Well that is the golden question. Technically, no, you don’t need skate shoes. You could wear any shoes. But the point is, skate shoes are made to help you skate better. And it’s true – they do help. Skate shoes have flat, grippy, and usually extra wide soles to help you hold onto your board better. Some skate shoes have extra padding on the sides and the tongue to help protect your foot when doing technical tricks. On the other hand, more of the old school skaters prefer the thin classic style skateboarding shoes which allow you to feel the board while doing tricks. A lot of skate shoes now have reinforced side panels to help protec your shoes while doing ollies, or have extra padding around the heel collar to help hold onto your foot. There is a lot of research going into the skate shoe of today since they are rather expensive and the companies want to build them to last longer.
Etnies has been making skateboard shoes for a long time and they are one of the most popular brands out their on the market today.
Is it really that complicated? Well yes it is. STI has done extensive research into what it takes to make a skateboarding shoe last. Introduced just a few years ago, System G2™ was the first technology ever developed by STI. Today, it is recognized as simply being the best shock-absorbing device for action sports shoes and snowboard boots. Inserted into the heel and combined with EVA or PU, System G2™ provides dual-cushioning comfort and protection that helps absorb a wide range of impacts–from the very soft to the most extreme–that riders put on their feet, to help reduce injuries and prevent heel bruises. The result is the ultimate skateboarding cushioning technology that absorbs up to 75% more force than conventional skate shoes and snowboard boots. It’s no wonder then that System G2™ is found in almost every pro model endorsed shoe Sole Technology manufactures.
STI is constantly doing research on skateboarding shoes and they have a development team working on just that, making a better skate shoe for you.
Here is a list of some of the new features that have been designed to help you shoes last longer and for your feet to last longer as well:-)
Vulcanized rubber soles
Air pockets in the heels
Shoelace protectors
DGT (DC Shoes)
Super Suede (DC Shoes)
System G2 Cushioning (etnies, Emerica, Es Footwear)
STI foam (etnies, Emerica, Es Footwear)
Lace Loops that “hide” shoelaces
Action Leather
Thermoplastic Toe Box Reinforcement(Vox)
EVA Mid Sole
Fusion Grip Rubber Outsole
Asymmetric stabilizer
Silicon Rubber makes shoes last longer(SiRC)
Wow STI really does a lot of research thats nice to see.
That is a cool picture of the Etnies Shoes
Skateboarding Rocks! Thanks for putting out some good information out there regarding skateboarding shoes, its about time!
nice article!
When I was a kid, skate shoes had an “ollie patch” on the outside edge of your foot (where your little toe is) so they didn’t get completely destroyed from your skateboard rubbing against that area thousands of times from thousands of (failed) ollies.
You spelled there wrong and it is wright in a heading too.
Great information on skateboard shoes. It was helpful to see the technology that goes into making a good skateboard shoe.
all that technical stuff is a bunch of blah-d-dah. i used to skate in Clarks and a pair would last me a year! and that was skating everyday, doing ollies, hiking, and braking with the sole. granted, feel for the board was a little wonky, but if you’re skating something wide, it really don’t matter.
Nice information for me. Thanks.
It’s important information for someone who want use skate shoes.
Skate shoes are very much liked by the teenagers
i see a lot of them wearign those
so they must read your blog
to know something informative
i bought these damn emerica shoes and i have an 7,75 width board …. doesnt work at all, 70 bucks down the toilet
Real good article. One thing for sure is skate shoes cost a lot of money. If you live close to a Marshels, they sometimes have killer deals on good skate shoe companies. I can’t stand buying a pair that does skate good, then you have to use them anyway becuase they cost so much. If i’m going to lay down money on skate shoes i make sure they are circa. For some reason i have never had a bad expeirence with them. There is some good info on Circa shoes here