How can I improve the grip on my shoes?

Do skateboarding shoes offer enough grip for parkour/ freerunning?

  • I was just wondering, because I regularly practice parkour, and I can't shop around for shoes specially for parkour, so I currently have a pair of skateboarding shoes. I'm not concerned about padding, though, because I have insoles that offer a lot of padding, but I'm not sure if skate shoes offer enough grip. Anyway, is it safe to keep doing what I love, or should I stop until I need new shoes?

  • Answer:

    There is never a reason to stop doing what you love! Just because you have shoes not made for it, does not mean you will have to stop. They will work, but When looking for good parkour shoes, there a few things needed to keep in mind. Grip Flexibility lightweight Durability versatility and awesome looking! Okay i added the last one but still. They do not need to be super expensive, because they will just wear down or be outgrown quickly and the money will be lost. If you get something cheaper you can buy another pair when the current ones wear out. "5.10 free-runners, inov-8, or the k-Swiss ariakes. vibram 5 fingers (really light), the feiyues (great grip and flex/sensitivity, but low durability) and a few shoes from asics." These are all good shoes for parkour. So buy a pair that feels good, and that are tight fitting but not too tight. Just snug so that you can feel your surroundings better. You don't want big cumbersome shoes that flop now do you? Now remember to be careful, don't do anything that you don't feel comfortable doing. And be persistent! good luck, have fun!

GIR at Yahoo! Answers Visit the source

Was this solution helpful to you?

Other answers

Skateboarding shoes are pretty good for parkour. The grip, designed for the concrete-like griptape surface of a skateboard, is just as good for actual concrete, and the material does pretty well on rails too. The only problem is that some companies like to put too much padding on the sides and become a bit stiff; But if you get something like the emerica suske's (something like that), you only need to worry about durability, which also becomes a problem with these kinds of shoes. If you're worried about padding, skateboard shoes have more than enough padding without insoles. You actually want less padding for parkour, 'cause the more you have the less interaction with your environment you have; it takes away from the entire experience, the stiffness becomes a bit uncomfortable, and it doesn't allow you to feel your way through stuff like precisions and balancing. If you think you have too little padding for landings, you're probably taking drops from heights you shouldn't be taking, you're not taking the impact correctly (it's all on the balls of your feet), or a combination of both. Basically, what you have right now, if you feel comfortable in them, should last you a couple of months until you start getting rips and holes in the sole. When that happens, just look for shoes with the guidelines stated in the answer before me. They don't really have to be parkour specific, and they don't have to have any extra amount of padding. You just want for the sole to be as unpatterned as possible (to have a larger surface area to grip with), to be made of one piece (so it doesn't fall apart too soon), to have good flex, and to have at least decent sensitivity. If your movement feels impaired by the shoe, it's no good.

Random Guy

Related Q & A:

Just Added Q & A:

Find solution

For every problem there is a solution! Proved by Solucija.

  • Got an issue and looking for advice?

  • Ask Solucija to search every corner of the Web for help.

  • Get workable solutions and helpful tips in a moment.

Just ask Solucija about an issue you face and immediately get a list of ready solutions, answers and tips from other Internet users. We always provide the most suitable and complete answer to your question at the top, along with a few good alternatives below.