Selecting the best wrestling shoes can be a daunting task. We have done the research to help make buying wrestling shoes easy.

We do our best to update this post on a regular basis, and this page has turned into a 4,000+ word monster post about choosing the best wrestling shoes.

Research on the best wrestling shoes as well as advice on how to choose the best shoe for each wrestler

Our mission is to research the top wrestling shoes on the market and provide valuable information to the wrestling community. We will look at all of the available shoes on the market and give you the pros and cons of each shoe.

Below are the top 12 best selling shoes.

We are also adding full product reviews for each shoe. This an ongoing process, because actual wrestlers review all of our shoes.

We realize that every person is different. In addition to listing the best wrestling shoes on the market, we have also listed some advice that will help you factor in various criteria to purchase the top wrestling shoe that will benefit a particular athlete.

Our Top Picks

Rating

Brand

Our Pick

 Freek

$78

See it on EastBay

Rating: 4.71

Nike

Read Review

Top Pick

Matflex 5

$78

See it on Amazon

4.00

ASICS

Read Review

Popular

Combat Speed

$78

See it on Amazon

4.62

Adidas



Best Buy

How We Choose the Best Wrestling Shoes

After doing our research, we spoke to wrestlers to get their honest opinion about each shoe. We used our rankings and the advice of the wrestling community to choose the best wrestling shoes.

We review all of the top stores that sell wrestling shoes to save you time. The sites we look at are Amazon, Eastbay, WrestlingMart, Dicks Sporting Goods, Blue Chip, and WrestlingGear. We read all of their reviews and give you a summary of our research. We have included links at the end of the article to stores we recommend.

We have evaluated the best wrestling shoes on the on the following criteria:

• Does the shoe Fit as expected
• How durable are the shoes
• How well does the shoe grip the mat
• How flexible is the shoe
• Does the shoe provide air flow
• Does the shoe look good
• The opinions of real wrestlers

Our List of Best Wrestling Shoes on the Market

We have put in a lot of hours to come up with this list of wrestling shoes. We updated this post in September 2018. Our goal is to give you as much information as possible to choose the best wrestling shoes for an athlete.

If you would like to see more details about the shoes or have a question, please feel free to contact us. We will do our best to answer any questions as quick as possible.

Here is our list of wrestling shoes we would recommend:

Runner Up #2

3. Adidas Combat Speed

black and yellow adidas combat speed top rated wrestling shoes

 

The combat speed 5 is our runner-up for the best wrestling shoes. Adidas created this shoe in 1970’s and brought it back a few years ago. The shoe is lightweight with excellent ankle support.

The shoe is made of leather with a single sole. After reading all of the reviews, some wrestlers complained about the grip but loved the appearance and the flexibility of the wrestling shoe.

I contacted Adidas, and they told me they improved version 5 for better grip, enhanced durability, and a modern appearance. The only real negative I see from version 5 is they went from 27 color combinations down to 3. Other than that, it is still a great shoe.

The lowest prices we found was $54 on Wrestling Mart and Eastbay. The prices vary by model and range from $54 to $80.

Specifications

• Comes in 3 different color combinations
• Weighs 7.2 ounces
• Made of leather
• Velcro ankle strap closure to secure laces
• Upper mesh for breathability
• Rubber sole and Split-suede outsole
• Sock-like fit

 

Customer Reviews and Scores

As of September, these shoes have 55 reviews and with a positive rating of 98%. These shoes have maintained their positive rating for over two years.

We looked at Amazon, Eastbay, Wrestling Mart, and Dicks Sporting Goods, and Blue Chip to get an accurate rating.

The reviews of these wrestling shoes are positive overall, stating things like “good style and comfort”, “My son Loves these wrestling shoes”, “Nice right now, can’t vouch for durability yet”, “Fantastic Purchase”.

Do you own these shoes? Submit a Product Review.

See It on Amazon

 

See It on Eastbay

5. ASICS JB Elite III

The JB Elite was made after Olympic champion Jordan Burroughs. The shoe has been recently updated to version 3.

After doing some research, most of the wrestlers liked this shoe. The appearance, grip, and flexibility are top notch. ASICS has revamped the shoe to include improved split sole traction and a breathable upper. The shoe is new, so we don’t have a lot of feedback yet. We did notice that version 3 weighs 7.5 ounces and version 2 weighs 6.8 ounces. The latest version of this shoe runs about 80 bucks.

The lowest prices we are seeing are about $63 on Amazon, $63 WrestlingMart, and $69 on WrestlingGear.com.

Specifications

• Comes in 5 different color combinations
• Weighs 7.5 ounces
• Improved rubber split sole for better traction
• Rear and forefoot wrestling-specific “serradial” traction pods
• Breathable single layer mesh body
• Integrated lace garage

Customer Reviews and Scores

As of the latest update, version 3.0 of the JB Elite has 120 reviews with a positive rating of 93%.

We have notice this shoe has increased in popularity as well as the positive rating. Because of this, we move the shoe up to number 5.

The positive ratings we read stated things like “Must buy shoe!”, “Works great for deadlifts and squats”, “Granddaughter says they are super comfortable”, “Good pivot points on the mat”, “Great engineering and homework”, “Shoe runs small, buy a bigger size”

Do you own these shoes? Submit a Product Review.

6. ASICS Cael

The Cael is a reliable shoe, The ASICS Cael was made to the specifications of Olympic gold medalist, Cael Sanderson. The shoe has gone through numerous revisions.

The latest update is V8. This shoe looks fantastic and performs well on the mat. The main complaints in the past have been about the durability of the shoe and that it runs small. Version 8 is so new that asics hasn’t even put it on their website yet. Hopefully we have more information in October.

I bought V6 a couple of years ago for my son. He wore them to Fargo nationals, and they did very well. He told me the shoe had exceptional grip and was very flexible.

As of the latest update, the lowest prices we see are $85 on Amazon and Blue Chip.

Specifications

• Five different color combinations
• Split sole design
• Ecsaine & open mesh upper
• Improved performance and breathability
• Weighs 8 ounces

Customer Reviews and Scores

Since version 8 is new, we are basing our ratings from version 7.

As of September, these shoes have 201 reviews with an 81% positive rating. Version 7 ratings have come down to 82% since the last update.

The positive ratings we read stated things like “Best shoes I’ve owned”, “Quality is Great”, “Shoes fit really well”, “Love the color and fit”, “Perfect!!”

We are working on a review for V8. Check out our unbiased review of the Asics Cael V6

7. Adidas Pretereo III

The Pretereo III is a new addition to our best wrestling shoes and is a redesign of version 2. The shoe has a redesigned outsole and a high ankle single layer mesh for maximum breathability. This looks like a great shoe, and we have seen more and more wrestlers wearing these shoes

The lowest prices we see as of this update is about $64 on WrestlingMart and $69 on Eastbay.

Specifications

• Proven London Olympics outsole relaunched with a unique fresh upper
• Weighs 9.8 ounces
• Comes in 3 color combinations
• Sticky rubber outsole gives you universal grip
• Reinforced ankle zone and Supportive heel structure
• Anti-slip lining and suede mid-sole edge for consistent contact 2 Drive Zones

Customer Reviews and Scores

Version 3 of this shoe has 80 reviews with a positive rating of 93%. We noticed quite a few wrestlers at high school tournaments that are wearing this shoe. As of the latest update this shoes looks like it is on closeout. We will continue to monitor this shoe next month to decide where to move it.

The ratings we read stated things like “they have been great”, “Shoe fit great”, “Nice, but slippery”

Do you own these shoes? Submit a Product Review

8. Adidas HVC

The HVC wrestling shoe is an entry-level wrestling shoe. The shoe has recently been updated to V2 to use better materials and improve the durability. The shoe has a great grip and breathes well.

If you are looking for an affordable shoe, these are an excellent choice for around 60 bucks.

Specifications

• Single sole design
• Mesh material allows your feet to breathe
• Elasticized lace straps

Customer Reviews and Scores

As of September, the HVC 2 has 131 reviews and has a positive rating of 80%. The shoe has dropped in ratings. We checked version 1 of this shoe and found 129 reviews with an 85% approval rating.

We have notice some retailers are marking these as closeout. We will continue to monitor this shoe and move it off the list if it drops below 80%

The positive ratings we read stated things like “Great for heavy squats and deadlifts”, “Well made, but runs narrow”, “Perfect for kickboxing”, “Lightweight, feels and fits like socks”, “Awesome light MMA kickboxing shoe”, “Great grip on the mat… super comfortable”.

Do you own these shoes? Submit a Product Review

9. Adidas Adizero

These shoes are the signature wrestling shoe by Jake Varner. The latest update is version 2. The shoes are for the serious wrestler. Several wrestlers have said this shoe fits like a sock. The shoe has been engineered for excellence and has a broken-in feel right out of the box.

The shoes run about $100, but it’s money well spent on a great shoe that will last. Our latest feedback has told us that this is a favorite shoe with the MMA and boxing crowd. The color combinations have been reduced to 11.

The lowest price we see is $99 at Eastbay

Specifications

• Comes in 11 different color combinations
• New adizero outsole for excellent grip and speed
• Designed and tested by the world’s best wrestlers
• lightweight upper
• Weighs 8.3 ounces
• Internal, die-cut EVA midsole

Customer Reviews and Scores

We checked out all of the reviews for the Adizero. The Adizero has 237 customer reviews with an 88% positive rating. While we think the Adizero is a great shoe, it’s popularity has been steadily declining. A few vendors have started marking some color variations as closeout.

The positive ratings we read stated things like “Ultimate wrestling shoes”, “Durable”, “Fits like a glove”, “6th Year Wrestler Loves them”, “Awesome shoes for weight lifting”

Do you own these shoes? Submit a Product Review

10. Adidas Mat Wizard

The Adidas Mat Wizard is the perfect shoe to give you an edge on the mat. The latest release is version 4. The one-piece outsole is designed for superior grip. The mat wizards are light and well ventilated. They look like an advanced version of the combat speed. While these shoes continue to sell well, this shoe has had durability issues. Hopefully this if fixed in version 4.

Specifications

• Comes in 11 different color combinations
• Synthetic 3-Stripes for lightweight support
• Internal, die-cut EVA midsole
• Single sole design
• Extremely breathable mesh body
• Rubber outsole

Customer Reviews and Scores

We don’t see any vendors that are still selling version 3 of the mat wizard. We could only find one review for version 4 so, we don’t have a rating yet for this shoe. We have decided to leave this shoe at number 10 until the October 2018 update. If the shoe continues to have durability issues, we will most likely move this shoe down in the ratings.

In version 3, The positive ratings we read stated things like “Solid bottom for weight training and powerlifting”, “Best shoes I’ve owned”, “Definitely recommend for wide feet”, “Works great for my boxing class!”, “Super lightweight”.

Do you own these shoes? Submit a Product Review

11. ASICS Split Second

The Split Second is a superior wrestling shoe for about $40. These shoes have excellent traction and are very comfortable. The split second has been updated to provide improved comfort and fit. It appears the color combinations have been reduced to 4. This shoe is great for weight lifting and beginning wrestlers of all ages. Several people also indicated these shoes are great for boxing.

An interesting note. We did not find this shoe for sale anywhere else besides Amazon. It looks like the major retail stores have stopped selling this shoe. We may move this shoe off the best wrestling shoe list on the next update.

Specifications

• Comes in 4 different color combinations
• Weighs 8.3 ounces
• Split sole design
• Breathable mesh upper
• Asymmetrical Lacing Design
• Integrated lace garage
• Improved comfort and fit

Customer Reviews and Scores

As of the latest update, the split second 9 has 505 reviews with an overall positive rating. 82% of buyers who bought this shoe had positive things to say.

The positive ratings we read stated things like “Awesome for combat sports”, “Perfect for strength training”, “Bought them for wrestling practice… Wow!”, “Great for a first-year wrestler”, “Tends to run small, buy a size bigger”, “Worth the money”, “Exactly what I wanted for the price”.

Do you own these shoes? Submit a Product Review

12. ASICS Matflex 5

For the price, you get a great wrestling shoe. These shoes run about 40 bucks and continues to be one of the most popular shoes on the market.

We looked at reviews from five different stores and found 791 reviews with a 74% positive rating. The low rating would normally not make the list, but this shoe continues to be hugely popular. People still buy it because of the price.

The shoe has an excellent grip and flexibility. The most significant complaint was that the shoe runs small, so you should buy a size up or try a pair on at a local store.

This shoe is for the beginning wrestler or a wrestler that will just wear them to practice. A lot of people love to wear these shoes for weightlifting. If you’re concerned with price, you should consider this shoe.

We reviewed these shoes last year. Check it out to get a detailed and honest opinion about these shoes.

The lowest price we found was $38 on Eastbay.

Other Popular Wrestling Shoes

Since this post of best wrestling shoes is continually updated, we created a section for our visitors to look at shoes that move off our best wrestling shoe list. These shoes are shoes that were popular and performed well at one point but are no longer popular with wrestlers. This is done to keep the list as concise as possible and allow this page to load as quick as possible.

We contemplated just deleting the shoes, but that wouldn’t give you a good picture of all of the shoes that we looked at. To provide you with the best information possible, we decided to move these shoes here if you would like to review them. We have removed the images but kept the content.

We do not actively update this section unless we see a lot of activity on a pair of shoes If you have any questions, feel free to post a comment.

Advice on Choosing Wrestling Shoes

Need information on buying the best wrestling shoes? There are a few factors that you will need to consider when purchasing a pair of wrestling shoes. Those are different for every athlete. Here are some of the more common aspects to consider.

I hope the information below will give you the best information to purchase a pair of wrestling shoes that are best suited for a particular wrestler, MMA, weight lifting, etc…

– Level of the Wrestler

The money you’re willing to invest will be different for new wrestlers vs. a wrestler who is serious about the sport. If a wrestler is new to the sport, then you will most likely want to purchase a more affordable pair of wrestling shoes. We typically recommend one of the lower end wrestling shoes for beginning wrestlers. If your wrestler is serious about the sport, you need to consider a bigger spending budget for wrestling shoes.

Most kids who try wrestling will quit wrestling within two years. If a wrestler sticks with the sport past the two years, I will classify them as someone that is showing substantial interest in the sport.

How do you define a serious wrestler? In our opinion, a committed wrestler will be involved in summer wrestling as well as folkstyle. Here are some criteria to look at when to know if you have an athlete that is committed to the sport. Not all will apply, but here is a list to identify the serious wrestlers.

• Wrestles at least 40 folkstyle matches a year
• Attends national tournaments
• Has wrestled for at least three years
• Wrestles freestyle and Greco in the spring
• Attend summer wrestling camp
• Consistently places in competitions
• Complains his shoes make him look like a newbie

– Split vs. Single Sole

The choice between wrestling shoes with a split sole or single sole comes down to preference. When the split sole first came out in the 1980’s, the shoes were designed with a split sole to make the shoes lighter. New materials have now made all wrestling shoes light.

In talking to the wrestling community, most veteran wrestlers think the single sole has a better grip, and the split sole is more flexible and has better arch support. In the end, choosing the sole of the wrestling shoe comes down to preference.

– How Will Shoes be Used

Before you buy a pair of wrestling shoes, you need to determine how the shoes will be used. Wrestling shoes are now used for a variety of tasks. Some valid uses of wrestling shoes are wrestling, BJJ, MMA, deadlifts, squats, riding bikes, etc.… You need to buy shoes that will work well for what you intend to use them for. If you’re using a pair of shoes for weightlifting, then you might consider a more affordable pair of shoes.

If you are using your wrestling shoes for combat sports, then you might want to invest more money in a quality pair of shoes.

– Durability

Durability is an essential factor to consider when buying a new pair of wrestling shoes. The adage of you get what you pay for is so accurate in wrestling. If you’re going to spend 40 bucks on a pair of wrestling shoes, then don’t be surprised when those shoes only last 1 season.

A lot of people will try to buy a pair of wrestling shoes with the hope that those shoes will last at least a couple of years. If that’s you, then look for shoes with outstanding durability ratings and be prepared to spend a little more money.

– Cost

The cost of wrestling shoes is one of the most important factors to consider when making a purchase. We realize that a lot of people cannot justify spending 100+ bucks on a pair of wrestling shoes. If cost is one of your top criteria, then look for shoes that have a great value, performance, and durability. The split second wrestling shoe is one that is affordable but does well on the mat.

– Age of Athlete

In our opinion, the age of the wrestler is necessary to consider. We would not recommend spending a lot of money on a little league wrestler.

Most of the time, a younger wrestler will outgrow the shoes before you get good use out of them. We recommend a budget of about $30 for the little league wrestler. If a wrestler is in middle school or high school, then this is a right age to consider spending a bit more money on a better pair of wrestling shoes.

– Width of Feet

The width of athlete’s feet will be a deciding factor when buying a pair of wrestling shoes. If your wrestler has a wide foot, then you may have a difficult time finding a pair of shoes that fit well. You will need to look for wrestling shoes that come in wide widths or will fit well after the break-in period.

– Appearance

We listed appearance last because how the shoe looks don’t affect the performance. When choosing a shoe for appearance, find shoes in the color and style that you like. Looks can boost a wrestler’s confidence, so make sure that your athlete loves the appearance of the shoes.

– Additional Info

Where to Buy Wide Wrestling Shoes

I’ve had several people ask me about wide wrestling shoes. I did some research and found most shoe manufacturers don’t make a wide wrestling shoe. I did find that wrestlingmart.com sells a few shoes in the wide width. Here is a list of the shoes I found with a wide width:

• Nike Takedown 4
• Asics Snapdown
• Asics Split Second

What Stores Sell Wrestling Shoes

More stores are selling wrestling shoes. The wrestling footwear market is highly competitive. Over the last ten years, we have seen an increase in the number of online sites as well as the number of brick and mortar stores that sell wrestling shoes.

We want to provide you with as many alternatives as possible to get the best wrestling shoes at the lowest reasonable price.

Here is our list of the best stores to buy wrestling shoes from.

Amazon.com I am a huge fan of Amazon. I have been an active customer since 2005. While I don’t buy everything from Amazon, I do go to their site to check prices. Often they have the lowest price. Amazon has about 244 million active customers and sells practically anything you can think of. Over the last ten years, I have purchased half of my wrestling gear through Amazon. The only negative when it comes to wrestling shoes is that they don’t have a lot of merchants that sell Nike wrestling shoes.

Dicks Sporting Goods This retailer has made a significant push to open more stores. They have said they plan to open 150 more stores by 2018 and currently have 610 locations. I am fortunate to have three stores within 15 miles of my house. This brick and mortar store has become a favorite place for my sports purchases. They have come in handy when I need a pair of wrestling shoes in 1 day. My only negatives I’ve encountered is you need a receipt to get a refund, and they don’t carry wrestling shoes all year long. They only stock wrestling shoes from about October through January.

Academy Sports + Outdoors Academy is another store that I buy from on a regular basis. They have over 200 stores throughout Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee and Texas. When I buy sports gear, my two favorite stores are Academy and Dicks Sporting Goods. I like Academy because they have a large selection to choose from. A lot of times I can find something at Academy when Dicks sporting goods don’t carry it. I’ve only had to return a couple of items and never had any issues. My main complaint about Academy is similar to other brick and mortar stores. They just carry a good selection of wrestling shoes during the beginning of folkstyle wrestling season.

WrestlingMart.com I have never purchased from this store, but I have visited their website numerous times. Wrestling Mart is a brick and mortar store that is based out of Southern California. They also have a significant online presence. I like the way their website is designed, and they seem to be focused on helping the sport of wrestling. They offer a vast selection of wrestling shoes, gear, and apparel. I like the fact that they have a 365-day return policy on unused equipment.

Eastbay is another online retailer. Eastbay is a part of Foot Locker, Inc. and has an A+ rating with the BBB While I have never purchased anything from this company, they appear to have an excellent return policy. They claim to have a 100% fit policy and to exchange or refund any item that doesn’t fit. They have a massive selection of wrestling shoes.

WrestlingGear.com This company is a brick and mortar store based out of Elmhurst, IL, but they also sell wrestling gear online. They have a beautiful website and offer a wide selection of wrestling shoes. They have a page that is supposed to help with sizing. They an A+ rating with the BBB, but have a reasonably restrictive return policy. While I have never purchased from this company, I’m hesitant to recommend this company after reading that you cannot return shoes for a refund and all sales are final after 30 days.

Blue Chip Wrestling My only experience with Blue Chip Wrestling was when I purchased a pair of shoes from them. We had traveled to a wrestling tournament only to realize that we forgot my son’s wrestling shoes. Luckily we found them at the tournament. We ended up buying a singlet and a pair of wrestling shoes. The staff was friendly and knew what they were talking about. They are based out of Kansas City, Mo. They also have a good website with a large selection of wrestling shoes. I checked out their website, and they have a great return policy. Based on my experience, I would recommend this company for a pair of wrestling shoes.

How to Support Us

You can support our work by simply reading our articles and using our affiliate links to buy products. If you buy something from a link we have on our site, we make a small commission at no extra cost to you. We use affiliate links to keep the site free and help pay the bills.

We are not a typical review site that creates websites solely to sell products. We have been involved with wrestling for the last decade. We are committed to providing value to the wrestling community.

If you purchase a pair of wrestling shoes through one of our links, we would like to say Thank You for your support.

Here is an explanation of what we do and how to support our continued work.