Do you Need Skate Shoes to Skateboard?

You just bought your first skateboard and are ready to skate, but before starting, you wonder, can I skate with regular shoes? You should think again if you're considering using regular running or basketball shoes. You must buy proper skate shoes if you want the most out of your skateboard sessions.

The main reason you should get skate shoes is to get the most board feel. When you skate, the sole, insole, cushioning, and grippy soles all provide your board's maximum grip and handling.

If you plan to take a quick ride to the store, regular shoes will be sufficient; remember that you should avoid breaking with your shoe. Regular shoes tend to deteriorate faster.

The Difference Between Normal Shoes and Skate Shoes

The biggest difference in terms of skating ability is the soles. Most experienced skaters can skate with regular shoes without it being dangerous, but I think I can speak for them and say it's not optimal.

I have had some cruiser skate sessions with sneakers, and they all went well, but it is weird to skate with thick soles. I get less control over the board, and turning feels awkward; if you are new to skating, there's a good chance of falling and hurting yourself.

Since skateboard shoes are designed for skating, they are much more durable. In addition, the soles of the shoes often have a waffle pattern; the waffle pattern provides extra grip on the board and prevents sliding.

Skate shoes are created for skating, but unfortunately, they aren't made for walking; if you want to take a walk, it can become uncomfortable wearing skate shoes for a long period.

The soles on a skate shoe have a thinner sole than regular shoes; this provides a better board feel. High-quality skate shoes also have insole technology that can withstand a lot of impact. If you only have tried regular shoes, you will feel the difference immediately, and you probably won't return to your regular shoes.

Handling a board with thick soles is challenging. Only experienced skaters can handle a board with the cons of a regular shoe, but there is no reason not to use skate shoes unless you are planning to walk more than skate.

How it feels to skate with regular shoes

Sneakers

Skating with sneakers makes it harder to balance. The soles are uneven and soft; your shoes will deteriorate fast because of the softness. Just moving around on the board wears down your shoes, but if you brake with sneakers, you will notice damage immediately.

Since sneakers have uneven soles, turning becomes clumsy. Experienced skaters can manage using sneakers, but they would only choose if they don't have a choice.

The biggest downside with sneakers is that when you do tricks like ollie or kickflip, they will get a hole in them on the first or second attempt. You will use hundreds of dollars if you choose sneakers as your skating shoes;

it would be best if you instead went for a durable skate shoe.

Basketball shoes

Basketball shoes have a flat sole that lasts for a long time, making it possible to use them as skate shoes, but many of them won't support doing tricks. The soles are a lot thicker, and this takes away the board feel. I have some friends that choose to skate basketball shoes, but they mainly skate mini ramps, I wouldn't skate with them, but that's my preference.

Are Skate Shoes Bad for Your Feet?

Skate shoes used to be bad for your feet, but they are not anymore. Many new skate shoes offer a lot of support, but if you want to go for long walks, you should use another alternative.

Why Do My Feet Hurt When I Use Skate shoes

It is usual for your feet to hurt, at least while skateboarding. If you are not used to all the weird movements while skating, your feet will probably hurt at the start of a session.

If you just bought new shoes, your feet probably hurt because you need to break them in.

You should buy new shoes or insoles if the pain doesn't disappear.

The Qualities of a Great Skate Shoe

The best skate shoe for you depends a lot on the shape of your feet. Not all skate shoes are good.

if you read the following thread, you will learn what you should look after in a great skate shoe.

• The first thing you should look for is skate shoes made of suede material; this material can withstand friction from the grip tape well.

• You should make sure that your shoe provides heel support. You probably won't have a fun skate session if your heels hurt.

• If you look at the nose of a regular shoe, you can often see seams. A sign it's a high-quality skate shoe is that there are no seams at the nose; if there are seams, they will wear out fast.

• This tip is not entirely necessary but if you have extra money, get insoles that can absorb shock; this will help you in long, hard sessions, and they can prevent serious injuries to your foot.

• Some shoes have metal rings around the lace holes; this works fine as protection, and without them, your lace holes will tear pretty fast.

• Get to caps if you like transition skateboarding.

• If you want ankle protection, you should use high-tops; if you have razor tale, high-tops can protect you from sharp edges.

• Getting shoes with a vulcanized sole will help if you want to do technical skating.

How to Get The Most Out of Your Skate shoes

Most of the time, shoes from popular skate shoe brands last a while, but if you want to take them to the next step, there is a lot you can do. Unfortunately, even the best skate shoes will eventually get holes, so if your shoes are like most skate shoes, click here to learn more about how to prevent them from deteriorating.

How to Get Cheap Skate Shoes

If you want cheap skate shoes, check out your local skate shop and see if there are any discounts; if the shop doesn't have the shoe, you can always try to find them online.

The best time to find shoes at a discount is in the off-season for skating, make a list online and check back on them to see if they have a discount. You can use tools like camelcamelcamel.com to notify you when the prices have dropped.

Conclusion skate

skateboarding footwear isn't good just because they are from a popular brand; you need to find the skate shoe companies that make shoes for your foot.

skate shoes have a lot of traits that show if the shoe is high or low quality. Skate shoes are made for skating, and running shoes are made for running, choose the shoe for the proper purpose.

You shouldn't use crocs for skating but check out these if you must

Click Here

If you don't know what brands to look for, I can recommend vans, Etnies, and dc shoes, and there are other great brands; these are just the ones I use.