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SKATE SHOES IN ABUNDANCE
Find the freshest kicks for the deck in Foot Locker’s vast selection of skate shoes and canvas shoes. Time to cop yourself a fresh pair of skate shoes and hit the half-pipe, but the selection game is tough. Do you go for classic and get a fresh pair of Vans? Never fails. Easy wearing, durable, flexible and available in a huge variety of different styles and colorways. Or, do you opt for a pair of Converse? Another classic skate park style. Perhaps you want to break away from canvas shoes and go for one of the more newly adopted leather favorites? You could choose a pair of low-cut Nike Dunks and benefit from the top-drawer cushioning, traction and support, or you could go for the iconic adidas Superstar with that classic shell toe to survive all the grip tape scraping. Or you could go for pair of skate shoes with clever tech like air pockets in the heel for shock absorption? The ball’s in your park.
SKATEBOARD SHOES: THE JOURNEY SO FAR
Skateboarding has developed a lot in a very short space of time, but the shoes have been slower burners. Skateboarding came from surfing, so most of the first skaters rode barefoot, because… well, you didn’t need shoes to surf. In the 60s’ skaters did start donning kicks though – mainly, Converse All Star canvas shoes that had softer enough soles for skaters to almost feel the boards beneath their feet. In the 70s’ Vans entered the game and changed the game. Their flexible but sturdy kicks had more padding for comfort and better cushioning in the soles. Vans became the kicks for skaters, who had freedom of expression with all the endless different styles available. In the 80s everyone was doing more ollies and started turning to non-canvas shoes like the Nike Dunk, the adidas Superstar and even the Air Jordan 1 for the superior protection and support. Vans reinforced their kicks too and then dedicated skate shoe brands like Airwalk and Etnies joined the party, with chunkier, durable uppers. Come the late 90s, slimmer low-top skate shoes became the preference as kickflips got more popular, meaning less bulk was better. Then, Nike did two things in the early noughties. One: they brought out the SB, now iconic kicks in the skate scene worldwide. Two: they gained global attention for being pioneers in promoting skaters in a positive light, as real athletes. That shook things up and encourages other major sports brands to enter the picture. Now, skate shoes are being produced with advanced cushioning technology like BOOST or React, and other innovations to prevent things like heel bruising and to enhance the ‘skateboard feel’ - using sole materials that make it easier to feel the board beneath the feet, just like where we started.
CANVAS TRAINERS AND SKATE SHOES: FAQS
Q. What are the basic characteristics of skate shoes?
A. The three key points for skate shoes are that they are durable, flexible and grippy for good traction to the deck. Cushioning for shock absorption is also important.
Q. Are canvas shoes always the best skate shoes?
A. Not necessarily, but Canvas shoes are the most popular skate shoes as they are lightweight and breathable.