Are Taekwondo shoes even a thing? Most of the artists you’ve seen probably train without shoes and many schools simply do not allow shoes on their mats — period. Further, shoes are not allowed in Taekwondo competitions.
Why?
The main disadvantage to wearing shoes is that they change the feel of the floor. Taekwondoins use their feet a lot and shoes can affect their movement and balance. Plus, when sparring there can be a higher risk of striking your partner and causing unforeseen damage when wearing shoes.
Table of Contents
- Who Wears Taekwondo Shoes?
- Quick Summary
- Top 10 Best Taekwondo Shoes – Product Reviews
- 1. Adidas Adi-Kick Unisex Taekwondo Shoes
- 2. Mooto MarShoes Taekwondo Shoes
- 3. Drive3 Martial Arts Shoes from Mooto
- 4. Ultimate Knockout Taekwondo Shoes
- 5. Vbestlife Martial Arts Shoes
- 6. Alomejor Taekwondo Training Shoes
- 7. VGEBY Unisex Martial Arts Sneakers
- 8. Auhoho Kids Taekwondo Training Shoes
- 9. DAYISS Taekwondo Shoes Lace Up
- 10. HHEALTH Taekwondo Shoes
- FAQs About Taekwondo Shoes
- Take Your Taekwondo Training to the Next Level
Who Wears Taekwondo Shoes?
However, there are a few cases when Taekwondo artists will wear shoes.
Perhaps they are doing a demonstration outdoors in freezing temperatures, or their training hall floors just get really cold during the winter. Particularly those with circulation problems must take care to keep their feet warm.
Some Taekwondoin may be following their doctor’s orders after a foot injury. Others may need support on their midfoot until it grows stronger. And some beginners start out wearing shoes until their feet grow strong enough to handle the rigors of the sport.
Quick Summary
Whatever your reason for needing Taekwondo shoes, it’s a good idea to choose a quality pair that works for you. Here are a few great options to choose from in no particular order.
- Best Overall: Adidas Adi-Kick Unisex Taekwondo Shoes
- Best for Women: Vbestlife Martial Arts Shoes
- Best for Beginners: Drive3 Martial Arts Shoes from Mooto
- Best for Men: Ultimate Knockout Taekwondo Shoes
- Best for Kids: Auhoho Kids Taekwondo Training Shoes
- Best for Budget: VGEBY Unisex Martial Arts Sneakers
- Best Lightweight: Alomejor Taekwondo Training Shoes
- Best for Warmth: Mooto Taekwondo MarShoes
- Best for Adjustable fit: DAYISS Taekwondo Shoes Lace Up
- Best for Support: HHEALTH Taekwondo Shoes
Top 10 Best Taekwondo Shoes – Product Reviews
1. Adidas Adi-Kick Unisex Taekwondo Shoes
- Best for: Overall
- Key Features: short laces, lightweight, good fit, good grip, pivot points
- Color: Black and white.
- Material: PU material with rubber sole
This pair of Adidas Taekwondo shoes is a great all-around pair of shoes to start off our list. They are marketed as unisex shoes and provide both a men’s and women’s sizing chart to find the perfect fit for you.
The back half of the shoes is black and the front portion is white with three black stripes on either side of the foot — as you would expect from Adidas.
The shoes are made from a PU material with rubber soles. The rubber soles allow the shoes to better grip the floor to avoid slipping while spinning and kicking. Pivot points on the soles make it easier to spin for wheel kicks, spinning back kicks, and any of the other myriad flashy kicks that Taekwondoins perform.
The top of the shoes features a fixed tongue and a short lace for better foot fixation. Overall, the shoes are soft and comfortable, but practitioners should carefully choose the size for the best fit. The shoes come in half sizes ranging from 13K – 13 in men’s sizes and 1 – 14 in women’s.
2. Mooto MarShoes Taekwondo Shoes
- Best for: Warmth
- Key Features: soft, slip-on, non-slip fabric on the sole with a pouch under the ball of the foot for extra grip
- Color: Navy or red
- Material: warm neoprene (synthetic rubber)
- Weight: 0.06 kilos
Let’s take a look at another well-known brand and check out Mooto’s Korea Taekwondo shoes.
Whereas the last pair looked somewhat like a pair of soft tennis shoes, this pair looks more like a glorified sock. These Mooto Taekwondo shoes don’t have laces but are marketed as super easy to slip on and off.
They are soft, flexible shoes designed to stay out of your way as much as possible during the workout. They don’t provide much support, but their main purpose is to keep your feet warm during winter training sessions as well as provide a hygienic barrier between your feet and the floor.
Mooto offers these MarShoes in two colors, a more conservative navy or an eye-catching red color.
Since there are no laces, a snug fit is important for the shoe to stay in place. Overall, these Taekwondo shoes are a great option for keeping your feet warm or for anyone who isn’t a fan of being barefoot but doesn’t need much support from their shoes.
3. Drive3 Martial Arts Shoes from Mooto
- Best for: Beginners
- Key Features: slip-on design, lightweight, good fit, good grip, pivot points
- Color: White with black accents
- Material: PU material with a nonslip sole
Everybody’s favorite Korean brand offers more than just glorified socks for Taekwondo training. While the last pair were more unique, Mooto offers a more typical shoe with this slip-on Taekwondo shoe.
It is made with a Nami PU upper and a durable rubber sole for non-slip training. The material is very elastic and designed to expand enough to slip the shoe on, then snugly encase your foot once it is on.
The shoe comes in a variety of sizes for both men and women and is suitable for a variety of martial arts activities — not just Taekwondo.
4. Ultimate Knockout Taekwondo Shoes
- Best for: Men
- Key Features: short laces, lightweight, good fit, good grip, pivot points
- Color: Black and white
- Material: PU material with a nonslip sole
This pair of Taekwondo shoes lace up a small amount near the top, allowing the wearer to adjust the fit a little bit. These shoes are marketed as fitting a wide range of foot sizes, including both narrow and wide feet.
These martial arts shoes are white with four black stripes along either side. A short tongue and black laces allow for fit adjustment.
The PU material is breathable and the lightweight design allows the wearer to maneuver quickly and easily. The non-slip sole provides plenty of grip so you don’t have to worry about slipping on the mat. Yet the pivot points allow you to move easily for spinning techniques.
These shoes have more structure than the Mooto sock-style Taekwondo shoes and provide more support for the foot. They would be a good choice where support rather than warmth is the main concern. This makes them good shoes for beginners or those with a foot injury.
5. Vbestlife Martial Arts Shoes
- Best for: Women
- Key Features: lightweight, good fit, good grip, pivot points
- Color: White and black, white and red
- Material: PU material with a nonslip rubber sole
- Weight: 0.32 kilos
These versatile shoes are marketed as Karate shoes, Taekwondo shoes, and are suitable for a variety of sports such as Kung Fu, Tai Chi, and MMA training shoes.
The PU upper material is soft and flexible and these shoes can actually be rolled up in a ball with no harm to them. The upper features reinforcement stitching in areas where the shoe will take stress to help make them more durable and long-lasting.
A short tongue allows enough stretch to slip the shoe on without tying any laces. The shoes are white and you have a choice of either a black squiggly stripe or a red squiggly stripe on the side for decoration. The tongue also features a decorative Asian character.
These breathable, lightweight Taekwondo shoes are great when you need a little extra support after a foot injury or as a beginner. Again, choose the sizing carefully to ensure proper fit.
6. Alomejor Taekwondo Training Shoes
- Best for: Lightweight
- Key Features: lightweight, good fit, good grip, pivot points
- Color: White and black
- Material: PU material with a nonslip rubber sole
- Weight: 0.32 kilos
This is another great pair of versatile shoes that are suitable for various types of martial arts, including Taekwondo, Karate, and Tai Chi. You can even use them as MMA training shoes. The description also mentioned they make great running shoes for those looking for a soft shoe.
These martial arts shoes are white with black stripes and an Asian character on the tongue for decoration. They have thick, non-slip soles, yet are soft, elastic, and breathable for comfort.
They are made with a PU upper and at only 350 grams a piece, they barely feel like you are wearing shoes. A big plus when you don’t want to lose your lightning-fast Taekwondo kicks!
7. VGEBY Unisex Martial Arts Sneakers
- Best for: budget
- Key Features: lightweight, good fit, good grip, pivot points,
- Color: White and black
- Material: PU material with a nonslip rubber sole
- Weight: 0.32 kilos
Name brand shoes like Adidas Taekwondo shoes come with a higher price point, as you might expect. But what if you just want to dip your toe in and see if you’d like training with Taekwondo shoes? Or maybe you have a rapidly growing child who will outgrow his shoes quickly?
It can be nice not to have to spend so much on them. Since you don’t need them to last as long, durability isn’t as important as saving some money.
This pair of martial arts shoes from VGEBY offers a good compromise. The shoes are still made from quality materials with a PU upper and rubber non-slip sole. Extra stitching across the toe and a reinforced heel also add durability. Yet the price is more manageable.
Whether you’ll be wearing them full-time or just occasionally for training outside of the dojo, these are a great budget option.
8. Auhoho Kids Taekwondo Training Shoes
- Best for: kids
- Key Features: lightweight, good fit, good grip, pivot points,
- Color: White with black, blue, gold, or red stripes
- Material: PU material with a nonslip rubber sole
- Weight: 0.32 kilos
Looking for a good pair of Taekwondo shoes for your kids? This is a great option that comes in a wide range of child sizes from toddlers up to big kids.
The shoes are white with stripes that come in four different accent colors. Choose between black, blue, gold, and red stripes to fit your child’s personality. There is also an Asian character decoration on the tongue.
These shoes are relatively inexpensive, yet still offer extra stitching for durability and are elastic and soft. Rubber soles provide a non-slip grip with pivot points on the soles for ease during spinning techniques.
Whether your child needs protection temporarily after a foot injury or shoes for training outdoors, this pair will fit the bill!
9. DAYISS Taekwondo Shoes Lace Up
- Best for: adjustable fit
- Key Features: lightweight, good fit, good grip, pivot points, ventilation holes, short laces
- Color: White with black stripes
- Material: PU material with a nonslip rubber sole
As we have seen, most Taekwondo shoes do not feature laces. They are soft and elastic enough to snugly fit the feet but feature a slip-on design.
This pair is also soft and elastic for comfort, but there are also short laces that can be loosened or tightened for a perfect fit. This can be helpful if you have particularly narrow feet so you can avoid slipping around inside your shoes.
These shoes feature a leather upper with a non-slip rubber sole. They come in white with squiggly black stripes and an Asian character featured on the tongue. They also come in a wide range of sizes ranging from small children to adult men.
10. HHEALTH Taekwondo Shoes
- Best for: support
- Key Features: lightweight, good fit, good grip, pivot points, ventilation holes, short laces
- Color: White with black stripes
- Material: PU material with a nonslip high-density rubber sole
If your main reason for wearing Taekwondo shoes is support, this option from HHEALTH is a great choice. The wrap-around design and top-wrapped rubber outsole provide more support and help prevent the ankle from rolling.
Like other Taekwondo shoes, these are made with a PU upper and the shoes are soft and flexible. However, the unique design offers better support.
Plus, the shoes feature side laces that make them more adjustable. Loosen the laces to slide your feet into the shoes and then tighten them down for a perfect, non-slip fit during training.
Furthermore, if you have wide feet finding Taekwondo shoes that fit well can be a challenge. This pair has a wide toe box (in comparison to many styles) and the side tie allows you to loosen the shoes for extra room if needed.
FAQs About Taekwondo Shoes
The right Taekwondo shoes are important for several reasons. First, they need to be lightweight and comfortable. Taekwondo shoes are supposed to enhance your training, not slow you down.
They also need to be durable. They’re going to take a beating during training and you need shoes that are up for the challenge.
Thus, you probably have questions as you search for the perfect pair of shoes. Let’s look at a few answers.
Which brand of shoes holds up to martial arts best?
Adidas Taekwondo shoes. Of course, there are several great brands of Taekwondo shoes and Mooto shoes are hot on Adidas’ heels, if you’ll pardon the pun.
But if we had to pick a favorite, we’d go with the tried and true brand Adidas. You’ll pay a little more for these shoes, but you’ll also know that you’re getting great shoes that will last a long time.
Do I need to wear shoes for daily Taekwondo training?
No. In fact, most practitioners train without shoes, particularly if they are training in a Dojang with soft mats on the floor. However, if you regularly train outdoors or train at a Dojang with hard floors, it is a good idea to wear shoes for training.
Can I wear Taekwondo shoes to practice other martial arts?
Absolutely! This style of shoes is perfect for training Karate, Taekwondo, Kung Fu, even MMA! Of course, you should always check your school’s specific rules. Some schools will not allow students to wear shoes during training or only under special circumstances.
Should I wear socks with Taekwondo shoes?
Yes and no. This one is a matter of personal preference. Some people prefer to wear socks to keep their feet dry during training or avoid blisters. Socks are also helpful for keeping your feet warm if that is your reason for wearing shoes.
However, others don’t like having one more layer between their feet and the floor. They prefer not to wear socks so they can better feel both their shoes and the floor.
Curious to learn more about Taekwondo shoes? Check out this video for more information about why to wear them and which type of shoe will work for your needs.
Take Your Taekwondo Training to the Next Level
Will you choose to wear Taekwondo shoes or stick with the more traditional style of training barefoot? It’s up to you and greatly depends on your training environment.
But whether you need to wear shoes for warmth, support, or protection, it’s nice to know there are some great options out there.
Curious about other Taekwondo equipment? Be sure to check out our review of the best free-standing punching bags!