Best Skate Shoes 2020 – Reviews & Buyers Guide

Last Updated on September 25, 2020 by Jayda Salinas

Here we have brought the best skate shoes which are durable, reliable, and comfortable available in a wide price range. Moreover, skate shoes are not only made for skateboarding, but they are also made for regular use. Nowadays, skateboard shoes are quite trendy and fashionable.

Furthermore, you need to know some factors before buying the best skate shoes, the sole of the skate shoes shall be flat and made up of rubber or polyurethane. Also, the material of the shoes should be sturdy, and they should be double stitched.

By wearing normal shoes, you can never have a fun ride on your skateboard. Moreover, you cannot maintain your balance in a standard shoe on a skateboard. Thus, skate shoes are made for the protection of your feet and give excellent grip to the rider with comfort.

Plus, they have extra padding for hard landings. However, its grip type, material, lace, fitness, toe area, uppers, etc. are hard to find in a variety of skateboard shoe brands.

In the list below of the 16 best skate shoes, you can pick the right one that can fulfill your requirements.

High-End

Vans Classic Slip-On

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Budget Friendly

Lakai Men’s Griffin

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List of 16 Best Skate Shoes for Skateboarding

1. Vans Classic Slip-On – Durable

    “Best VANS Imported skate shoe”

These vans are flexible and comfortable with an easy-wear silhouette. Moreover, the qualities of these vans are lightweight, flexible, and have an amazing grip.

However, the sole of this skate shoe is made up of multiple layers of rubber that are glued together to the upper with foxing tape.

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But one disadvantage of these best skateboard shoes is vulcs – less protection compared to the cup soles.

So, the outer material of this shoe is the original waffle and defines the impressive durability of this cleat.

Lastly, leather is used on the toes as a primary material and suede are most of the material used while making this shoe.

2. Vans Men’s Old School Core Classics – Lightweight

    “Best VAN Flexible Shoe and Budget Friendly”

This sneaker is a beauty and has an iconic side stripe-like Adidas model with a durable canvas upper. It is a low-top lace-up silhouette.

This best skateboard shoes have metal eyelets with an extra padded tongue. Moreover, these have a signature waffle outsole. However, these are one of the most graceful skate shoes.

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Furthermore, it is made up of imported rubber and canvas. Moreover, it has a fantastic grip. It makes people stand and stare at it.

Besides, these vans come in eight unique variations, and if you are a selective individual, they will have your favorite color too. These are the most durable best skate shoes.

Unfortunately, they have low foaming and cushioning for a comfortable feel. But these will last longer and give you the best fun ride with a fantastic performance.

3. DC Men’s Pure Action Sport Sneaker – Long-lasting

    “DC Pure Action Longlasting & Breathable shoe”

One of the most durable skate shoes from DC, and they have various hues from which you can choose yours, according to your mind.

Moreover, these best skateboard shoes are very soft because they are made up of soft, resilient action leather, and wearing these makes your feet protective throughout the day, as they are super comfortable.

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Furthermore, these skate shoes are made up of imported rubber that provides an amazing grip. With that, they are lightweight, and it will give you the best experience. Moreover, it is breathable and gives your toes extra room, and will not get bruised.

These are the most durable skate shoes. Also, it comes with multiple brands with extra padding and protection. Plus, this cleat has a leather upper which makes it more attractive and has a mesh lining design. Extra-padding enhances the comfort level and gives better support to the feet.

Overall, these skate shoes are a tough one to beat, and it will last longer.

4. Etnies Jameson 2 Eco Skate Shoes – Nice grip

     “Nice texture with Imported fabric”

Etnies is made up of imported fabric, and this brand has been manufacturing skate shoes from a long time ago and they are making the best shoe for better performance of the user. This pair is not their first skate shoe.

Moreover, this brand is perfect for all users and riders. Plus, it is the most popular and top-rated style. This brand is also protecting the environment by planting a tree once, and one shoe is selling. This initiative is happening since 2011.

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So in the construction of this shoe, a cup sole with 400 NBS rubber outsole and internal EVA midsole is used. Plus, for the extra comfort, they make STI foam lite 1 footed. Moreover, they are comfy to chill in and affordable.

However, if we take a look at its aesthetic, they are clean, simple, and have a nice texture. Also, this shoe has a logo on the tongue, footed, and heels for making the shoe pop.

Additionally, they are very comfortable with to best skateboard shoes. Also, they enhance the performance of the skater. Even if you don’t skate these shoes will give excellent support to your arch.

Lastly, the triangular pattern is made from recycling tires.

5. DC Men’s Trase TX Unisex Skate Shoe – Imported leather

     “Pro shoe With Nice Grip”

This skate footwear is a pro. Moreover, these have padded tongues for extra comfort and protection with lace-up leather. Plus, the sole is made with the fabric to enhance the look of the shoes and durability.

However, these high-walled rubber sole offers a nice grip as they are lightweight and are vulcanized with resistant abrasion of rubber on the outer sole.

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Furthermore, the tongue of this shoe has an official DC men’s logo to give a fantastic look. Make sure that you buy a size bigger than your actual size because they might run small. These aren’t explicitly made for skating; you can wear them casually too.

A disadvantage of this shoe is that they don’t give much support to your arch. These skateboard shoes are comfortable and you will enjoy skating with these shoes.

Lastly, these are good looking skate shoes and can be used to wear at the workplace, to skate or for a casual meeting.

6. DC Men’s Net Lace-Up Shoe – Comfortable

    “DC Good material with Imported Leather”

Bulky pair of DC men’s lace-up model but it has a height around the ankles for enhancing the comfort level and grip of the shoe.

These best skateboard shoes come in 28 different colors and you will get in confusion to choose one because all are amazing.

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Moreover, the material used to construct this shoe is leather for better durability, and the leather is imported. Plus, it offers extra grip to your foot. However, the cupsole design is made for the breathability to keep your feet dry and prevent them from bad odor.

Furthermore, these are lightweight skate shoes and have enough room for your toes to relax. Anybody will love wearing this pair of skate shoes because they are so comfortable and your feet will be relaxed.

Overall, this pair of skate shoes are affordable and you will never regret investing in this pair.

7. Reebok Work Men’s Soyay RB1910 Skate Style – Good material

     “Comfortable Skate Shoe”

Reebok skate style comes with a steel toe, and they are not slippery as they offer excellent grip to the skater. Even when the floor is wet, you will not slip, and you can have a solid grip on your feet. Moreover, it will give extra protection to your feet due to metal chips.

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Plus, the outer side of this skate shoe is made with tailex for absorbing the moisture. However, there is an EVA cushion for extra comfort, and it is removable for those who don’t need it. These are the most durable and best skateboard shoes.

Furthermore, this pair of shoes can be worn for hiking or for a casual walk too. Plus, this pair is lightweight and gives your toe better protection.

Lastly, extra padding will never let your feet hurt even, in the hard landings. Moreover, your feet will never be bruised.

8. Emerica Wino Cruiser Skate Shoe – Professional skate shoe

     “Emerica Professional Skate Shoe”

These best skateboard shoes are perfect for gifting to someone or buying for you for going on a holiday. These are lightweight and affordable.

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Moreover, teenagers can wear them to school, and it is also made for adults who weigh less than 100kg. Furthermore, it is made up of durable material. These are highly elastic and dust resistant. However, they are also rustproof comfortable to wear every day.

Lastly, they are easy to clean, and these are made for good performance. Plus, these are long-lasting shoes.

9. Etnies Swivel Skate Shoe – Lightweight

     “Lightweight & Scratchless design”

Etnies has made fantastic design with the super light material. Moreover, the scratched design is stunning and has abrasion resistance.

Furthermore, the skid resistance makes it perform great with extra flexibility. However, these are comfortable for casual wear too. Plus, they have a good grip for the feet.

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Unfortunately, this skate shoe does not have many size options. Lucky are those who could find their size in this skate shoe.

Overall, this pair performs very well, and when skating, they will never tear easily, due to its durable material. However, in the hard landings, it will protect your feet.

10. Vans Men’s Docket Skate Suede Leather Logo Shoes – Imported fabric material

      “Best Imported Fabric with Embroidered Logo”

These best skateboard shoes are the most affordable and durable, but they are bulky and got the weight although they are made with pure leather material.

Moreover, these are beautifully embroidered with the vans logo that makes the shoe popping.

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However, the cup sole of this footwear is very comfortable and offers full protection to your feet while skating or when you are hiking.

Plus, the outer material is made of suede leather, but the inner material is made with cotton fabric that is comfy and soft.

Overall, it is a best skateboard shoes and has gum rubber material for extra grip on the board, plus, the lace-up closure mechanism is for tightening the shoe.

11. Supra Men’s Shoes Stacks Style Suede Stake Sneakers – Expensive

      “Supra Expensive and Durable Shoe”

So, if you are finding a pair of skate shoes that delivers to give accurate function, you need to buy this pair of a skate shoe and throw your old ones.

Moreover, this company has made this footwear with advanced technology to craft the most unique and special design.

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However, the low-pro shape offers the ultimate mobility to spare. Plus, it is extra padded for giving a cuff of ventilation and freshness.

Furthermore, the upper material of this shoe is made of suede leather. And these best skateboard shoes are highly durable because they are strongly woven.

And the rubber sole of this van is offering an excellent firm grip to your toe. Also, it has a powerful shock absorption feature for hard landings.

Overall, these are best for skating and flossing as they are ideally crafted for it.

12. Osiris Men’s Protocol Skate Shoe – Imported leather

      “Osiris Longlasting Skate Shoe”

The Osiris Men’s Protocol Skate Shoe can be used for casual wear, but these are not the ordinary skating cleat. Plus, they are made with high-quality leather, with better durability and performance.

Moreover, it absorbs the shocks even from the hardest landings.

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Its sole is made of rubber that improves the overall grip and has high abrasion areas for extra durability. However, the tongue and collar of the best skateboard shoes are extra padded for better support and comfort for the rider’s feet.

Lastly, this pair will perform well on the road too. You just need to swipe the dirt after every use for making it look more natural like genuine leather shoes.

13. Lakai Men’s Griffin Skate Shoes – Longlasting

“Guarantee against manufacturing defects Shoe”

Lakai is always known for its comfortable shoes, and they are making flexible shoes. Plus, they are lightweight and constructed by vulcs.

Moreover, it has shock absorption technology and has extra padding for better support of the foot.

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But point to note here is that this shoe is made for the serious skaters who want to enhance their performance and skills in skating.

However, these are double stitched for batter durability. But these best skateboard shoes skate shoes are quite expensive.

Overall, these shoes are made for better grip, comfort, and stability when you ride on your skating board.

14. Globe Men’s Sprout Skate Shoe – Flexible

“Best Globe skateboarding Sleek look Shoe”

These best skateboard shoes are high-quality skate shoes, with a sophisticated look. Moreover, these are well-made and have logo brand printing on its tongue and the lining.

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Plus, this has a classic look in two colors, black and white. Also, it has an elegant look with some small tags.

Furthermore, these are versatile skate shoes. These can be used on many occasions such as in the office or at the meeting and even in the family dinner.

Overall, it is a nice shoe with double wrap fitting and natrolite footbed for extra grip and support. Lastly, these are super lightweight and are very comfortable skate shoes to wear.

15. IKE SB 819673 Skate Shoes – Comfortable

       “Nike Better Balance Skate Shoe”

These best skateboard shoes are made of flexible high-top design. Moreover, it has a collar shape for the ankle area and the fitting is snug.

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Furthermore, one of the benefits of buying these nike skate shoes is that it provides extra grip and support to your ankle and the feet. Plus, you get more than for what you bargained.

Moreover, this design is great and has thick material at the same time. Furthermore, the ankle grip provides more flexible movement when you are skating, in short, it is a low-top and high-top skateboard shoes.

Overall, it is a low maintenance skate shoe, and you will 100% love spending money for these skate shoes.

16. VANS Sk8-Hi Reissue Skate Shoes – Different colors available

          “Best in Great Fitting and Grip”

These were the 1^st skate shoe, with a preppy rugby style of 1966 and it gets a lot of compliments due to its style. Or people will ask you where to buy them?

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Unfortunately, this shoe gives less support to the arch. But these are very comfortable to wear on a casual day or in office, besides skating.

Moreover, it has a great fitting and excellent flexibility. Also, this vans pair of skate shoes is very reasonable and has an amazing grip, with a god board-feel.

Furthermore, these are durable, and the inner soul of the shoes are replaceable and you can put any other innersole for extra comfort and support according to your preference.

Overall, this pair is suitable for skating and for casual days to wear. And they have a good grip at a reasonable price tag. So, it will roll the dice!

Buyers’ Guide

Before buying any of the skate shoes from any brand, there are some common things to keep in mind, for investing in right skate shoes.

Style

When buying a skate shoe, keep in mind that what is your riding style? Will these best skateboard shoes be able to withstand a light cleat or heavy impacts?

Vulcanized skate shoes are the slim ones and you often wear them more casually as they have thinner sole and are very flexible. Moreover, they have ideal maneuverability. Also, these will give you a better grip when you will flip the board. But they don’t have the shock absorption feature. So, you have to be careful about landing on hard surfaces, your feet may get some bruises because they lack cushioning.

Furthermore, another style of skate shoe is the cupsole ones, and these are specifically made for the skaters who perform tricks in the pool and land on hard surfaces such as stairs. They have the feature called shock absorption for the keep your feet free of bruises and for giving them full protection.

Moreover, they have extra padding and cushioning inside them for better support and grip. Furthermore, these shoes have thicker soles with amazing breathability.

Durability

It is a very important thing because when you are buying something and investing a good amount of money on any pair of skate shoes, they shall last long and should be durable for the long-term. Also, nobody wants to buy a pair of skateboard shoes that wear and tear quickly. No one will buy crap. There are two things for making a shoe durable a) upper material and b) outer sole

The upper material is just an extra layer of padding for better support and protection of the feet. Moreover, it prevents the shoe from splitting.

And the outer sole has to be good because it will make contact with the ground or road, this must be a solid thing and shouldn’t wear and tear quickly. Also, Flat soles are trendy and have better gum rubber to outperform and last longer.

Protection

For protecting your skateboard footwear, the midsole, dual heel, and heel collar should be durable enough to protect your feet and themselves too.

Generally, all the best skateboard shoes have a midsole that is super lightweight and flexible. So, this midsole is made with foam with many bubbles of gas. And these gas bubbles give an impact when you lift your feet from the road or off the ground. There is another type of foam too. That is known as Pu foam which is more substantial and denser and has better durability also.

Moreover, the heel cushioning is for better protection and comfort. Also, it is perfect for shock absorption. Furthermore, the heel collar should be thick enough to prevent the shoe during maneuvers.

Comfort

The most important thing while buying a shoe is comfort level. Also, it has a link between you and your brain and skateboard, and if your mind feels tired after riding with those skate shoes, you will not enjoy your ride. Also, you will not be able to perform the tricks with your skateboard.

Furthermore, they must be having a good amount of padding in them, and while riding it, the rider should not feel the heat because if you feel the heat, it will distract you. A comfortable pair will give you more confidence while riding the skateboard.

Fitting

The fitting of the skate shoe should be accurate. The accurate fitting will help you in enhancing your skills. Always try to buy the shoe that fits you accurately with socks. Also, great fitting prevents injuries.

Grip

Every skate shoe doesn’t have the best grip. But many of them do have a rubber sole for better grip, and the grip is usually made of gum. Also, it is for better hugging your skateboard from the feet perfectly. Before buying any new pair of skate shoes, make sure that it has many grips underneath it.

Material

There are 3 types of material from which the skate shoes are made. Such as leather, full-grain, suede, and synthetic materials for their comfort, protection, durability, and better grip.

Leather is a material that can be molded easily and also known for its solid strength. Some types of leather such as full-grain, Nu-buck, and action leather are used for manufacturing any skate shoe.

Full-grain material is very long-lasting and durable, and it is similar to the action leather.

Also, suede is made with excellent maneuverability and has a smooth finishing. But it has less durability compared to other shoe materials.

Furthermore, synthetic materials are artificial materials that have similar properties to the skin. Also, this material is cheap and good for daily skating.

Toe Caps and Reinforcement

These are essential or important for protecting your feet from bruises. Also, the material is rubber or leather for better durability. Moreover, it prevents the skate shoe from splitting.

Frequently Asked Questions

In Conclusion

As a result, we all know the fact that the best skate shoes will deliver the most joyful skate ride to you. Besides that, if you are going to purchase skate shoes, don’t forget to consider your budget and preference and warranty period by the manufacturer.

Furthermore, we will suggest buying some of our favorite stake shoes that are Reebok Work Men’s Soyay Rb1910 Skate Style, Dc Men’s TraseTx Unisex Skate Shoe, and Dc Men’s Net Lace-Up Shoe

So, that’s it for this article for the best skate shoes!

Also, if you have any questions in my mind, feel free to leave them in the comment sections. I’ll be happy to answer your question. So, we hope this article will be informative for you. Thanks for visiting!