It has been reported that the trend started in the basketball and football A-leagues, but the trend is now starting to grow to commercial gyms across the country.
However, some internet users are concerned about the safety of wearing open-toed shoes to the gym, while others think it is just a daggy look.
One Reddit user said: "Being straight up, I don't care what you wear to a gym but I have seen so many guys in my gym wearing socks and sandals, even doing leg exercises, shouldn't this f**k up your grip on your feet and you'll slide around."
"I have seen so many people have accidents in their sandals then turn up in proper footwear a week later. It is dangerous," another wrote.
"A lot of young people are wearing slides exclusively with socks. I've told some students at my work how that was seen as really unfashionable when I was a kid and seen as an 'old man' thing. They told me that wearing slides without socks is 'gross'," one teacher wrote.
However, some were supportive of this new trend, saying that it might make people feel more comfortable going to the gym without feeling the need to invest in a slew of workout gear that can cost hundreds of dollars.
"How much benefit would the average free weight user at the gym receive by wearing dedicated weight lifting shoes? Normally people love buying unnecessary gear, so maybe this is a good thing that they aren't for a change," one man wrote.
"Imagine the airflow. They are just using their everyday shoes, they wouldn't slip in them with socks on. It sounds like a great idea," another said.
One gym employee explained that they had to enforce a rule that would mean gym patrons would have to wear closed-in footwear when in the free weight section. And to be fair, dropping a 20kg plate on essentially barefoot does not sound like it would be a fun time.
"I work in a gym and this drives me insane! I'm having to have conversations with fully formed adults on why they need to wear closed-toe shoes in the free weights area. Rocks for brains and a massive sense of entitlement aren't a great combo," he wrote.
"I wish I could go in my slides and socks, so comfy, I hate enclosed shoes, but my gym's banned them," another wrote.
