Could anyone recommend good skate shoes please?

splishsplash

Hi everyone,

My 14yo son has perfectly respectable left shoes, but the front bits of all his right shoes are pulled asunder because he uses that foot to brake with when skateboarding.

Can anyone tell me if it's worth investing in a pair of skate shoes? We're looking at Vans at the moment, only because his friend has them, but I really have no clue if they're going to be suitable. Are there other brands that would be better?

Any advice would be really great.

janeybogs

Vans are great and last really well, tk max tend to do good prices on them

calmspirit

vans are great also Etnies and DC are just as good. Def worth investing if you can .

TK max do have them sometimes, failing that wait for routeone/rollersnakes to have sale. Keep your eye on amazon and my favourite Ebay where I have found a few bargains over the years!

hth

bagby

my son 14 has vans and etnies and the soles are always going through as he uses them on his skateboard. Bought cheap skate shoes from Sports Direct but of course didnt wear these when skating. I pay about £60 for etnies.

unsure

I'm afraid if your son gets serious about skateboarding (mine is!) you are going to have to get used to regularly paying £40-60 for decent skate shoes. 3 months wear and tear seems to be about what it takes for a keen regular skater to go through a pair of shoes, anything more we consider a bonus! All the brands mentioned are decent skate shoes though some specific models may last a bit longer than others...I'd say avoid canvas shoes which obviously aren't as heard wearing. We regular check TK Maxx, rollersnakes website and Amazon and do sometimes come up with very good deals. Son has also made friends with the local skate shop and they are happy to let him have old stock or slow moving lines at a discount.
Good luck with it...between shoes and a new board every six months ( not to mention the clothes!) it can be an expensive hobby...but it's great to see the kids getting out in the fresh air, expending some energy and learning to take few bumps and bruises rather than sitting in front of the tv/computer screen.

His current faovurite shoes are es which could be added to the list of named reputable brands above. Son's advice is to avoid cheap Airwear shoes from Sports Direct which last no time at all and are devoid of all street cred!

rachmc

Vans, DC's, Etnies, Adio, DVS, Emerica & Quicksilver all do awesome skate shoes. I know this from experience! I like the skate chick look so I am always in baggy jeans, skinny vests and chunky trainers and my boyfriend is a skateboarder. Me, my boyfriend and all of our skater friends have used these brands for years and love them. My favourites are DC's because they're flatter and lighter- they are also wide enough to move freely in. My boyfriend prefers Etnies because they have a thicker sole so last slightly longer, are a bit heavier and also are chunkier so his feet can move a lot more.
As mentioned above, TK Maxx and Rollersnakes are great for skate shoes. Schuh and Office also have some nice ones in. Rollersnakes currently have a sale on some nice Etnies, Emerica and DC's ranging from about £28 to £35.
Good luck finding a perfect pair- we go shoe hunting for hours!

tillycat123

My son is a serious scooter rider. Vans look ready for the bin after just a few days with him, I'm really fed up with with paying £60 for shoes that are designed for riders and start falling apart after serious use. Etnies last a bit longer I have found.

JC9297

My son favours Supra but even when reduced they are not what you would call cheap, they do seem to last (relatively) well. Unfortunately if skate shoes are actually worn for skateboarding they don't last long, the griptape is just like sandpaper and when they do tricks it rubs the shoes.

ChrisPNE

TK Maxx always have loads of skate shoes in around £20 to £30 mark. All recognised names like Duffs, Airwalk, DC etc.

Fuzzy_Duck

I managed to get my boyfriend a pair of Etnies recently for £30 from Treds (They were £65 originally). I'd definitely recommend having a look at their website.

Personally I think Etnies are a bit better than Vans and DCs. They're really chunky so the soles seem to last longer. Having said that he is NOT a skateboarder- but somehow his footwear never lasts long! Even when they're full of holes and tied together with gaffa tape he still insists these brands are comfy though and refuses to let me bin them... still, I suppose that makes them a bit more MS!

matt987106

Vans will be the choice and have been for decades ( others come and go, vans allways have been around )

you could try finding people who are going to orlando, the vans shop in the outlet mall sell last years shoes for $20 or less ( normally )

even though i do not skate, i have allways loves my skate shoes ( from the old days of airwalk & vans ) and i will allways pick up 3 or 4 pairs of vans when i go