Wrestling Shoes

Wrestling shoes are made for the mat, with flexible soles for grip and footwork. They are for training and competition, though UK clubs vary and some teach without them, so ask your club before you buy.

When choosing, look at how the sole is built, how the laces are kept covered and what the upper is made of. The sole is either split (made in separate heel and forefoot pieces) or full-length. The upper is mesh, synthetic leather or a mix of the two. Some shoes have a built-in strap or lace garage (a place to tuck the tied laces away). Not every maker states the sole construction or the cut height, and where one doesn't, it shows as Not confirmed.

For competition, United World Wrestling (UWW) sets rules on shoe construction in its Uniform Regulations (January 2026 version). A built-in lace cover alone doesn't show that a shoe meets them, so check your event's rules.

The rules allow no rough seams or hard eyelets. Laces must be covered by adhesive tape and/or elastic fabric so they cannot come undone. Soles must be flexible, with no roughness and an absence of metal. Each assessment gives the maker's construction details beside these rules, never a verdict on whether a shoe complies.

If you are coming from boxing, don't swap in boxing boots. Some boxing boots have metal in the midsole, and UWW requires wrestling shoe soles without metal.