Updated August 21, 2015.

If you've paged through a copy of Yoga Journal lately, chances are you've noticed the ads. Photographed in soft black and white, a beautiful yogini (Kathryn Budig, who is featured in Yoga Journal's DVDs and podcasts) gracefully practices advanced arm balances, headstands, handstands and backbends, naked except for a pair of toe socks. Working on me month after month, the ads finally achieved their intended purpose: I needed to know more about those socks.

What Are ToeSox?

ToeSox (not to be confused with the popular Yogitoes mat towel) are the brain child of company president Joe Patterson. If a standard issue sock is a mitten, these socks are like gloves, with each toe defined. Made of organic cotton with just a bit of spandex, the sole of each sock is covered with little grippy bumps designed to create traction. The socks, which are available in both full- and half-toe styles, are intended to remedy any number of situations in which you might want to cover your feet during yoga, including cold feet, slippery feet, ugly feet, protection from dirty mats and possibly to replace the mat altogether. Over time, Patterson also found that wearing the socks actually increased toe strength by encouraging the toes to spread.

So, How'd Those ToeSox Work Out?

I always have cold feet, so I came to the socks mostly from the warmth angle. They did help me get onto my mat for home practice sessions in my chilly room, though I found that after a few minutes, I was warm enough to take them off.

I preferred the half-toe style, since they felt less constricting and were, to my mind, slightly more stylish (Flashdance, which one can now rock ironically). They are definitely more grippy than bare feet on both wood and carpeted floor so would be a good choice for traveling yogis who like to pack light. If you need to cover your feet during yoga for reasons of hygiene or injury, ToeSox would work well for you.

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Disclosure: Review samples were provided by the manufacturer. For more information, please see our Ethics Policy.