Although skateboarding is a comparatively modern act, its popularity has been increasing exponentially. So much so that in the year 2002, a teen magazine did a report that there were around 20 million skateboarders around the world and the number now has crossed fifty million to say the least. For beginners, skateboarding involves using a skateboard to perform tricks and jumps and the people who do these are called as skateboarders or skaters. With the steady evolution of skating ramps and skate parks, the number of tricks and riders involved with the act are gradually increasing. A lot of young boys and girls these days are taking up skateboarding quite early. Moreover, a recent survey stated that more than eighty five percent of the skaters are below the age of eighteen.
Skateboarding has become a multibillion dollar industry that has expanded its reach to the whole world. Even though it might seem simple, this act requires a lot of skill and material knowledge to ensure that the skater can ride the board easily and do even the most basic of tricks. Safety and health is prudent for skateboarders as the sport engrosses high wheels and speeds. Skaters face a lot of injuries and almost all the problems that are associated with the sport are either due to wrong stunt or loss of balance. Due to these reasons, it is crucial that sensible skaters should wear all the protective hear before skating that consists of elbow pads, knee pads and a helmet. Aside from these there are some other things which need to be looked over to have a comfortable time skateboarding. To ensure that the experience of skateboarding goes smoothly and enjoyable, a skater needs two important things – a good skate board and good skate shoes.
Skate shoes are footwear that is manufactured specifically for the purpose of skateboarding. These shoes are equipped with a number of different functions that are there to improve the overall skating experience for the skater. Skateboarders are seen to require a lot of grip from their shoes and due to this the soles of these shoes are made of polyurethane and rubber. As it is with any other professional sport, wearing the right shoes is very important in skate boarding as well. The following lines provide information on things and elements which make a good skate shoe.
Skate shoes are required to have a super grip should be quite comfortable and be flexible. There are a number of shoe brands such as Converse, Zoo York, Nike 6.0 and few others which are specifically designed with flat and wide soles. This makes it easier and certain that the wearer would enjoy the best grip while skate boarding. There are a number of shoe retailers online that are specialists in providing the best footwear brands at the best prices around the world. However, it is prudent to ensure that the shoe or the brand chosen for skating has all the things required to ensure comfort and safety of the person choosing it. Another thing which should be known is that the normal boots and skate footwear aren’t equal. However, there are some shoe brands which provide footwear equal to the best quality of skate shoes. The qualities of these brands include air pockets in heels of the shoes, asymmetric stabilizers, cup soles, rubber outsole (most preferably with fusion grips), shoelace protectors and toe box reinforcement (with thermoplastic material).
Another reason why the skateboarding footwear is well fitting and comfortable is that skaters wish to practice continuously for several hours on the end. If the shoes aren’t comfortable then chances are that the skater would start suffering from tiredness. Moreover, chances are that the person might get blisters due to rubbing of the shoes or the feet might start aching continuously. If a skater has been afflicted from these problems then they would not be able to give their best in the performance and this might result for them to sit out of the competition. Hence, bad footwear would hinder the skater’s ability to participate properly and flaunt the stunts and they might have to be content with watching their competition or teammates performing in the event.
Another thing which one should be aware regarding when looking for skate shoes is that although, these are supposed to be especially for athletes they can also be used to make a fashion statement. As these shoes are being made for people of all ages and gender, now every individual has the probability to afford the shoes at a cheap cost and also bring the possibility that they would look good. Skateboarders tend to form groups and with the increasing number of available brand options, the different groups can go for different shoe brands which would make the sport more diverse and interesting. Although, there is the possibility that the price tag of some specific brands might seem costly but this fact should be remembered that going for good footwear once can be considered as an investment. These boots and shoes are manufactured well and are built tough which is why there won’t be any need to replace them often. Some of the characteristics of these shoes include being stitched together multiple times (and that too with thick and special material) to ensure that the shoes don’t get ripped after going through the skateboarding rigors.
The aforementioned qualities and things should be enough to ensure that any individual serious regarding skateboarding should get footwear that would allow them to have a comfortable experience after choosing the correct shoe. It is prudent that a shoe that just looks good shouldn’t be bought and the extra money spent should provide comfort, higher grip and superior protection. Just a good looking shoe might ensure that a skater looks good when playing in front of his/her friends, but if the shoe makes them fall or fails them when they need it the most then they would embarrass themselves in front of their friends and might lose some coveted prize.
