Technically, you only need a safe and solid pole to start pole dancing. As a bonus, you’ve got great music and you’ve nabbed a pair of beautiful stripper shoes for strutting your stuff.
Even if you don’t need anything else, investing in some common accessories can elevate your practice to the next level. After all, why struggle when you’ve got tools available to help?
Since starting my pole dancing journey in 2014, I’ve had the chance to try many different pole dancing tools, products, and accessories. Some have become staples in my pole bag. From the best pole dancing kneepads to the best pole dancing grip, here are my picks!
As a disclaimer, this post contains affiliate links, which means I might receive a small commission if you make a purchase through this page. I only recommend items that I use and love. I also recommend shopping small or direct whenever possible. If you’re looking for pole gear, pole wear, and other pole accessories, check out Pole Active.
Best Pole Dancing Grip Aid
Pole dancing safety comes in three – a safe pole, a spotter when necessary, and a solid grip.
Nothing’s worse than slipping while you pole. It’s not only annoying but also dangerous. If you lose your grip when you’re inverted, you can fall and hit your head or hurt yourself in other ways.
Everyone’s skin is different – you may struggle to grip the pole because your skin is either too sweaty or too dry. That’s why you’ll find some pole dancers who swear by one grip aid in the same class as those who prefer another. You even may need a different amount of grip depending on your environment, such as the air temperature and humidity where you pole.
Warming up (both your body and the pole) usually allows you to get a better grip on the pole. But if you need a little extra help, you can use pole grip aid for extra grip strength.
Chances are if you’ve been to a pole studio, you’ve seen your fellow students using grip aid. They may have even offered to share. If you find yourself at the studio and you forgot your grip aid, don’t worry – someone else has definitely got you covered.
By far the most popular brand of pole dancing grip aid is Dry Hands Grip Enhancing Lotion. It’s been on the market for years as an all-sport grip aid and it usually gets the job done. It comes out as a cloudy lotion and dries tacky on your skin. As a bonus, it’s also safe to use directly on the pole. One of my favorite things about dry hands is how easy and sanitary it is to share. You can drop lotion into someone else’s hands without them ever touching it.
I’ve used dry hands everywhere – my hands, my knee pits, my shins, my thighs. Wherever you need to grip the pole, Dry Hands usually helps. But sometimes it just doesn’t do the trick.
For whatever reason, you’ve got a need… a need for more grip. Maybe it’s the height of the summer and everything around you is melting. Or you live in a bog. I don’t know your life!
For a tackier pole grip I like iTac2 Pole Dance Grip, which also comes in extra strength. My skin tends to be dry and chapped. I live in a dry climate but there’s also a marine layer that makes some days more humid than others. In my experience, the iTac2 grip aid is exceptionally strong and great for when I need something a little stronger than Dry Hands.
Just be warned: with the iTac2 grip aid, you’ll definitely stick to the pole – for better or for worse. You may even have the opposite problem where you struggle to slide on the pole without sticking. Start small at first – a little bit goes a long way and once it’s on you, it’s hard to get off. Personally, I don’t love the tub format but it gets the job done.
Neither Dry Hands nor iTac2 stops your palms from sweating if that’s what you need. If you struggle with sweaty palms, you can try the Carpe Antiperspirant Hand Lotion.
If all else fails and you’re still struggling to stick to the pole, Mighty Grip makes tacky gloves, ankle protectors, and thigh bands that take sweat and skin out of the equation.
Best Pole Dancing Knee Pads
Kneepads can be tricky when it comes to pole dancing. You want something actually protective of your joints that also looks good. Bulky volleyball kneepads don’t always match the aesthetic.
The other thing you have to consider – cloth knee pads will make it hard to stick to the pole. The knee hook is one of the most commonly used moves in aerial pole dancing. You may have difficulty doing knee holds safely with cloth knee pads, which will slip on the pole. I use different knee pads for low flow versus aerial pole dancing sessions.
These Mighty Grip kneepads are one of my all-time favorite knee pads for pole dancing. I’ve gone through a few pairs over the years as I use them so much. They’ve got good padding and they solve the issue of sticking to the pole – the sides of the knee pads are tacky for grip. Mighty Grip also sells these knee pads in a light tan color.
I also love these low-profile Poledancerka knee pads, which come in multiple colors: white, light tan, dark tan, pink, black, and transparent mesh. The long and slender shape allows for padding and full knee coverage without looking bulky. The straps around the back are relatively low profile, allowing areas for your skin to grip the pole.
Like anything else, kneepads come in different fits and styles. You may try different sets of knee pads before finding ones that are your favorite. Some other options include:
- These Hueglo protective knee pads open at the straps so you don’t have to pull them up from your feet. You know my pain if you’ve ever laced up your Pleaser boots only to realize you have to take them off because you forgot to put on your knee pads first.
- If you’re looking for maximum padding, I love these Tachikara volleyball knee pads that come in black and white. Great for long floorwork sessions.
Best Pole Dancing Socks
I love dancing in long socks, with or without shoes. Thigh highs and legwarmers are sexy accessories you can use to make a statement or express your personality. They protect your skin and make it much easier to roll and slide and slink around on the floor.
From knit threads to stripes, sparkles, rhinestones, velvet, and fishnets, check out all of Pole Active’s socks selection, which changes every season. A pair of black thigh-high socks is a staple to have in your pole bag. I also love toe socks for better control and grip with my heel while sliding on the floor on my toes.
You can find similar socks, thigh highs, and legwarmers on Amazon. Some choices include:
- These cotton knit extra-long thigh-high socks are snug, stretchy, thick thigh-approved, and come in black, dark brown, and blue colors.
- This pack of four cotton thigh-high knit socks comes in a variety of beautiful colors like beige, gray, wine, cream, white, black, and brown.
- Another comfortable cotton over-the-knee pair of knit socks.
If you’re wearing long socks for pole dancing, I highly suggest you get natural, breathable fabrics if possible. Polyester gets real hot real fast when you’re working out.
Other Pole Dancing Accessories
Near last but not least, a good pole bag is crucial. You want something that can hold a change of clothes plus a pair of stripper heels, at least. (Those heels take up a lot of space!) In addition, you want something with smaller compartments for your other items. Basically, you want to be able to get settled and ready to pole easily, instead of digging through a pile of socks and legwarmers that all look the same trying to find your protein bar. Not that this has ever happened to me or anything.
Something like this Puma or Adidas duffel bag would do the trick for under $30.
In my pole bag, I keep a cute cosmetic bag (here are other options) for small items I like to have with me near the pole – my bottle of pole grip, a protein bar, a hair tie, my cell phone stand, etc.
Ever scrambled to balance your cell phone on your water bottle to record yourself in a pole class? A cell phone stand helps you consistently find the best angles to record your pole dancing. I personally love this simple MoKo stand and always keep it in my pole bag.
Want to protect your pole dancing shoes from scuffing while you practice? Try a shoe cover – some even come with a sticky side. Meanwhile, you can get ankle cuffs like Heel Huggers or extra Pleaser straps for extra stability while wearing your heels.
What other accessories do you keep in your pole bag? Which ones are your favorite? (These are my favorite protein bars by the way.) Have you discovered a new grip aid that works wonders? Leave a comment below and let me know.