Skateboard Shoes
Skate Shoes at North Street Skate
Here at North Street Skate we understand the importance of having your shoes feel and look right for you. With so much variety available on the market its no wonder you’ll chop and change skate shoe brands and styles. From slip ons to mids and high tops all the way through to your bog standard looking shoe. Every one has their preference and individuality in choice. Thats what makes us Human right?
Well like we said, with variety comes preference. Knowing your preference is one thing but sometimes stepping out of your comfort zone to try a new shoe might be just what you need.
All brands have their different technologies and niches within the skate shoe world. For Example Lakai Skate Shoes feature their PARA-MOUNT Outsole where as New Balance Numeric utilised the Ndurance rubber. Both of which perform differently and will provide different levels of grip, and a longer or shorter life line.
Along with the types of technologies the companies have developed themselves over time there are two basic variants of skate shoe soles to be aware of. These are, Vulcanised Soles and Capsole shoes. Much like the brand of shoe you wear many skaters will stick to one or the other of these types of soles. Both provide many different opportunities for the skateboarder and again it comes down to trying it out for yourself. We’ve taken the liberty of comparing Vulcanised Skate Shoes against Cupsole Skate Shoes below to, maybe, help you make a decision on which type of shoe you may find most suited to your style of skateboarding.
Vulcanised vs Cupsole Skate Shoes
The most commonly asked question around skate shoes is “which sole type is best? Cupsole or Vulcanised” to summarise really quickly. Both are amazing for their own reason. It completely comes down to you as a skateboarder. Your style or type of terrain my require more impact resistance or board feel. That is where what we’re about to tell you will become extremely useful.
Vulcanised Skate Shoes
What is a vulcanised/vulcanized shoe?
Vulcanised is the method of constructing the shoe. In short the rubber outsole (and sole) is heated and then adhered to the top part of the shoe. Heated the rubber creates elasticity in the rubber and allows it to adhere to the top part of the skate shoe. Typically this is a rubber to suede junction which is extremely strong. Much stronger than gluing the suede and rubber together. Once the shoe is moulded together it is heated for a second time. This steam baking process takes place to ensure a tough and durable finishes is achieved but maintains the easy to break in feel is still kept.
What are the benefits of a vulcanised skate shoe?
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superior board feel once broken in
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Easy and quick to break in
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Less expensive
What style of skateboarding is a vulcanised skate shoe best for?
If you are skating ledges, manuals, flat ground and low drops found at most skateparks then a vulcanised shoe would be best for you. The flatter shoe provides less arch and heel support than its counterpart but this does mean you are able to feel more of the board when in these shoes.
If you think a vulcanised shoe is best suited to your style of skating we’d recommend shop favourites the Lakai Cambridge or New Balance Numeric’s NM306 skate shoe.
Cupsole Skate Shoes
What is a Cupsole shoe?
When talking or thinking cupsole skate shoes think comfort. Like pillows around your feet. This does have it’s draw backs but also a lot of positives. A cupsole shoe is made by stitching the sole of the shoe to the top part and then wrapping a rubber layer around the outside to protect the stitching. This method of construction doesn’t use head and therefor EVA or TRP foam can be used as the heat will not cause it to burn/deform. Also as no heat is used companies can throw all different sorts of technologies inside the shoe without the fear of them being damaged.
Within the cupsole shoe you’ll find all sorts of support technology like air bags, arch support, heel support and pretty much all other types of support you may need apart from emotional support when you can’t land that damn trick!
What are the benefits of a cupsole skate shoe?
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More support
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Far more protection
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Don’t wear down as quick
What style of skateboarding is a cupsole skate shoe best for?
If you are jumping down a 15 stair set or rolling into a megaramp do you really want, what can sometimes feel like plimsoles on your feet? Probably not. You’re going to be looking for a bit more impact resistance. Thats where the cupsole comes into its own. As previously said, the cupsole can have air bags, arch support and heel support included as it doesn’t get a blast of heat in the factory. This allows the maximum amount of protection to be included within the shoe to keep your feet as safe as possible and reduce the amount of freakin’ heel bruises you rad dudes/ dudets are getting throwing yourselves of buildings. You crazing things.
For cupsole’s we, at North Street Skate, would strongly recommend Lakai’s XLK or the Adidas Busenitz and New Balance Numeric NM440.
But really get out there skate have fun, ruin your shoes get some more and keep skating. You’ll figure out what does and doesn’t work for you pretty damn quick.
