6 Best Skate Shoes

How we test skate shoes

To ensure our shoe reviews are bias-free, we do the following: 

1. We buy the shoes with our own money. No sponsorships, no contracts with the brands. We have the full freedom to write what we like and dislike and we love it! 
2. We wear-test the shoes to figure out what makes them shine and what they fail at spectacularly. 
3. We test the shoes in the lab, which means that we use our band saw, durometers, callipers, a smoke machine, and many other tools and machines, only to deliver 20+ data points on each shoe. 
4. We publish everything, regardless of how good or bad. The results for each shoe can be compared to any other shoe or to a category average to understand the context better. 
5. Our top picks here had to blow our minds to end up on this list. 

Get ready to shred!

6 features to pay attention to when buying skate shoes 

Regardless of whether you’re just cruising the streets or perfecting your ollies, kickflips and grinds, you need a good skate shoe. Based on all the tests we’ve done, we realised these 6 features must be considered when getting a new pair of skate shoes. Further below, we dig deep into each and present our lab data. 

1. Board feel depends on the stack height, which, again, depends on the sole type, vulcanised or cupsole. The lower you are to the board (more board feel), the less impact protection you get. 
2. Impact protection is very important if you do high-impact tricks. 
3. Traction depends on the thread pattern and the softness of the outsole.
4. Durability is of utmost importance for skaters who are past cruising and abuse their shoes from all sides.
5. Breathability depends on the material of the upper, and we lab-test each to show you the results.
6. Size and comfort are not just about nailing the right length but also padding, insoles, support, etc. We cover it all. 

But first, we cover the differences between the vulcanised shoes and cupsoles. We do this because these terms pop up in almost every feature we cover, so it's best to get the overview immediately! 

Always-present dilemma: Vulc or cupsole?

Skate in vulc shoes if you prioritise board feel and usually just cruise the streets, slap curbs, or skate mini ramps. Choose cup soles if you need impact protection and durability for jumping down gaps and stairs. 

Vulcanised shoes feature vulcanised rubber that was heat-treated for extra abrasion resistance. They are easy to recognise because they feature a rubber wrap or foxing tape that wraps around the shoe and fuses the outsole to the upper. 

Cupsole shoes feature a single-rubber piece with no tape. 

Here’s how the 2 skate shoe types compare:

Board feel in skate shoes 

Board feel is insanely important, but there’s no single measurement for it. It depends on the stack height and softness of the midsole and, in skateboarding, this translates to 2 options: vulc sole or cupsole. 

Vulcanised shoes have thinner and more flexible platforms, which is great for board feel but can be very bad for shock absorption. On the other hand, cupsoles have thick cushioned platforms which are way more comfortable and may even have arch support for skaters with flat feet. This comfort comes at the expense of board feel, as there is little to almost none. 

It’s important to know the height of the platform because, in some skate shoes, the sole can be thick enough for the feet to rest higher above the ground than expected. Without padded sides or more structured construction, this can lead to instability. 

What helps here is knowing the width of the platform. The wider it is, the more stable the ride! 

Different levels of impact protection 

Cupsoles are the best choice if you prioritise shock absorption. They are cushioned and higher off the ground, so the platform has all it needs to cushion your feet at the landing. 

On the other hand, vulc soles are thin and best for low-impact activities because they don’t offer the impact protection we found in cupsole skate shoes. 

If you want to find skate shoes with great impact protection, we recommend checking their stack height and midsole softness. The higher the platform, the more sole there is to cushion the impact. And, it’s best if the platform is not too firm or too soft, as we want the feet to sink in at the landing and bounce back. 

With this knowledge, you can now find the skate shoes that match your criteria. For context, here are the best-rated skate trainers with their stack heights and midsole softness data. 

Skate shoes got a GRIP

The surface of the skateboard is usually covered with grip tape. One could think that’s enough to get a good grip; however, it’s important for all the parts of the skate shoe that come into contact with the board to work well with such a surface. 

The thread patterns found in skate shoes are different and which one will work best for you depends on your style and activities. Keep in mind that softer rubber is usually less durable although it is stickier. For data on the softness and durability of the outsole, check the section below (Outsole durability). 

Finding the most durable skate shoes 

If you’re prioritising durability, we recommend looking for skate shoes with a suede/leather upper, reinforced cupsole, ollie guard, and lace protection. Below, we cover each section separately and in greater detail.

Upper durability 

To discuss skate shoes' durability, we have to mention the upper material. The upper is usually made of canvas, synthetic materials, leather, or suede. In our lab, we test the durability of the toebox by pressing the Dremel against it. The wider and deeper the hole, the less durable the toebox. 

Based on the result, we assign a 1-5 toebox durability rating to each skate shoe. 5 is the most durable, 1 the least 

Outsole durability 

When it comes to the outsole, we also use a Dremel and press it against the bottom. In this case, we don’t have to assess the damage, because we can use a tyre tread gauge to measure the exact depth of the hole. The deeper it is, the less durable the outsole. 

We also look at the thickness of the outsole and its hardness. Given that the outsole constantly has to grip the board tape, the deeper threads (thicker outsoles) on harder rubber may last longer. 

(Mid)sole durability

But, this covers only one aspect of the durability. Skaters abuse their shoes from all sides. If you want the sole (actually, the midsole) to be more durable, it’s best to choose a rugged, reinforced cupsole. Flexible vulcanised soles are less durable. 

For example, canvas trainers with vulcanised soles offer a superb board feel, but they are not able to handle a significant impact or abuse. They can become floppy. 

Lace protection

Some skate shoes feature lace protection, so-called lace (protection) cages. This is basically an extra upper layer that covers the eyelets. It works wonders because the damage would first have to go through that upper layer, and the curb, the ramp, or whatever you’re skating on won’t hit and tear the laces where they are the most vulnerable. 

Some shoes that don’t have lace protection but have a wider lacing are not a good choice for skaters who usually have their laces torn prematurely. This wider placement makes them prone to more frequent hitting. 

Even if there’s no lace protection per se, opting for trainers that have loops for laces (webbed eyelets) instead of punched eyelets (holes) might make more sense, because the lacing system with the punched eyelets exposes the laces more, especially when those eyelets are placed wide apart. 

Ollie guard 

The feature to look for if you often do flip tricks. Made of rubber, it protects the upper in the area that you drag along the grip tape. 

Heel padding durability 

Often overlooked, this area gets damaged first for many skaters. That’s why we test it. Just like in other durability tests, we use a Dremel and press it against the material. We’ve standardised all these tests, so we always apply the same pressure, time duration and RPMs (rotations per minute). 

Based on the observed damage, we rate the durability of this area on a 1-5 scale, where 1 is the least durable. 

How breathable are skate trainers?

Countless hours spent in the skate park require a lot of foot work, which, in hot weather, may result in sweaty feet and soaked socks—unless the shoe breathes well!  

To objectively test the breathability of trainers, we use a smoke machine. We pump the smoke into the toebox and watch how much smoke comes out of it and at what pace. Based on this, we assign each shoe a 1-5 rating, where 1 is the least breathable and 5 the most breathable. 

Then, we look at the upper under the microscope. This helps us better understand what’s happening, whether the ventilation holes are there for decorative purposes only, if there is a second layer we don’t see easily, and so on. 

Leather and suede breathe less, so ventilation holes or intentionally inserted mesh panels have to help them out. On the other side, we have canvas and mesh that breathe better than leather and suede. When leather and suede have real (there are fake ones!) and large ventilation holes, they can beat other materials, breathability-wise!

This standardised test allows us to publish objective results that don’t depend on the thickness of the socks, the sock material, or the skater’s perspiration levels. 

Nailing the comfort in skate trainers

Of course, getting the right size for your feet is the #1 thing to do. However, comfort-wise, some skaters enjoy more padding that feels soft and locks their feet in, and others prefer a minimalist, one-layer-only approach. Here are some nuances worth keeping in mind: 

• Vulcanised skate shoes are lighter, and they often feel like an extension of your foot. This is not something you can experience in cupsoles.
• Padding varies wildly, from no padding to very thick layers. The more padding you have, the more comfort you can expect. In some cases, the breaking-in period is longer when there’s a lot of padding, as it needs time to mould to your feet.
• More padded shoes are more comfortable, but they weigh more and feel less precise when doing tricks.
• Minimal or no padding means there’s not much support or protection for your feet. 
• Insoles make a big difference. 

Padding can be present on the tongue, around the heel, and on the sides. We measure the thickness of the tongue in our lab, so you can always check the lab data if this interests you. Thicker tongues are great for lace bite prevention and protection but they do add weight and make that area less breathable or not breathable at all. 

In the heel, some skaters need softer materials while others can “get away” with one-layer canvas. It’s totally up to you and your personal preference. 

It’s important that the trainers are comfortable and that they don’t cause any rubbing or hot spots.

And, last but not least, insoles can improve comfort significantly. 

And, if the insole that came with the shoe does not work for you, swapping it for a better one, like Footprint Insole, may help a tonne. 

Toebox width in skate shoes

For some skaters, the trickiest part is nailing the toebox width. To put an end to this, we started measuring the exact width of the toebox by pouring a gel into it, freezing it, and then measuring the width of the gel mould.

This gel mould is a perfect representation of the internal toebox volume. We measure the width of the toebox at the big toe. 

However, we also measure the width where the toebox (and the shoe) is the widest. We base the width of the whole shoe on this measurement but comparing it to the big-toe width allows us to understand how pointy the toebox is. 

Common mistake beginners make

Vans trainers are wildly popular and many skaters wear them. However, beginners often think any Vans shoe will do. It won’t. If you plan to get Vans shoes for skateboarding, look for the Pro or Skate version. 

These models are made with skateboarding in mind, which means they are way more durable and you won’t shred them to pieces after a few sessions. 

Low, mid, or high tops?

Depends on what you prioritise. In low tops, you’ll get the speed and the agility. High tops will support and protect your ankles, but they are heavier. Mid-top skate shoes sit in the middle, you get some support and some mobility.

How long does it take to break in the skate shoes?

It depends on the design: skate shoes with vulcanised soles require almost no break-in time, unlike cupsoles. Upper material matters as well, canvas usually offers straight-out-of-the-box comfort, unlike leather, which takes the longest to be broken in and to mould around your feet. Suede is somewhere between canvas and leather. 

How to fix your skate shoes or make them last longer

Shoo GOO. Best if used after the shoe has been broken in and before the hole appears. It can be moulded onto the shoe with an ice cube to avoid direct contact with the skin on your fingers. Multiple layers over time do make the shoes last longer. You can even use it on the laces if your skate shoes don’t feature a lace cage.

Can you skate in regular trainers?

Yes, and they can work well if you plan to cruise only, no tricks. BUT if you get any more ambitious, trainers will get destroyed quickly, maybe even after the first session.

If you’re still keen on doing this, look for trainers with durable overlays in key wear spots or at least those with a suede or leather upper and not canvas. Plain trainers may work well if you plan to cruise only.