The shoe you skate will always be a matter of preference, but that doesn’t mean choosing a model is as simple as sliding a pair on and hitting the cash register. Skateboarders are notoriously picky about everything from the length of their T-shirts to the placement of the stickers on their boards. Since the boom decade of the ‘90s, skate specific shoes have seen the most dramatic changes of any piece of skate equipment.
We’ve watched trends come and go, only to come back again, while the simple classics hold things down. Whether it’s air bubbles, stash pockets, straps, and metal bits, there’s a lot going on. But what does all this shit really do, and—just as the right wheel-truck-deck combo can improve your skating—is there a pair of shoes that might suit you best?
There’s jargon to describe all aspects of footwear, and even models like the Vans Era and Converse Chuck Taylor, both of which have been in the mix for decades, are constantly being revamped with better technology. We all know what we like, but I decided to speak to Neal Shoemaker, senior designer, Pro Skate and Syndicate, at Vans to get a better understanding of shoe design and what actually works. Shoemaker has a serious background in industrial design and, as you’ll see, an encyclopedic knowledge of skate shoes.
Like anything, what you choose is largely what makes you comfortable, but Shoemaker’s insights might make you rethink a few things the next time you’re gazing at the shoe wall at your local shop.