking for extra support and protection, we recommend going with a tongue/collar with extra padding; Velcro straps on the top are also a good idea.

6. Degree Of Breathability

It’s no secret that wrestling is an intense sport, and you’ll sweat profusely during a game. This is true for your feet as well. Excessive sweat can result in the feet sliding without intention, discomfort, and foul odours.

To ensure this doesn’t happen, always look for wrestling shoes that offer an upper made of meshed material. This way, the shoes will dissipate the extra heat and allow the outside air to cool your feet. If you’re looking for excess moisture and temperature regulation, look for shoes with additional vents at the bottom.

7. Presence Of A Lace Garage

Wrestling shoes usually have a lace garage, which can be a Velcro loop or a pocket integrated into the tongue. The lace garage helps prevent the shoestrings from coming undone, thus ensuring that the shoes don’t come off during the match.

8. Material

Finally, the material your shoes are made of also plays an important part. You need to opt for a material that provides the right amount of strength and flexibility. Lighter wrestling shoes are usually made of nylon, suede or mesh, though leather shoes are also available.

Frequently Asked Questions