Skate shoes and sneakers at skatedeluxe
In our shop, you'll find a huge selection of shoes in many variations. As a skate shop, we of course always have the latest skate shoes available. But the range goes much further and includes shoes for everyday life, sneakers and more. Here you can learn everything about the shoe types at skatedeluxe, why special shoes are necessary for skating and what you should consider when shopping for skate shoes.
Go to the topic that interests you:
- What are the best shoes for skating?
- What distinguishes skate shoes and why there are special shoes for skating
- Material, sole & more - this is what you should look for in skate shoes
- Tips for choosing your skate shoes
- How to find the right skate shoe size
- The most popular skate shoes
- Info about the durability of skate shoes
Shoes for skating - our recommendations
Which shoes you wear for skating is certainly a question of taste. Theoretically, you can skate with sneakers or any other sturdy footwear. However, for the best skating experience, we definitely recommend skate shoes that have been specially designed and manufactured for this purpose. In addition to skate shoes, you can find other shoe types and models at skatedeluxe.
Skate shoes, slip ons and more - all shoe types at skatedeluxe
Here you'll find an overview of all shoes in the skatedeluxe skate shop.
What are skate shoes?
Shoes that are designed specifically for skateboarding are called skate shoes. However, many skate shoe models can also be seen in everyday life and away from skate parks, as they are simply comfortable and stylish. The difference between sneakers and sports shoes is that skate shoes are characterized by special soles and materials that are designed for skating.
Over the years, numerous skate shoes brands such as Emerica, Vans, etnies or DC Shoes have cropped up. But also big sports shoe manufacturers like Nike, adidas and New Balance have enriched the skate shoe assortment with their first-class models. By the way: they're called skate shoes and not skater shoes! They're shoes for skating and the name refers to the function. Therefore, the "r" in the word is omitted and they're called skate shoes.
Why skate shoes and their properties are important for skating
Skateboarding is not only about riding your board, but also about tricks. These are primarily performed or controlled with the feet. Therefore, it is extremely important that the shoes allow the best possible interaction between the skater and the skateboard. Skate shoes, therefore, need special properties:
- Flexibility for a good board feeling
- Grip for firm footing
- Cushioning properties
- Durability and resistance to abrasion
These features are found in the soles, upper materials and other characteristics.
Skate shoe soles: Cup or Vulc?
The soles of skate shoes shouldn't be too thick in order to ensure optimal control over the skateboard. However, cushioning properties are also important. The profile of skate shoe soles has special patterns that make them more grippy. Generally, skate shoes distinguish between vulcanized soles and cup soles.
In addition, there are intermediate forms that combine elements of vulc and cup soles. An example is the Wafflecup sole from Vans, which you can find on the Vans Crockett Pro for example.
In case you've always wondered why skate shoes have such thick soles: the high sole portion on the side of skate shoes is more of an extension of the outsole that provides durability. The actual sole that you stand on is much flatter.
Vulcanized / Vulc soles
In vulc sole shoes, the outsole and intermediate elements are welded to the upper material of the skate shoe by a lateral rubber strip (foxing tape). The insoles or the footbed of vulc skate shoes provide the main cushioning.
Vulcanized sole shoes score high on board feel and flexibility. The break-in period for vulcanized skate shoes is very short. However, these shoes offer less cushioning compared to shoes with cup soles.
» Shop skate shoes with vulc soleCup soles
In cup sole shoes, the outsole and the sidewall of the sole are made of one piece. You can imagine it like a flat cup - hence the name. Upper, cushioning midsoles and cup outsole are glued and usually additionally stitched together in these skate shoes.
Cup sole skate shoes normally have good cushioning properties and last quite a long time. The cupsole construction also provides good stability. On the other hand, these shoes must be worn longer, as they are less flexible than vulc shoes.
» Shop skate shoes with cup soleSkate shoe upper materials
Due to the constant contact with the griptape, skateboard shoes must be very durable. If you want to buy new skate shoes, you should think about the durability of the shoes accordingly. The following materials are most commonly used in skate shoes:
Suede
Suede skate shoes are very popular among skaters. Because of its durable and flexible properties suede is used in most skate shoes.
» Suede skate shoesLeather & nubuck
Skate shoes made of smooth leather are usually treated with an application of dye and additional layers to ensure long durability. With nubuck, the leather is slightly roughened. Both uppers provide a clean look to the skate shoes.
» Nubuck / leather skate shoesCanvas
Canvas is a thick cotton fabric used in skate shoes for its breathability and lightweight. Thus, many skate shoes have canvas in less stressed areas. For vegan skaters canvas skate shoes without leather are a good alternative.
» Canvas skate shoesFeatures and other characteristics of skate shoes
In addition to the sole and upper, there are other features that make skate shoes special.
- Stitching: skate shoes are usually double or triple-stitched in high-wear areas to ensure longer durability.
- Padding: many skate shoes have padding on the tongue and ankle, which provides stability and comfort while skating.
- Reinforcements: some skate shoes have rubber caps in the toe area (toe caps) as wear and tear in this area is high. In some models, the toe cap is located under the actual upper material as an additional layer of protection.
- Technologies: there are numerous skate shoe technologies from different manufacturers that provide even more durability, cushioning or comfort of the skate shoes.
For details on each technology and even more info on skate shoes to help you order your new pair, check out our skate shoe wiki.
Tips: Choose skate shoes according to how you skate
You can pay attention to other things besides sole and upper material when choosing your skate shoes. We have a few tips for you. The basic idea is to choose your shoes based on how or where you skate the most. Of course, these are only recommendations and not guidelines. Almost all shoes in our shop are suitable for any kind of skateboarding.
Skate shoes for technical skating, flip tricks & flat ground
For technical maneuvers and trick combinations, you need skate shoes with a lot of board feel and control. Vulcanized soles can give you an advantage here. Low-top skate shoes and light padding that doesn't constrict you are also recommended.
Skate shoes for skating with impact - gaps and stairs
If you frequently skate spots where impact is high, you need skate shoes with good cushioning. Cupsole shoes with a foam midsole are ideal for this. The cushioning can be a bit more generous in this case. If you tend to roll your ankle, mid or high-top shoes offer an option to stabilize your ankles.
Skate shoes for park & pool
If you spend a lot of time on ramps or in parks with transitions, you should make sure that your shoes fit tight. A little padding can't hurt. Whether it's a cup or a vulcanized sole is a matter of taste.
The right size for your skate shoes
Of course, above all else, your shoes have to fit you. Perhaps you've already noticed that, for example, the shoe size US 10 does not always correspond to size EU 44. Or differently: You might have shoes from different brands in the same size, which fit differently. This is because there is no standardized size key.
To help you find the right size for your new skate shoes, we've broken down the sizes of all brands in our size charts. You can also switch between US, UK and EU sizes for each shoe in our shop. If a shoe runs particularly small or large, you will find an additional note in the product description.
Skate shoes for narrow or wide feet
Of course, not all feet are the same. Maybe you've had a shoe that would have fit, but it felt too tight and the next size up was already way too big. In this case, when buying your next shoes, you can look at the width of the sole at the longitudinal arch of the foot. Simply put, you look at how wide the sole of the shoe is at the narrowest part in the middle.
Shoes with a very narrow sole at this point often feel rather tight for wide feet and vice versa. With narrow feet and a very wide sole, you might have problems with a proper fit. However, this is also partly a matter of taste. Some skaters like shoes with a little air, while others want footwear that sits like a second pair of socks.
If you've ordered a pair of shoes from us and they don't fit at all, you always have 100 days right of return and can send them back quickly and easily.
Left: shoe with wide sole – right: shoe with narrow sole
Popular skate shoe models and classics
As you've noticed, we have a huge selection of skate shoes. If you often see a particular model at a spot or in the skatepark and want to get a pair for yourself, we've put together a selection of the most popular skate shoes from the top brands, so you don't have to search forever:
The durability of skate shoes - what you can also consider when shopping
Skate shoes should last a long time. Which skate shoes last the longest is difficult to answer, because the wear also depends on the skater. If you know where your shoes wear out the most or fastest, you can take that into consideration for your next pair.
- Your shoes get holes at the toe: try shoes with toe caps or underlying reinforcements.
- Your shoes get holes on the side: there are also shoes with reinforcements in the "ollie area". Suede skate shoes usually don't get holes as quickly.
- The outsole profile of your shoes loses grip: Some skate shoes have outsoles with a condensed pattern in stressed areas.
How to make skate shoes last longer
There's a simple trick you can use to extend the life of your skate shoes. Torn seams and holes in the upper material can be quickly repaired with shoe glue. This way you can skate your shoes for a few more sessions. Holes in the sole, however, are difficult to seal with skate shoe glue. In this case, it's time for a new pair.
» Order skate shoe glueShop affordable skate shoes at skatedeluxe
Nothing lasts forever and at some point, you'll simply need a new pair of skate shoes. If you're looking for low-priced skate shoes, we recommend the shoe sale in our shop. There, you'll regularly find current and freshly discounted skate shoes.
» Skate shoes on sale
Do you want more detailed knowledge about skate shoes or need additional information to find the perfect pair for you? Then just check out our Skate Shoe Wiki. In addition, we regularly put the latest skate shoes to the test for you in our Wear Tests.