9+ Best Skate Shoes For Skateboarding & Walking | Unrivaled Guide 2022

Wearing skateboard shoes correctly makes all the difference. Wearing skateboard shoes is important. This is because good skateboard shoes increase grip, improve the feel of the board, absorb shock, and prevent injury. Not all feet are the same and there are many factors to consider when choosing the right skateboard boots.
The best skateboarding shoes should be comfortable, fit your skateboarding style, and provide support without sacrificing board feel. Suede shoes are recommended, but the type of shoe is your choice.
Since I haven’t given much consideration to skate shoes, I decided to dive in and made a long post, Let’s dive into what to look for when buying the best skate shoes.

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Best Skate Shoes For Skateboarding & Walking

Best Skate Shoes For Skateboarding & Walking | Comparison Table 2022

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Best Skate Shoes For Skateboarding & Walking | Reviews 2022

How To Choose The Best Skate Shoes For Skateboarding & Walking | Unrivaled Guide 2022

Vulcanized Or Hollow Soles

The first thing to consider is whether you want to wear vulcanized or cup soles. The difference between cup soles and vulcanized soles is the durability and feel of the board. In fact, cup soles are sturdier and more comfortable than vulcanized soles.
Vulcanized soles offer better support and heel protection. The downside is that cup soles feel less good on the board (although this is debatable). So which one should you choose? There is no better choice than which one suits you best. It is a matter of personal preference.

Vulcanized Soles

Vulcanized shoes have adhesive tape around the shoe body. Vulcanized shoes are made up of two parts around the perimeter of the shoe, which often begin to fall off after heavy use. Vulcanized shoes are slightly lighter, slightly thinner, and have a better feel on the board.
Vulcanized skate shoes are ideal for skaters who prefer a board feel. The thinner sole and flexibility make them suitable for skaters who prefer technical tricks. That said, technical tricks are not possible with cup soles. They can often be distinguished by a thin band of burn on the edges. The best way to tell is to look them up on the Internet or fold them when you visit your local skate store.
They are a little cheaper on average but have the disadvantage of wearing out faster than cup soles. They are best for pool skating or mini-ramping, where you don’t jump stairs very often.
They are also great for aggressive skaters, but they do take away from the feel of the deck. I’m totally fine with it, but I’m not a street skater anymore.
– Improves the texture of the board
– Easy to install
– Insoles make a difference
– Slight weight savings
– Often inexpensive

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Cupsole

The cupsole was invented for skateboarding because skaters suffered from bruised heels. The sole consists of several layers: a solid layer, several cushion layers, and a scattered rubber layer.
The cupsole uses a cushioning material made of EVA or TPR foam inside a rubber “cup”. Because the cupsole is slightly larger, there is more space between it and the board, which reduces the board feel. If you need a shoe that will last a while, you may consider purchasing a cup-soled shoe.
– Provides more support
– Protects
– Increased durability
– Provides less feel on the board
– Generally more expensive

High-Top, Mid-Top, Low-Top

What is the difference? Ankle protection and freedom of movement. If you have a lot of ankles (hitting the board on your ankle), you need these shoes. More padding and better protection. There are low-top, mid-top, and high-top.

Low-tops are more comfortable and easier to wear, while high-tops offer more protection and some ankle support. You can’t stop your ankles from wrapping around, but wearing a low top won’t prevent razor tails.
The downside is that the lack of cushioning exposes the ankle and makes it more vulnerable to damage. Sometimes the board hits my ankle and I always curse myself for not skating in high-tops. Maybe I’ll try them next time.

Mid-tops provide light protection for ankles and movement. The mid-top is, you guessed it, in the middle. It provides a little more ankle support and stability than the low-top, but with less freedom.
It doesn’t expose your ankle like a low top, nor is it as tight as a high top (take your pick). The impact protection between the shoe and the ankle is still there.
High tops protect the ankle

High-tops are less flexible but offer some ankle protection. They do not prevent ankle sprains, but they do absorb some of the impacts when the board aims at the ankle.  You can buy running socks to counteract this, but in my experience, skate shoes will always make your feet sweat. Maybe it’s just me, but my wife won’t allow me to keep them at home because of the “gross” smell.

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Sole Of A Skate Shoe

The sole is composed of various parts, which vary depending on the type of shoe. Some have heel support, special insoles, herringbone or waffle patterns, or other devices that improve grip.

Thinner soles give the impression of being lower to the ground, which improves the feel of the skateboard. Improves control of the board. Great for technical tricks. But you need something that can absorb shock and not hurt your feet. So you should choose an intermediate boot that allows you to feel the board and absorb the shock. If you choose a thinner sole, make sure it has some padding!

Padding

In addition to preventing blisters, the most important feature of cushioning is to prevent foot injuries such as bruised heels. Shoes with little or no cushioning should be avoided. Make sure to buy shoes that allow you to remove the insoles, you may need to replace them.

Outsole And Midsole

The soles of skate shoes consist of an outsole and insole, which are compressed and glued together for maximum support. Most skate soles are made of lightweight, flexible foam. The midsole is often made of more durable foam or polyurethane.

Insoles

Look for shoes with removable, supportive insoles. Inexpensive insoles use thin foam, while high-quality insoles have gel, air pockets, foam, or a combination of both for greater comfort. Thick soles sacrifice some of the board feels, but this depends entirely on the design of the boot. If additional support is needed, a separate insole can be purchased.

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Heel Support

Some shoes provide heel support. They are designed to cushion the impact of impact and are often made of gel, rubber, or air pockets. These are recommended for heavier skaters or those who have had heel injuries in the past. The difference is obvious and provides additional comfort.

Sole Profile And Grip

Skate shoes feature a slightly flatter sole and profile than regular trainers. Most shoes have herringbone soles, waffle soles, or a little of both. These patterns provide the grip needed to stay on the board. If your feet slip on the board, you risk serious injury, and too much grip can be annoying.

Toe Caps

Toe caps are rubber-like materials that wrap around the nose to prevent holes. It is ideal for those who do a lot of kickflips. If you are a heel-flip skater, you don’t need to worry about it too much. Toe caps can make your shoes last longer because they are more resistant to grip friction. However, not everyone likes them because they slide differently than suede. If you tend to slip in a transition or slip on your knees or feet, you may want to consider toe pads.
Seams.

Single seams can be destroyed in a crash. Check for double or triple seams, especially in areas prone to wear. Around the nose and on the sides of kickflips and heelflips, it is best to have more seams. Consider applying shoe goo to areas prone to wear. Some shoes do not have seams on the outside.

Laces And Lace Guards

Laces are often the first break-in, and some skates address this problem by having long laces and reinforcing holes.
Laces suffer from friction, so think about where your shoelaces are and where your flips are torn. If you take it to a local skateboard store, hopefully, the staff can recommend the shoes you need.

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Foot Type And Skate Shoes

This is where personal preference comes into play and where you can decide what type of skate shoes are best for you.

• Wide Foot

Start with your foot shape. If you have wide feet, you obviously need wide shoes. If your shoes are too narrow, your feet will hurt.
Make sure you don’t feel the inside of the shoe pushing against your foot, it should be comfortable, the only way to see what fits is to try it on. Check out our article on skate shoes for wide feet and you will know of some shoes that may solve your problem.

• Narrow Feet

Wide-width shoes will be unstable and your feet will be all over the place. If you have trouble choosing shoes, consider getting insoles. Leave a little space in the front for the insoles to fit.

• Small Feet

Hey, small feet, yes that’s me, but I have wide feet too. The most important thing here is to follow the feel of the shoe. Yes, do not buy online!
Go to your local store and touch them. Don’t just walk around, jump, lean back and forth, hop, stop, and see how the shoes feel. No blog post can tell you which shoe is best for you. We are thinking low-top shoes, but any shoe will do.

• Large Feet

Generally speaking, large feet are relatively narrow, in which case you should choose narrower-width shoes. Unless you have extremely wide feet, you should have no problem finding appropriate shoes.

• Flat Feet

With flat feet, the feet tend to hang up near where the arch should be, and some people even complain of back pain. Try to find shoes with supportive insoles or shells.

FAQs

What are skateboard shoes?

Skateboard shoes are sports shoes designed specifically for skateboarding. They are primarily used for skateboarding, although you may find a suitable pair for walking or casual wear. Skateboard shoes have a specific grip along the sole as well as a thick outsole to keep your feet in the grip of your skateboard. They also have a unique style that tends to be imitated by less expensive brands, making them stand out as the real deal.

Are skateboard shoes suitable for walking?

Although they were not designed for this purpose, the characteristics of skateboard shoes make them actually suitable for walking shoes. That is if you are just walking around town.
Skateboard shoes maintain good traction and stance even on rough concrete. They often have a vulcanized rubber outsole, which basically means they stand up very well to contact with synthetic materials.
In short, if you are going for a walk in the great outdoors or on a dirt road, skate shoes will get dirty and not make much sense. I prefer a natural environment, such as on a grip strip or on concrete.

Do skateboarding shoes make a difference?

If you are really a skateboarder, yes, absolutely. Otherwise, they are just fashionable. The shoes allow you to put more weight on the board, which is absolutely huge. You will see the best professional skaters in the world fall apart because they doubted themselves for even half a second. Why did they doubt themselves? They must have felt their center of gravity tipping.
Imagine when they were grinding or when they jumped out of the halfpipe. It’s much scarier and you need all the help you can get. Vulcanized soles, arch support soles, toe caps, extra padding, and sometimes race protection are all good things, but they are all designed to help you maintain control and grip on the board. This is something you can’t get from a typical trainer.

How do I tie the shoelaces of my skateboard shoes?

There are several options for tying your shoelaces. The main purpose is to keep the shoelaces out of the way while skating, but also not to look like an idiot and shove them into the collar of the shoe. Not only do they look bad, they usually don’t hold up well.
It is best to stick to three different lacing methods: cross laces, zip laces, and straight laces. See our video on how to tie your shoes.

How long can skateboard shoes usually be used?

Well, that depends on you. There are some nice things about average lifespan and such, but it all depends on how you use them and how you use your shoes.
If you skate every day, the best skateboarding shoes are going to wear out quickly. Even if you get good contact with the grip strips on your board, imagine how worn out the rubber will be after hours of rubbing.
A good quality pair of skate shoes, the ones you use on your board about 10 hours a week, should be able to last for three to five years. To do this, you need to take care of them by washing and polishing them with water from time to time and making sure the insides are not invaded by bacterial growth. If you are a small eater, the trick is to use baking soda, but you don’t want to stop using it.

How can I make my skate shoes last longer?

One way to make your skate shoes last longer is to protect them properly. You should have a high-quality waterproof shoe spray to withstand the puddles and unexpected rain that you will experience from time to time before you go inside.
It is also a good idea to dry them outside instead of leaving them in the cubbyhole. Ventilation is still essential to prevent bacterial growth. One of the most common reasons to discard skate shoes is that bacteria have burned the insoles and penetrated the midsole. In addition to that, it is inevitable that the soles will wear out on tape and concrete, which is not something you want.

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Conclusion

The Best Skate Shoes For Skateboarding & Walking have enough grip to keep your feet cool and comfortable. Also, good skate shoes do not focus on arch support but try to provide adequate support.

The above article will definitely help you to choose the best product or to resolve all your problems. However, if you still have any issues then you can take help from our technicians and experts who will guide you thoroughly and will sort out all your problems.

Brian Garris

Hi, I am Brian, Lives in Mooresville, North Carolina, and Went to The University of Texas at Austin, I am a shoe lover & know the inside out of shoes. I am well aware of the qualities of top-quality boots. That’s what I’m sharing with the reader of About Shoes/boots/footwear. Read More Here