- Durable suede upper with rubber reinforcements
- Have an amazing board feel
- Super stylish
- Have a good flick for the majority of the lifespan of the shoe
- Amazing board feel
- Have a tacky flick with a durable rubber toe
- Are cheap
- Super breathable
- Amazing board feel
- Durable upper that doesn't easily rip
- Feels like an extension of your foot
- Classic skate shoe aesthetic
There’s nothing quite like the look of a Converse shoe, which is why I’m assuming you landed here. You want that low-profile aesthetic that makes you feel fresh around town, but you also want a shoe that you can actually skate in too.
I know exactly where you’re at right now as a big Converse fan myself, and I’ve skated my fair share of them over the years. Some I loved, while others, well, not so much.
So to help you find the right pair of Converse for your next session, I created this list of the best Converse skate shoes that are actually worth your time.
This list (and all our other skate shoe guides) is ranked based on personal experience from skating them myself or from the input provided by other skaters currently wearing these shoes. We do a lot of research and testing around here to make sure you find a new pair of shoes you love skating.
This testing includes judging each shoe on a variety of factors such as durability, comfort, overall style, board feel, and foot protection.
By the end of this guide, you’ll see why there’s a clear winner for Converse skate shoes, and what some of the major downsides to these shoes can be.
Let’s get started!
The 4 Best Converse Skateboard Shoes
Before we get into the details of each shoe, if you have wider feet stop right here and see our guide to skate shoes for wide feet instead.
Every shoe from Converse is extremely narrow and won’t be comfortable unless you have average-width or narrow feet.
1. Converse Louie Lopez Pro
The suede upper and lack of stitching around the toe makes this an incredibly durable shoe that held up well even with regular abuse in evening skate sessions. Its narrow toe box and snug fit around the midfoot makes you feel pretty locked in when trying tricks. However, these still have that classic Converse outsole, which is notoriously thin and lacks any impact protection.
These shoes are awesome for flat ground and transition skating but less ideal for skating drops and stairs.
These shoes tend to fit relatively long and should be worn a half size down from your regular skate shoe. After a couple of sessions they do start to stretch a bit, making them feel a bit less tight overall too. They are certainly not good for wide feet though, unless you like your shoes death-gripping your feet.
The Louie Lopez Pro is quite a bit more expensive than most Converse skate shoes, putting it in a similar price range to other brands like New Balance, Etnies, or Lakai. However, the more classic skate shoe style, consistent flick, and the most durable upper of any Converse shoe I’ve skated justifies the price.
Ultimately these are good skate shoes if you want a great board feel, a responsive flick, and don’t session high-impact features regularly. If you are skating drops, stairs, and gaps, I would not suggest these shoes or any other Converse skate shoes for that matter.
Reasons To Buy:
- Durable suede upper with rubber reinforcements
- Have an amazing board feel
- Super stylish
- Have a good flick for the majority of the lifespan of the shoe
Reasons To Avoid:
- More expensive than other Converse
- Fit narrow
2. Converse Chuck Taylor All-Star Pro
Although one of the most barebones and low-profile shoes on this list, it’s a surprisingly fun shoe to skate if you focus more on flat ground, ledges, and rails. The rubber toe cap is insanely durable, and I never ripped through the toe cap doing flip tricks.
That extra rubber also made tricks feel really tacky and nice to flick. However, it is a relatively hard rubber that slides differently on your grip tape and can take some getting used to at first.
The only place I found this shoe to wear through more quickly was the ollie area, which I had to touch up with shoe-goo after a couple of weeks. Overall, I got a couple of months out of these shoes before I had to call it quits. Considering how cheap these are compared to other skate shoes, they far exceeded my expectations.
Since this shoe is so low profile, there is hardly any padding around the shoe, and the outsole is super thin. The board feel is second to none with that thinner outsole, but when you land funny, or the board chops your foot, it’s noticeably more painful than other shoes.
Ultimately this is an ideal shoe if you’re cruising around, practicing flat ground, or skating mellow rails and ledges. Any larger features, drops, or stairs will leave your feet feeling beat up while wearing these shoes. Since I am much more of a casual flat ground-focused skater, I quite enjoyed these shoes.
Reasons To Buy:
- Amazing board feel
- Have a tacky flick with a durable rubber toe
- Are cheap
- Super breathable
Reasons To Avoid:
- Narrow and not good for wide feet
- No impact protection
3. Converse One Star Pro
The Converse One Star is a more 90’s aesthetic shoe that’s surprisingly durable considering the price. The suede upper held up well, and the flick feels pretty consistent once the rubber around the toe wears down a bit. The rubber did seem to wear out around the flick point and ollie area abnormally fast, but it didn’t seem to cause any issues since the suede still held up well.
These fit and feel very similar to the Converse All-Stars because they are very low-profile, thin, and have an amazing board feel. Since they are quite narrow, they hug your foot nicely but would be a nightmare if you have wider feet. These are much more focused on low-impact skating and flat ground than any larger features. Even with the insoles swapped out, the impact protection is mediocre at best.
My one other gripe around these shoes is that they can be a bit annoying to take on and off, often needing to fully unlace them. If you tend to prefer a shoe you can easily slip on and off, I would suggest the Louie Lopez instead.
Overall, this shoe is a pretty close match to the All-Star mentioned at number 2. It just has a slightly less tacky flick without the rubber toe and has a more classic skate shoe style.
Reasons To Buy:
- Amazing board feel
- Durable upper that doesn’t easily rip
- Feels like an extension of your foot
- Classic skate shoe aesthetic
Reasons To Avoid:
- No impact protection
- Fits narrow, not good for wide feet.
4. Converse Chuck Taylor All-Star Pro Hi
If you want the lowest-profile high-top skate shoe, this should be your pick. This shoe honestly feels like an outsole with some fabric stitched to the top because it’s so thin. However, this ends up creating a high top that doesn’t limit your ankle movement as much and feels solid to flick tricks with.
These have a very similar design to the low-top all-stars, mostly because they are the same shoe but with a higher ankle collar. This shoe has an amazing board feel and a tacky flick, thanks to the rubber toe cap. That toe cap is insanely durable and holds up well no matter how many kickflips you throw at it. For skating flat ground, these felt like a treat to skate until you land primo.
Similar to other Converse skate shoes, the weak point tends to be around the ollie area. I found the stitching to wear out and the material to blow through after a few weeks of skating. Fortunately, it was easy to repair with some shoe-goo which got me a few more weeks out of the shoes.
Overall, if you want a high-top skate shoe, I would suggest you forget these shoes and look into the ones we mention in our best high-top skate shoe guide. However, if you are gung-ho about the style of Converse and the feel of a thin skate shoe, this is a fine option for flat ground and other tech skating. Just consider upgrading the insoles!
Reasons To Buy:
- Decent ankle support when laced tight
- Amazing board feel
- The high top doesn’t limit ankle movement
- Has a good, consistent flick
Reasons To Avoid:
- Very narrow
- Annoying to take on and off with so many laces & lack of structure
Do Converse Fit True To Size?
No, Converse tend to run a half-size big since they often have a longer toe box. You should go a half size down from your regular shoe size when buying Converse. They will stretch out a little bit after some wear, so don’t worry if they feel a little snug for the first couple hours of use.
In my case, I typically wear 10.5, and a size 10 in Converse was super comfortable after I skated in them a bit.
Can All Converse Be Used As Skate Shoes?
Although you technically can skate any pair of Converse, it’s worth noting the difference between street-wear Converse and skateboard-specific Converse. Skate-specific Converse are known as Converse CONS and are made with more durable materials like suede and often have reinforced flick points with rubber underlays. Compared to their standard canvas street shoes, the CONS are slightly more padded and hold up much better against your grip tape.
So with that in mind, make sure to look out for the “CONS” logo on the back of a shoe if you’re looking at them in a store. I would also recommend opting for the suede versions of the shoe over the canvas as it will last you a lot longer.
I accidentally bought a street-wear pair of Converse to skate once and blew a hole within the first hour of skating.
Lesson learned.
I have not had that issue with any of the CONS lineup of shoes. And yes, every shoe in this list is a Converse CONS skate-specific shoe.
Which Converse Should You Choose?
Typically I would recommend a couple of options based on your skating style. However, if you just want the best feeling, looking, and most durable shoe from Converse, get the Louie Lopez Pro. Easy as that.
| Shoe | Specs | Our Rating | Where To Buy |
|---|---|---|---|
Best Overall |
| 8.5 | Check Price On AmazonCheck Price At Tactics Boardshop |
Best For Beginners | Converse Chuck Taylor All-Star Pro
| 8.1 | Check Price At Tactics Boardshop |
|
| 8 | Check Price On AmazonCheck Price At Tactics Boardshop |
| Converse Chuck Taylor All-Star High Top
| 7.8 | Check Price At Tactics Boardshop |
