From Ollies to Heelflips: How to Choose the Right Skate Footwear
From cruising down streets to executing gravity-defying tricks, skaters are constantly pushing the boundaries of what’s possible on four wheels. They also know that behind every impressive trick lies a crucial component: the right footwear. Skate shoes aren’t just any old pair of sneakers, they are specifically designed to withstand the rigours of skateboarding while providing the necessary support for optimal performance.
What Are Skate Shoes Made of?
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Skate shoes are made with durability and performance in mind and they are designed to provide good grip and support when skateboarding, therefore they are different from regular shoes. While regular sneakers may prioritise style over comfort, high-quality skate footwear is constructed by using tough materials. The soles of the shoes are made of rubber, with a textured surface to provide good traction. The upper part of the shoes are often made from leather or suede, for both durability and style. Additionally, some skate shoes often reinforce the toe areas, to withstand the wear and tear of skateboarding and for additional comfort and support some shoes feature padded collars and tongues.
Benefits of Skate Shoes
Skate footwear has come a long way since its humble beginnings and today skaters can choose from a variety of choices that offer benefits that can help them improve their skating performance and style. Let’s look at some of these benefits.
Grip
Skateboarding requires precise footwork placement and control, thus making grip a critical factor in skate shoes. Skate shoes are designed with a specific type of sole that provides the right amount of grip and traction for your feet to stick to the board, while regular shoes are not made for this purpose and can cause your feet to slip off the board.
Durability
Constant contact with grip tape, concrete and other types of surfaces can quickly wear down shoes. But, those that are specifically designed with durability and roughness in mind, can withstand the wear and tear. Skate shoes are made of reinforced materials and construction techniques that allow them to come in contact with these surfaces without being damaged while doing so, ensuring that they last longer than traditional sneakers.
Additional Features
Aside from grip and durability, which are incredible benefits, these shoes come with a lot of other additional features. For example, some of them may include cushioned insoles for impact absorption, which protects the feet from hard landings as well as prevents injuries and reduces foot fatigue. Some have padded tongues for added support and protection for skates. Last but not least, these shoes come in a wide range of styles so you can choose a pair that expresses your personality all while suiting your skating needs.
Consider Your Skating Style
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When you’re shopping for skate footwear, you need to consider your skating style. No two skaters are alike, nor are their skating styles, so you need to remember while recommendations are great, something that suits your friend might not suit you. So, think whether you’re a street skater who likes to grind rails or a transition skater who shreds ramos and bowls, your footwear might vary. For street skaters durability might be more important since you’ll be in contact with different surfaces that might damage your shoe, while transition skaters might value ankle support that will protect their ankles from injuries while doing intricate tricks.
Fit and Comfort
When choosing skate shoes, good performance is the goal. And to be able to perform well, two things matter the most: fit and comfort. Your skate shoes should fit snugly and securely, but you still need to leave a little space and your toe shouldn’t be touching the end of your shoe. When you do tricks and you don’t land on the board, your foot will slide forward, hiring your toes, so make sure that there’s space for your toes to wiggle and flex.
They should also be comfortable. If your shoes aren’t comfortable it can lead to discomfort, blisters and even injuries, so pay attention to cushioning, arch support and ankle stability to maximise comfort and prevent your feet from hurting during extended skate sessions.
Do You Need Skate Shoes?
Skate footwear offers numerous benefits for skateboarders and many skaters opt for them rather than regular sneakers. But while they are great, they aren’t necessarily crucial for everyone. Can you skate with normal shoes? It’s perfectly fine to skate without skate shoes because regular ones might give you a better grip on your board and you can feel the ground better and they can sometimes be even cheaper. Even though they aren’t required skate shoes can certainly help you improve your skating experience and they can greatly affect your performance, comfort and overall mood when skating. So, if you’re serious about skateboarding and you want to fully experience it, investing in a pair of skates is highly recommendable.
In the world of skateboarding, every detail matters and footwear isn’t the exception. Skate shoes are built specifically to meet the unique demands of skateboarding offering you a myriad of benefits such as grip, durability and comfort to help you push your limits and become a better skater.
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