Can You Skate In Boots, Sandals & Running Shoe? (An Honest Answer)

Skateboarding has become a global sport over the last few decades. Though the skateboards remain the same, different outfits or shoes are popular in different skating hubs worldwide. There are different types of shoes, but can you skate in boots or sandals?

Well, in today’s discussion, we will discuss whether this crazy idea is possible. Stick with us to know the answer.

Why do you need shoes for skateboarding and longboarding?

Before answering this question, let’s look at the history of skateboarding and longboarding. So, skateboarding was invented to mimic the surfing experience on land. Soon, skaters realized that surfing on land, skateboarding, is completely different from surfing on water.

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While surfing can be done easily barefoot, there are many requirements for skating. Unlike surfing, skateboarding needed added stability, durability, shock absorbency, grip, ankle support, and toe protection, which skaters couldn’t have with bare feet.

So, to achieve those qualities came the invention of skate shoes.

While skate shoes mostly look like regular shoes, they have several differences in construction. So yes, you can do a few skating shoes with normal shoes. But there is no alternative to skate shoes for extensive sessions or to learn tricks.

The need for an overall strong construction, sturdy sole, and grip make skate shoes essential for skateboarding and longboarding.

Can you skateboard/longboard wearing boots?

Skateboarding is a sport dependent on your foot. So, for a comfortable and convenient skating experience, you must have perfect skate shoes.

So, does a boot falls under that category?

Unfortunately, not. More than anything, it’ll be uncomfortable for you to skate with boots.

Boots are usually pretty durable, but unfortunately, the lack of flexibility can be a huge turnoff. Moreover, scratches and wear-offs are pretty normal for skate shoes, and you don’t want your shiny pair of boots scratched up.

So, the answer is no, skateboarding wearing boots isn’t a great idea.

By the way, if you insist to skate in boots, then queries may arise in your head that-

What are the benefits and cons of skating with boots?

While there are no benefits of skating with boots, there are many cons if you try skating with boots.

Let’s start with the material; boots usually have a durable construction with leather or similar materials. However, the type of abuse skate shoes undergo is different, and boots are not cut out for that.

Also, the grip and stability needed for skating tricks are absent in boots.

Lastly, boots are more like stiff footwear, while skating needs utmost flexibility and range of motion for the best control and movement.

Boot’s lack of that feature is one of the biggest drawbacks.

What type of shoes is good for skateboarding?

Instead of telling you a specific type of shoes, here I have discussed certain features that turn a shoe into a skate shoe. So, features might not seem to make a lot of difference, but they play a big role in making a skate shoe.

So, I’ll discuss each characteristic separately.

Firstly, suede is the most preferred material for skate shoes. This material is cheaper, lightweight, and durable and has the highest impact resistance among regular skate shoe materials. Then comes the sole, and a good skate shoe can have both cup sole and vulcanizing sole.

As for the insole, get anything that’s soft and removable. Apart from these features, a good skate shoe has decent toe protection, grip, and stability. If a pair of shoes have all these features, they can serve you well as skate shoes.

Can you skate in sandals?

The oldest shoe discovered on planet earth was a sandal. In today’s world, sandals are used everywhere we look around. Whether for a causal walk outside or to wear regularly at home, sandals are widely used.

Especially if you live in a country in the warmer part of the world, the chances are that you wear sandals regularly.

Sandals play a great role in hot weather to keep your feet dry and cool. For that reason, you might be wondering whether it’s possible to skate in sandals. As I mentioned before. It’s entirely possible to skate with any shoes, including sandals.

However, when you are going to skate for extensive sessions or learn tricks, the construction of the sandal won’t suffice. Sandals are built for cause use, not for skating.

If you try skating with a sandal, it’ll ruin your pair. Either the straps will come off within hours, or it’ll be extremely uncomfortable with open toes and no protection and support.

Can you skate in running shoes?

We all know that choosing the right skate shoes can be a huge pain. Especially if you don’t know what to look for. Also, there are different shoes out there that look pretty familiar to skate shoes. One of those similar-looking shoe types is running shoes from different brands.

Manufacturers have been creating skate shoes for the longest time, and slowly these shoes have made their mark in mainstream style today. On the market, you’ll notice running shoes that look similar to skate shoes.

If you ask whether can you skate in running shoes, the answer would be Yes you can skate in running shoes. But it doesn’t mean that a running shoe is recommended for skateboarding.

However, though skate shoes and running shoes look similar, the performance and durability are nowhere near close to an actual skate shoe.

 They will cause imbalance, be hard to control, and not grippy enough for skating. If you are starting, you can use running shoes for a day or two before shifting to a skating shoes.

Otherwise, the running shoe will be tor apart in a few days.

Though there are other logic of using running shoes in stead of skate shoes.

Also check:

• can you casually use skate shoes

Check out the video as reference.

But I prefer skate shoes for skateboarding and longboarding over running shoes for obvious reasons as mentioned above. You may find answer why skate shoes for skateboarding in detail here.

Can you skate in continental 80s?

The only pair of shoes with the familiar look of a skate shoe is the continental 80. This pair of shoes from Adidas has been quite popular on the market since it was launched. The skating industry has been a big fan of retro-style low-top shoes like the Continental 80. But that’s about it in the design segment.

The shoe also has multiple-layer leather construction with a beautiful and elegant design. However, these sneakers are still not cut out for the extreme abuse of skating.

Just like running shoes, you might use them for a spin around the skate park or neighborhood, but the beautiful leather construction won’t even stand a few days of extreme skating.

Lastly

That’s a wrap for today. Throughout the article, I have discussed the possibilities of skating with boots. As you can see from the video above, it’s not a good idea to skate with boots. There are no possible advantages of doing so, and it’ll only make it risky to skate on them.

Moreover, there are some discussions about shoes that you can use to skate. You can comfortably hit the road wearing them on your board. 

Related Article:

• Vans or converse for skateboarding
• How do you clean skate shoes
• Skating In Rain

Source:

• https://jenkemmag.com/home/2020/02/26/getting-know-ferg-talented-guy-skating-timbs/