Converse is a skate shoe brand that I’ve had a love-hate relationship with. There have been pairs I’ve owned that were awful for skateboarding, while others were some of my favorites.
The reason for this ended up being that I simply didn’t do my research enough before getting my first couple of pairs. I thought all Converse shoes were the same.
But, man oh man, was I wrong. Oh well, lesson learned and money spent.
Not all Converse shoes are made equal for skateboarding and before you decide to go with this brand, you want to know what you’re getting into. To help you avoid the mistakes I made, I want to walk you through some of the aspects of Converse that make for a great skate shoe.
While also talking about the types of models that won’t last very long and you should definitely avoid.
Are Converse Shoes Good For Skateboarding?
Converse CONS are the skateboard-specific shoe line from Converse and are amazing for skateboarding. They are made with long-lasting materials like suede or leather, with rubber backing in high-contact areas. CONS also have CX foam insoles for superior impact absorption compared to other shoes.
With that said, there are a lot of other models of Converse out there, but none are really that great for skateboarding from my experience.
For example, I’ve skated those Chuck Taylor Classics you probably see everyone wearing around town, and they ripped extremely fast. Non-skate-specific shoes from Converse have much thinner materials, are made of canvas (which rips fast), and lack cushy insoles.
So although Converse CAN be good shoes for skateboarding, not ALL Converse are.
Converse CONS keep the style of regular Converse shoes, but beef them up with everything a skater actually needs. One of the stand-out features is that CONS are made of full leather or suede. Compared to other shoe companies like Vans who often use a mix of canvas and suede, this is a nice touch.
Depending on the tricks you’re doing, you might find the toe, side, or heel to wear out rather quickly. With a fully suede or leather shoe, you don’t have to worry about ripping a less-durable canvas.
To add to the durability of Converse CONS, these shoes have rubber-backed materials in high-contact areas such as the toe. This means that even as the material starts to wear down, it’s reinforced with rubber behind it to prevent holes from forming.
Just keep in mind that this only slows the wear and tear of the shoe. It doesn’t prevent it altogether.
Benefits Of Converse CONS
Although I touched on a few of the benefits above, let’s break it down with some more detail.
– Durable Materials
The number one advantage to using Converse CONS for skateboarding is the materials they’re made with. All models are designed with fully suede or fully leather materials (some have suede and leather) making these shoes more robust than canvas shoes.
No matter where you tend to wear down your skate shoes, you’re covered from all angles.
With other brands of skate shoes I’ve used in the past, it’s always annoyed me how the canvas parts would shred before the suede toe or heel caps. Converse CONS solve this problem by using the same durable materials around the entire shoe.
Like I mentioned before, these shoes also have rubber-backed suede and leather making it harder to wear holes in your shoes. This is pretty common with skateboard-specific shoes across all brands, so it’s nothing exceptionally unique, but it is helpful.
With that said, what is unique about Converse is that some styles have fully rubber toe caps. From my experience, these are a lot harder to wear down compare to suede or leather. These caps add a nice bonus point for durability, especially for flip tricks.
The one thing you might notice with the rubber toe cap is a different board feel when popping tricks. Mostly because there is less friction against your grip tape compared to suede for example.
– Comfortable & Padded Insoles
Converse CONS have CX foam insoles which help absorb impacts and take some of the strain off your joints. CX foam pairs a single-density polyurethane insole and lightweight phylon midsole for better impact absorption and comfort.
Compared to Converse shoes without CX foam, it will feel like you’re standing on a cloud rather than a concrete pad. Over a long skate session, your feet will thank you for it.
A lot of skaters I know will opt to buy new insoles for their skate shoes out of the box, but CX foam makes the standard insoles perfect for most people.
– Superior Board Feel
Converse completely revamped the rubber used in the CONS by creating a more tacky and durable rubber compared to non-skate-specific models. With Converse rubber you get amazing grip, but also can feel your board more than most other skate shoes.
Something that a lot of people (including myself) love about skating Converse.
The Downsides To Using Converse For Skateboarding
If you’ve never skated in Converse before, there are a few things that might take some getting used to.
The first thing is the fact the shoe itself is thinner than other skate shoes on the market. This doesn’t necessarily decrease its durability but some models offer less protection to your foot compared to other shoes.
For example, the Chuck-Taylor style CONS have quite a thin exterior and I’ve bruised my foot in random places from accidentally hitting them on something.
Luckily this issue is only specific to that style of Converse, as there are options with better padding around your foot. More on that later.
The second downside to Converse is that the tread seems to wear out a little faster on the bottom compared to other shoe models like Vans. I think this is mostly due to the fact the starting tread is less significant than other shoes. Around the outer edge of these shoes, for example, there is almost no tread at all from the start.
So it’s no surprise that a bit of time rubbing against grip tape is enough to wear them down quickly.
With that said, I wouldn’t say these are reasons to not ever skate Converse. Instead, keep this in mind when you choose a style of Converse for skating in.
Especially if you just plan to roll around town without popping any tricks, the padding of the shoe won’t really matter to you. Instead, you’ll only notice the added comfort from the CX foam insoles and the long-lasting durability these shoes offer.
Which Shoe Style To Choose? – Low, Mid, or High-Top
Converse CONS come in a variety of styles with low, mid, and high-top shoes. Almost all of these styles have comparable specs with the shoe themselves, the only difference is the height around the ankle.
The style you choose ultimately comes down to personal preference, but if you aren’t sure, let’s go over some of the pros and cons of each style.
Low-top shoes are perfect for any type of skating and will feel like just about any other shoe you own. For skateboarding, it gives you the most “free” feeling around the ankle when popping tricks and can feel less warm on hot days. The downside to low-top shoes is mostly the lack of protection around the ankle, especially if a rogue board rolls into your foot.
Mid-top shoes give you something in between with a bit more protection, without feeling like you’re wearing a boot. I love skating mid-top shoes in bowls since they offer extra protection when knee sliding.
Lastly, high-top shoes give you the most protection around your foot and can feel more supportive around the ankle. This style can take some getting used to if you’ve never skated in them, but I know a lot of skaters who swear by them. I wouldn’t recommend these as much if you skate in the heat a lot.
Which Converse Shoes Should You Buy For Skateboarding?
Now let’s get into the fun part of actually talking about which shoes you should get. Like I mentioned at the start of this article, not all Converse shoes are good for skateboarding. However, if you stick with these recommendations you’ll be in store for your new favorite skate shoe.
Although you can buy some of these models from Amazon, I have heard rumblings in the skate community that some of the shoes people receive are “questionable” build quality. To avoid the risk of buying from a third-party seller, I’d suggest purchasing directly from the Converse website.
1. CONS Louie Lopez Pro
Quick Specs:
- Best For: Beginner To Advanced Skaters
- Material: Suede
- CX Foam Insole For Added Cushioning
The Louie Lopez Pro models are great all-around skate shoes with superior comfort, flexibility, and durability. These shoes are available in all suede or all leather versions, however, I’d recommend the suede for most skaters as the leather feels a bit different when flicking tricks. All the skaters I know who wear these shoes love how comfortable they are and how long they seem to last.
Unlike other Converse models, this shoe also has a bit more padding around the shoe, dampening any impact your foot may take from the top or sides. With a balance between comfort, durability, and board feel, this is the best Converse skate shoe you can go with.
2. CONS CTAS Pro
Quick Specs:
- Best For: Beginner To Advanced Skaters
- Material: Suede
- CX Foam Insole For Added Cushioning
The Chuck Taylor All-Stars (CTAS) Pro shoes merge the classic Converse style with a more durable and comfortable skate shoe. Although the style is identical to the regular Chuck Taylor All-Stars, the Pro models have CX foam insoles for added comfort, rubber backing for more durability, and are built with suede instead of canvas. These are the shoes I have been skating myself recently and have zero complaints.
These shoes are a bit thinner and feel extremely light on your foot. They also have a rubber toe cap which makes a difference in durability when flicking kickflip or popping ollies. These shoes probably have the most impressive board feel of any skate shoe I have owned.
3. CONS CTAS Pro High-Tops
Quick Specs:
- Best For: Beginner To Intermediate Skaters
- Material: Suede
- CX Foam Insole For Added Cushioning
If you love the Chuck Taylor All-Star look but prefer a high-top shoe, this is your best bet. Just like the CTAS Pros, this shoe looks exactly like the original CTAS high-tops, but with better insoles and more durable materials. Although high-tops, they are quite thin compared to other brands of high-top shoes. So if you are going with high-tops simply for added ankle protection, these won’t make a huge difference.
If you want a stylish shoe that can be worn casually but also skated on, Converse CONS are a great option to go with. Unlike other shoe brands, these shoes are made entirely out of suede or leather, without any canvas sections. That means you’ll definitely notice a more even wearing of the shoe rather than one weaker material starting to shred up faster.
If you aren’t quite sure if Converse are right for you, Vans are another great skate shoe to look at. I wrote a full guide on the best Vans for skateboarding that you can find here.
