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Skate Shoe Buying Guide

Skate Shoe Anatomy and Terminology

It’s good to get familiar with some skate shoe terminology so you know what is being referred to in product descriptions and discussions. Here is a quick primer. A shoe’s silhouette is its underlying shape and design. Think of it as the outline of the shoe, regardless of colors, materials, internal technologies, or other surface variations. Sometimes newer shoes reference the silhouettes of previous popular designs. A shoe is made of two basic components: the upper, which is what covers your feet and toes, and the sole, which is what you are standing on. The upper, which can consist of parts stitched or welded together or can be a molded piece, has separate components that can vary in dimension, thickness, and material. These include the toe box (where your toes go), the tongue that goes over the top of your foot, the collar, which wraps the ankle and achilles areas, as well as a heel panel, eyelets, and laces. The sole consists of an outsole with a tread pattern (the bottom of the shoe), a midsole that connects the outsole to the upper, and an insole, the often removable footbed layer inside the shoe.

Skate Shoe Anatomy and Terminology

It’s good to get familiar with some skate shoe terminology so you know what is being referred to in product descriptions and discussions. Here is a quick primer. A shoe’s silhouette is its underlying shape and design. Think of it as the outline of the shoe, regardless of colors, materials, internal technologies, or other surface variations. Sometimes newer shoes reference the silhouettes of previous popular designs. A shoe is made of 2 basic components: The Upper, which is what covers your feet and toes, and The Sole, which is what you are standing on. The Upper, which can consist of parts stitched or welded together or can be a molded piece, has separate components that can vary in dimension, thickness, and material. These include the Toe Box (where your toes go), the Tongue that goes over the top of your foot, the Collar, which wraps the ankle and achilles areas, as well as a Heel Panel, Eyelets, and Laces. The Sole consists of an Outsole with a Tread Pattern (the bottom of the shoe), a Midsole that connects the outsole to the upper, and an Insole, the often removable footbed layer inside the shoe.

Skate Shoe Anatomy and Terminology

Cupsole VS Vulcanized Skate Shoe Soles

Cupsole VS Vulcanized Skate Shoe Soles

Vulcanized vs. Cupsole

The two main shoe construction techniques you need to know about are vulcanized (also called a vulc sole) and cupsole. A vulc shoe has an outsole that is made of heated rubber that is directly welded to the upper. This is then wrapped for protection with a layer of material at the seam (referred to as foxing or taping), and often an additional layer in high use areas is added, called a bumper. The advantage of a vulc construction is that it creates a thinner, more flexible outsole that can reduce weight and increase boardfeel (more on boardfeel below). A cupsole consists of a molded one-piece outsole that is adhered or sewn to a midsole. This construction method allows for more technology and different materials to be incorporated into the sole of the shoe. Typically with will increase the thickness of the sole and add some impact protection, but at the expense of flexibility and weight. So, the general rule of thumb is that a vulc will give you lots of flex and feel, while the cup will make it rugged and secure. But, also remember that plenty of big stunt, high impact skaters prefer vulcs and lots of tech skaters opt for a cupsole.

What to Consider When Buying Skateboard Shoes

What to Consider When Buying Skateboard Shoes

Considerations when Buying Skate Shoes

So what are the considerations when shopping for a new pair of skate shoes?
LOOKS: First and foremost, you want a pair of shoes that fits your aesthetic style. We suggest you start with the shoes you think look cool and then see if they have the other features you need. Like we said, when you look good, you feel good and you’ll skate good. All the technology in the world isn’t worth much if you don’t like how your kicks look on your feet.
HEIGHT: One of the most obvious differences in ‘looks’ is the height, or profile, of your shoe. We’re talking hightops, mids, and low top shoes. High tops, like the Cons CTAS Pro, often end above the ankle and offer a bit of extra padding and stability. A mid, like the classic Vans Half Cab, is a great medium height for some high top flavor without constricting movement, while Lows, like the New Balance Foy 306, are generally a bit lighter in weight and offer more flexibility. However, thanks to the advanced technology in most skate footwear, the performance and durability of the shoe is not closely related to the height.

Durability, Padding, and Boardfeel are Important When Choosing Skateboard Shoes

Durability, Padding, and Boardfeel are Important When Choosing Skateboard Shoes

PADDING and BOARDFEEL: As you dig deeper into the nitty gritty, two important variables to consider are padding and boardfeel. Boardfeel typically refers to the ability to feel the subtle variations in the shape of your deck under your feet. This implies a thinner, more flexible shoe. One generally sacrifices some impact protection and thickness to increase boardfeel, although these elements are not always mutually exclusive. See our Vulc vs. Cupsole section above for how shoe construction is a big factor here. But it is also worth considering the additional foam padding that can be offered in areas like the tongue, shoe lining, and collar. And, of course, the material and thickness of the insole will also affect boardfeel and foot protection. Skate shoes run the full gamut of padding options from the canvas-and-thin-rubber ultimate boardfeel of a Chuck Taylor All Star to the snug, pillowy comfort of an éS OG Accel.
DURABILITY: Skateboarding is very tough on your shoes. As far as your footwear is concerned, you are basically rubbing various areas of your shoes on an abrasive surface over and over. Fortunately, skate shoe manufacturers have given special attention to the parts that are most likely to wear out quickly, the “ollie area” (right around where your pinkie toe meets your foot), the outer portion of the toes, the sole, and the lower lace eyelets. To help protect these areas, skate shoes often have extra stitching (or sometimes no stitching with a “seamless toe box”), extra layers of materials, or other design features.

What Materials Should Be Chosen For Skate Shoes

What Materials Should Be Chosen For Skate Shoes

MATERIALS: In addition to design and construction, what a skate shoe is made out of can greatly affect the durability as well as the length of time a shoe takes to “break in”. Shoes are commonly made of several materials for different areas, so pay extra attention to the outer layer of material in the high use areas.
Suede is the most common material you will find. Made from the softer underside of an animal hyde, it is durable and tends to slightly stretch and form fit over time, making it ideal for skateboarding. Many shoes have several layers of suede on the ollie area, or suede with an underlayer of synthetic material like Vans’ Duracap technology.
Leather (or Patent Leather) is similar to suede as it is made from the outer side of animal hyde. It is smooth in appearance and typically thinner than suede and a little less durable. Leather is often used for a premium appearance in a skate shoe, but also is quite durable.
Canvas (and other Textiles) are a suede alternative that offers great looks, decent wear resistance, and more flexibility and a shorter break in duration than suede or leather. Made from woven and knit materials, most common cotton but also wool or synthetic fibers, canvas can make a shoe lighter and more breathable as well. Many manufacturers are even incorporating post-consumer plastic fibers into their shoes (such as Adidas Primeblue products). And a good deal of canvas shoes are entirely vegan. Other polyurethanes, rubbers, polyfills, and foams are used in other portions of the shoes, typically padding, midsoles, lining, and insoles.

Skateboard Shoe Insole Technology Is Important

Skateboard Shoe Insole Technology Is Important

Insole Technology: Nike Zoom Air, Emerica G6 Foam, Lakai Delux-Lite, Vans’ PopCush… each brand of skate footwear has developed their own proprietary technology for their shoes, especially when it comes to impact dampening insoles. Over time and with some sampling you may develop a preference for one brand’s insoles over another’s. Some skaters have a strong enough preference that they will swap the insole from one brand to another. Other skaters tell us they can’t feel much difference other than some feeling ‘softer’. Just know that all these brands have invested heavily in developing this technology and they all try to strike a balance between impact protection and boardfeel.
Sizing: Frustratingly, not all shoes fit "True To Size" (or TTS). When a style is confirmed to run large or small, we try to note it in the product’s description. It can sometimes be worth the time to do a quick internet search to see if there is a info on a particular style’s sizing. It is also worth noting that nearly all shoes are listed in Mens (more frequently being reffered to as Unisex) sizes. This is true even of pro models for women skaters, like Lizzie Armanto’s shoe for Vans. We make sure to properly state whenever a shoe is in Womens or Youth sizes.

Branding: More than just the logos on your shoe, a skater’s connection to a brand can run surprisingly deep, and the very aspect that draw one skater to a certain brand may repel another. Some factors involved with brand loyalty are a brand’s history inside and outside of skateboarding, the heritage of designs, whom the brand sponsors (and if it is a pro model signature shoe), business practices and reputation, collaborations with other brands, who else is wearing the shoes, and even what skate videos and content that brand is producing. There is no right answers for brand loyalty. A company will thrive or pivot based on the support of skaters like you, so make sure you stoked on who you’re rolling with.
Price and Availability: The final consideration when picking out a pair of kicks is the price, and if you can even get the shoe easily. Technology features, materials, and even popularity of a shoe can affect the price. Some shoes (and specific colorways) are almost always available and being restocked, while others are limited time specials. Some “hype” shoes are so popular that they have to be sold through a raffle system and you can’t even get a pair if you want. A skate shoe will typically last you about 3 months with regular use (although this timeframe can vary with skateboarding style and ability). There are lots of great shoes to fit nearly any budget, and many older colors go on sale when new drop happen, so more expensive doesn’t necessarily mean a better shoe for you.

CCS Has a Huge Variety of Skate Shoes Available for Every Taste

Almost all skateboard shoes qualify for Free Shipping in the US, and returns are free on non-clearance items, so we are confident you will find footwear that you love. Hit us up through email or on social media with any questions or skate shoe observations, and make sure to tag us in any photos of you in your favorite kicks.

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