Are you looking for a way to prevent your shoes from ripping when you do the ollie? You came to the right place then!
If you’re thinking about keeping your shoes looking brand new while practicing on your skateboard, it may be unrealistic. Because skateboarding depends on your feet movement. You can go barefoot, but what about the winter months?
Looks like I’ve given you some worries. But I will also give you the answer that you are looking for.
So, let’s get to know what ollie really is, how it results in your shoes ripping, and what you can do to prevent it.
What is Ollie?
Ollie is a common term in skateboarding and snowboarding. It’s a jump trick performed without a take-off ramp. The rider usually presses his foot down on the tail of the board to leap into the air without using his hands.
The rider can jump over obstructions to land on curbs. When he’s doing that, you will notice that the skateboard stays glued to his feet in mid air.
How To Do Ollie?
Let’s look at the step-by-step guide to do an ollie.
- Step 1
To begin, start on a soft surface, like your lawn. This ensures you don’t get hurt even if you fall down. You need to get the movement right and have the confidence to perform the trick.
- Step 2
Place your front foot on the center of the board. If your foot is further back, you can jump higher but it’s difficult for a beginner. Then again, if your foot is further forward, you can manage an easy small jump.
Besides, you can experiment with different feet on the middle of the board to see which one gives you the best balance.
- Step 3
Now put your back foot at the back end of your skateboard. This foot kicks the back of the board to raise the front of the board. The further the back foot is on the board, you have more leverage.
Just know that the ball of your feet must carry all the weight. You can kick the board downward to make it easier.
- Step 4
Let your front foot elevate with the board until the back of the skateboard touches the ground. Keep practicing this until you get it right.
- Step 5
Once you have elevated the front of the board up, and use your back foot to hold the board in that position. Now, glide your front foot towards the front of the board.
Here, the sole of your shoe must not touch the board as you glide your foot upwards. The deck of the board should touch the side of your shoe only.
Lets watch a video on how to do ollie for better understanding
Do You Need Skate Shoes to Ollie
To ollie what shoes you wear, can make a difference. Some shoes are just not right for these types of techniques. For any type of sport, there is a recommended category of shoes.
Skating shoes have wider soles to maximize contact with the skateboard. You need this surface area contact for your safety, prevention of injury, and the perfection of tricks. The more traction there is, the more control the rider will have over the skateboard.
Some of the best skate shoes are Adio, Circa, Adidas Skateboarding, Converse, DC Shoes, Vans Authentic, Nike & Lakai skateboarding sneakers.
It’s not uncommon for some skaters to skate barefoot. Your feet will have better friction and control with the skateboard. It’s even said to prevent cramping when you skate barefoot.
Now lets come to the point.
Can You Ollie without Ripping Your Shoes? If So, How Can You Do That?
At a skate park, you will be surprised to see all the skaters in shoes with holes here and there. That’s nothing out of ordinary in the skating world. When you practice hard, the effort shows on the shoes.
Though you don’t necessarily need special shoes to do ollie, skate shoes have side panels and extra padding around the heels for support. Other than, there are many ways you can protect your shoes from ripping if you ollie a lot. Such as
1.You may use skate shoe protectors for protecting your shoes from tearing off. Skate shoe protectors are like shoe guard. They are some plastic or rubber made particles that wrap around the front of shoes and protect them from being damaged by any hit.
Find out some protectors here:
2. Figure out the areas that are more likely to tear and get holes. The side of your shoes and under the ball of your foot are the critical points.
3. Apply superglue to the stitches of the shoes to prevent them from coming off during tricks. Make sure you apply glue from time to time just in case. Don’t use it to patch holes.
Check out some best superglues for skate shoes
4. When you’re shopping, either get suede skate shoes, or make sure the heel, nose, and upper areas of the shoes are made of suede. You can get leather shoes as well, but it may feel a bit stiff for skating.
5. To fix wear and tear on your shoes during ollie, use Shoe Goo or hot glue. When these glues harden, they keep the patches intact. You can use ice cubes to spread out the glue evenly over the surface.
Check out some shoe goo and hot glue
6. There are other alternatives, like Ripcare and Tricktape to patch up torn areas over your skate shoes. Just make sure to let the glue dry for 24 hours before attempting to skate with them.
Does Ollie Reduce Skate Shoes Lifespan?
Your skateshoes can last about 5 months if you are practising ollie intensely. That is, you may not have to discard them, but the shoes will show signs of wear and tear.
But you can always fix holes and small tears with Shoe Goo, and make them last a little longer. On the other hand, if you’re not an intense skater, consider your skate shoes to last about 10 months or so.
Do You Need Skate Shoes Ollie Guard?
There is no need to get an extra guard for ollie, as you are more likely to experiment with other techniques sooner or later. You can’t avoid ripping your skate shoes when skateboarding.
So you may as well try the skate shoe protector and the various methods I mentioned about repairing and maintaining skate shoes.
Last Words
Ollie is a fundamental skateboard trick. Beginners tend to learn the ollie as soon as they start skateboarding.
Therefore, as you increase your expertise in this field, your shoes will look worse! So, protect your skate shoes with whatever you can- the skate shoe protector or hot glue. Just try to make them last as long as you can.
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Hi, this is Jerry, a skateboarder, who loves to talk about micro-mobility and future of that industry. Coming from motion engineering background, I am very enthusiast about speed, motion, balance and technology. I have taken a mission to carry the fuel free, environment friendly micro-mobile industry forward by educating people about micro-mobile products especially skateboards and longboards. I love skating around very much and encourage people to do so. Its a fun believe me.