With so many skateboard shoe brands to choose from, it’s hard to know exactly which one is best. Every skate shoe brand offers something a little different, but all play a big part in the history of skateboarding. Right now there are just a handful of brands at the forefront of skating culture.
The 8 Most Popular Skateboard Shoe Brands Are:
- Nike SB
- Vans
- Adidas
- Converse
- Cariuma
- New Balance
- Lakai
- DC
Each of these brands offers some incredible skate shoes that are both long-lasting, comfortable, and most importantly, stylish. Many of these brands I talk about here I have skated myself over the years and will share some of my personal experience to help you decide which brand to go with.
So whether you’re just curious about the history of different skateboard shoe companies, what the best shoe models are, or just what you can expect from each brand, you’ll find it all below!
The 13 Best Shoe Brands For Skateboarding
The following list is broken down alphabetically, not necessarily in order of best to worst. I mean, come on, Vans is last on this list and I freakin’ love skating those shoes.
1. Adidas
Adidas began getting into the skate scene in 1989 but was challenged by the rebellious nature of skate culture. Coming in as a corporation didn’t bode well with most skaters and Adidas had a hard time getting a foothold.
Ironically they got an accidental start with skaters in the 60’s since the Adidas Superstar basketball shoe was a popular choice among skaters. So perhaps they had a false sense of confidence when they first started the skate-specific sector of the brand.
Things began to change when they worked hard at “inviting” prominent skaters to use their shoes and began getting more coverage. As they become more commonly used by pro skaters, they slowly worked their way into the market. Many say this was due to the help of Mark Gonzalez, a pro skater with a keen sense for the pulse of skateboarding.
What Adidas offered that separated them from the crowd was their torsion support system design. This allowed the forefoot and the heel to move independently while maintaining overall foot support. Something that a lot of skate shoes seem to lack.
Adidas is one of the most popular skate shoe brands today and is known for its long-lasting, and extremely comfortable shoes. The only issue I have with this brand is the soles are quite thick and have limited board feel. This is a bit of a trade-off for added cushioning and comfort I suppose. You can check out their current skate team roster here.
The Best Adidas Skate Shoes
There are a wide array of Adidas skate shoes but the most popular are the Busenitz Pro shoes and the Matchbreak Super skate shoes. I talk about why Adidas shoes are good for skateboarding more in-depth in another post.
– Busenitz Pro Skate Shoe
These shoes are some of the most popular and long-lasting skate shoes around. These shoes feel a lot like you’re wearing a running shoe, but with the reinforced components needed in a skate shoe. The only downside to this shoe is despite the long-lasting suede, it does not have vulcanized rubber. That means the soles wear down a little faster, but you get a bit more flexibility in the shoe.
– Matchbreak Super Skate Shoe
This skate shoe is a better Adidas skate shoe for all skill levels since it’s a little bit cheaper, but you still get the incredible comfort of an Adidas shoe. They have an Adituff toe box to keep your foot better protected while skating, along with vulcanized rubber for more durability against your grip tape.
2. Cariuma
A newer skate shoe company to the scene, Cariuma has exploded with popularity offering top-tier skate shoes that are made sustainably. Founded by two friends named David and Fernando, they wanted to create a more comfortable sneaker for skating, while paying attention to environmental impacts. Something the big skate shoe corporations don’t concern themselves with as often.
Cariuma shoes have reinforced stitching, are made with premium suede and have a fully stitched outsole to create a longer-lasting shoe. These shoes are some of the most comfortable skate shoes you can find too. The rubber is very tacky offering a nice grip while you skate, plus the tread doesn’t wear down easily like with other shoes.
Cariuma is currently in the process of developing a recycling program for their shoes which I think is a huge step forward in the skate community. We skaters can rip through a pair of shoes in just a couple of months, which adds up to a lot of unused waste. It’s refreshing to see a shoe company more conscious of this and makes me happy to get behind and support them.
Mixing both the incredible quality of their shoes, with their company mission, Cariuma is one of the best skate shoe brands to go with. You can check out their current skate team here.
The Best Cariuma Skate Shoes
Although I wrote about this more in detail in my Cariuma Skate Shoe Review, here are some good options to consider. These are the most comfortable and longest lasting from everything I’ve heard from talking to friends of mine who skate them. For every pair of shoes you buy, Cariuma also plants 2 trees on your behalf which is pretty cool!
– Catiba Pro Shoes
One of the best things about the Catiba Pro skate shoes is the memory foam insoles that actually give arch support while you skate. This creates a sense of comfort that is hard to find in other skate shoes. These shoes are also more long-lasting than some other skate shoes since they have reinforced flick points (such as the toe and heel).
– Catiba Pro High Shoes
The Catiba Pro Highs are basically the same shoe as the Catiba Pro’s, except with a higher top. If you’ve ever had a rouge board hit you in the ankle, you know how much that can hurt. With high-top shoes, you get a little extra protection around your foot, and a bit more ankle stability too. If you want all the perks of a Cariuma shoe but in a high-top version, this is the ideal choice.
3. C1rca (Pronounced Circa)
C1rca was founded in San Clemente, California in 1999, establishing itself as one of the first skate-specific shoe companies. Founded by legendary skater Chad Muska, along with Jamie Thomas and Adrian Lopez, these three became one of the most iconic groups of skaters in the early 2000s.
As they have expanded over time, C1rca continues to specialize in comfortable, reasonably priced skate shoes. This company isn’t as dominant in skateboarding as it once was, as you can tell from their team page.
The Best C1rca Skate Shoe
There isn’t a lot to choose from in the C1rca lineup, but these shoes are still a decent option to go with for beginner to intermediate skaters.
– C1rca AL50 Skate Shoe
The Adrien Lopez pro-model skate shoe has a triple stitched toe making the flick point very durable to the inevitable wear and tear. The tongue of these shoes is noticeably more padded than other shoes giving a lot of protection to your foot from impacts from above. The insoles of these shoes are relatively average with quite a “flat” feeling to them. Compared to other brands, the insoles that come with these shoes are pretty bad. I know a few people who have complained about foot cramps even after the break-in period.
4. Converse
Converse is by far the oldest and most recognizable brand on this list. Getting their start in 1908 creating winterized boots, they eventually transitions into athletic footwear in 1915. This marked the start of their 50+ year monopoly over the athletic shoe market.
An interesting note about Converse is that they transitioned into developing footwear for the American military in WWII, taking a brief hiatus from consumer athletic wear.
In the late ’70s Converse lost its dominance in the shoe market as other brands came out with competing styles. Then is 2003, Nike acquired Converse for $309 million and began to take the company in new directions.
In 2009, Converse officially broke into the skateboard scene by releasing their CONS line; a skateboard-specific shoe model with better durability and insoles compared to standard Converse. They launched with an ambassador team made up of Kenny Anderson, Anthony Pappalardo, Nick Trapasso, Sammy Baca, Ethan Fowler, Raymond Molinar, and Rune Glifberg, Jason Jessee, and Mike Anderson. You can find their current roster of skaters here.
Still known for their obvious Converse style, they have become one of the most long-lasting and comfortable skate shoes around. However, I am just talking about the CONS line, not just any style of Converse. I highlight exactly why Converse are good for skateboarding in another post.
The Best Converse Shoes For Skateboarding
– CONS Louie Lopez Pro
The Louie Lopez Pro model skate shoes are probably in my top 3 favorite skate shoes of all time. They are fully suede making them extremely durable from all angles. To help make them more comfortable than regular street-shoe Converse, this model has CX foam insoles that feel like standing on a cloud. Surprisingly, despite their extreme cushion, you still get an exceptional board feel like you do with thinner soles. This is one of the best Converse shoes for skateboarding and I can’t recommend them enough!
– CONS CTAS Pro
If you want the classic look of Converse Chuck Taylors but with the better insoles and thicker materials of their skate shoes, go with this one. These shoes are also made with premium suede that is far better than the weak canvas in the CTAS street shoes. They also have CX foam insoles which make all the difference to protect from heel bruising and make your joints feel a lot better after a session.
5. DC
DC was founded in Carlsbad California by Ken Block and Damon Way in 1994. They quickly became one of the most high-profile names in action sports with their aggressive push at sponsoring extreme athletes and high-profile events.
Two events come to mind, with Danny Way jumping over the Great Wall of China in 2005, or the 2012 10ft jump out of a helicopter into a half-pipe adorned in DC logos. Nobody else was even close to the marketing beast DC was at the time.
By 1997 they were doing world tours with the brands skate, surf, and motocross teams. However, the brand left a bad taste in a lot of skaters’ mouths as they became increasingly mainstream. In the counter culture of skaters, DC was trying to expand to a non-skater audience and was quickly labeled as sell-outs by some.
But that isn’t to say they don’t make some great shoes for skateboarding. They still put out some amazing skate parts and have a stacked team of skaters that you can see here.
The Best DC Skate Shoe
Although you may be thinking of the iconic DC Court Graffik skate shoes, these definitely aren’t great skate shoes by today’s standards. DC doesn’t have a great selection of top-tier shoes for skating, but there is one shoe that sticks out.
– DC Kalis Skate Shoe
This shoe has a fully suede toe cap, leather heel cups, and an extended rubber outsole in the most common contact areas. Together this makes the shoe reasonably durable and a good option for beginner to intermediate skaters. Compared to other skate shoes this one looks quite unique with a more athletic-shoe kind of style. The one downside to this shoe is the underwhelming grip along the bottom which tends to wear out quickly.
6. DVS
DVS is one of the OG shoe companies of skateboarding, founded in 1995 by Tim Gavin and the Dunlap Brothers. With DVS they formed a distribution company called Podium Distribution, which you’ll hear about more throughout this post.
Podium, unfortunately, had to file bankruptcy in 2012 after increased manufacturing costs in China and the general downturn in retail after the 2008 financial crisis.
Shortly after this filing the company was acquired by Sequential Brands Group and got the brand back on track again. They started by signing Torey Pudwill (who now skates for Nike SB) and expanded their line of skate shoes. Today DVS is a less common skate shoe brand since the shoes they offer don’t match most people’s definition of modern style. Their shoes are quick boxy and bulky, making them a below-average shoe brand to skate in. You can also see their small skate team here.
The Most Popular DVS Skate Shoe
– DVS Comanche
Looking more like a lego block than a skate shoe, the DVS Comanche is the “most popular” skate shoe, but definitely not a great one. It was weird stitching around the toe that wears down quickly, with a low-profile rubber outsole. These shoes feel as boxy as they look and aren’t as durable as many other brands. I honestly would avoid DVS as a skate shoe, despite its long history in the industry.
7. Emerica
Emerica is a brand by skaters for skaters that makes clean, simple, and most importantly, comfortable skate shoes. Their parent company is Etnies, and they were originally sold under the name Etnies America when first introduced to the US market. However, after the owner of Etnies, Pierre André Senizergues, lost the license to “Etnies America” he rebranded to Emerica; the brand you see today.
Emerica has long been dedicated to skateboarders since its original inception in the late ’90s. They have since expanded into surf, motocross, BMX, and women’s footwear to expand their reach beyond skateboarders.
Emerica shoes are very comfortable and almost feel like you aren’t wearing shoes. Although relatively thin and not offering a lot of foot support, they feel very tactile to skate in. You can find their current lineup of skaters on their team here.
The Best Emerica Skate Shoes
– Wino G6 Slip-On
Slip-on shoes are a dream to skate in because you never have to worry about a lace ripping again. That is literally the bane of my existence as a skater. These shoes are suede in all the high-abrasion areas making them very durable even for advanced skaters. They hug your foot quite nicely and many people find them more comfortable than Vans slip-ons, but that’s up for debate. These are incredible skate shoes for skaters of all levels and one of my favorites on this list!
– Romero Laced
Another classic skate shoe you’ll see absolutely everywhere, the Romero has a lot less stitching overall making it less prone to ripping. The shoe is fully suede so it still holds up well against your grip tape. The main advantage to these over the slip ons is mostly that you can get them tighter by actually tying your laces. But then you have to deal with ripping laces, so it’s a definite trade-off.
8. Etnies
Etnies was launched at the tail end of Pierre André Senizergues’s skate career in 1986, starting out as an emerging brand in the European market. It wasn’t introduced to the US market until later in the companies life, where it became the parent company of Emerica and éS footwear.
Besides making low-profile skate shoes with an awesome board feel, they also have done extensive charity work over the years. They currently have a “buy a shoe plant a tree program” to support tree planting projects in Costa Rica and Brazil.
This project alone has planted over 2 million trees since 2011, so you can feel like you’re doing some good while also getting some new shoes to shred. You can check out their current skate team here.
The Best Etnies Skate Shoes
For a more detailed overview, click here to see our guide on the best Etnies skate shoes.
– Etnies Marana
As another one of my favorite skate shoes, the Etnies Marana is beyond comfortable and has injected rubber along the toe to further protect high-wear areas. What that means for us skaters is more durability to the shoes and a bit of a longer lifespan.
This model of shoe has a Pro 1 foam insole that really helps to absorb impacts and keep your feet and joints feeling fresh as a long session.
– Etnies Joslin Vulc
Another great shoe from Etnies is the Joslin vulcanized skate shoe, which has a slightly stiffer and more durable rubber compared to the Marana. Vulcanized rubber has sulfur to improve the polymer chains in the rubber, ultimately giving you a more tacky and strong rubber.
This shoe is also suede in all the high-abrasion areas making them a great option if you want your shoe to last as long as possible. The one caveat to these is that the higher heel rubber outsole can make flicking heelflips feel a bit off at first.
9. Globe
Globe was founded in Australia in 1994 by three brothers named Peter, Stephen, and Matt Hill. The brothers were pro skaters in 1984 and become tired of the low-quality gear they were getting from sponsors. To solve this they looked to the US to import their favorite products and ended up becoming distributors as well.
Today Globe is one of the largest skate distribution companies in the world, distributing over 30 notable brands such as Girl, Lakai, Chocolate, Flip, Skatemental, and Thrasher. They also own a handful of widely recognized skateboard brands like Enjoi, Blind, Almost, Cliché, Darkstar, Speed Demons, Tensor.
Besides the mega business that Globe is in the industry, they also make some pretty sweet skateboard shoes. Their shoe designs are quite unique compared to many others with some added perks to improve the longevity of their shoes. You can find their current skate team here.
The Best Globe Skate Shoes
– Globe Mahalo Plus
My favorite shoe from Globe is this one with a more casual street look, but with an extended rubber outsole on the most high-wear area. This extension also covers the stitching which helps to keep your shoe from falling apart as fast once the seams break. Besides this unique outsole, the insoles have Globe Shockbeds to absorb impacts and prevent heel bruising. A must-have for any skate shoe I buy.
– Globe Surplus
If you like the extended outsole of the Mahalo Plus, but want even more of it, the Surplus is exactly that. It has infused rubber along every major flick point which really helps to slow down the wear and tear of the shoe. This shoe kind of looks like moon-boots with so much rubber around the toes, but proves to be a very durable skate shoe!
10. Lakai
Lakai was founded by Girl co-founder Mike Carrol and Rick Howard in 1999. Although both pro skaters, they wanted to make a contribution to the skateboard footwear industry by creating their own company instead of taking sponsorships. At the initial launch, they partnered with Podium Distributions (original owners of DVS) and got the word out through their reputation in the skate industry.
Lakai has always been one of the most respected shoe brands within skateboarding and continues to make great shoes to this day. One of the most memorable things about this brand is the skate videos they’ve made over the years. Most notable, “Fully Flared” in 2007 which lead me to buy my first ever pair of Lakai’s. You can check out their current skate team here.
The Best Lakai Skate Shoes
For a more detailed overview, click here to see our guide on the best Lakai skate shoes.
– Lakai Sheffield
The Sheffield skate shoe is fully suede on the outside edge making the entire shoe equally durable. A nice perk to Lakai shoes is the Deluxlite insoles that help absorb impacts and provide arch support. This might not seem important but it helps a lot with preventing foot cramps!
When I skated these shoes I had zero complaints and my foot felt very snug in them. Especially if you have wide feet, this is one of the best skate shoes around.
– Lakai Cambridge
This shoe has a tennis-shoe style stitched toe cap making them look a little more unique than other skate shoes. Although the toe cap is suede, the side of the shoe is mostly a durable canvas-like material that doesn’t seem to wear as fast as a standard canvas. This shoe is one of the most widely skated Lakai shoes and is comfortable from day one.
They also have Deluxlite insoles which both cushion and cup the heel really nicely while giving some much-needed arch support. The only thing to mention, however, is the toe box is more narrow in this shoe which isn’t ideal if you have wide feet.
11. New Balance
New Balance is a brand you probably know for its running shoes. However, as of 2013 they began expanding into the skate industry with their “Numeric” skate-specific shoe line and are making serious waves.
Starting from the humble beginnings of an Irish Immigrant named William Riley in 1906, New Balance got its start by creating arch supports for factory workers. It wasn’t until 1961 that they released their first athletic shoe, which quickly gained popularity among up-and-coming athletes. For a while, the company plateaued until it was purchased by Jim Davis in 1972 in the middle of the “running boom” of the ’70s.
So although New Balance is the newest shoe company in the skate world, they are nothing to scoff at. Using their 110+ years of experience, it’s no wonder that their shoes are some of the absolute best skate shoes around.
One thing that New Balance is known for is how durable, yet light all of their skateboarding shoes are. With the help of REVlite foam and bonded thermoplastic polyurethane, these shoes are extremely strong and supportive without feeling like bricks on your foot.
Another incredible feature about these shoes is the N2 soles found in some of their skate shoes. This technology uses nitrogen-enriched foam under and around to heel for better support and cushioning from heel bruises. This brand is one of the most popular among skaters I know, and I love the look of these shoes. You can find their full skate team here.
The Best New Balance Skate Shoes
For a more detailed overview, click here to see our guide on the best New Balance skate shoes.
– Numeric 306 Jamie Foy Pro Models
These shoes are incredibly durable and make your feet feel like they’re at the spa with the cushioned insole. New Balance does a great job at designing breathable skate shoes, and this one is no exception. It has mesh liners around the tongue and between the suede sections to allow airflow without losing durability.
Speaking of durability, these shoes have rubber underlays beneath the suede to make an already durable material even more so. If you’re going with New Balance skate shoes, these are my first pick.
– Numeric 508 Brandon Westgate Pro Models
A huge bonus to this shoe is how breathable they are, a nice perk on hot summer days on your board. These shoes were built with a similar design to a New Balance soccer shoe making them feel surprisingly tactile compared to other skate shoes. Although it appears like there isn’t a lot to make these shoes durable, they actually have rubber underlays beneath the suede to make the shoe less prone to ripping. Although you can’t go wrong with any New Balance Numeric shoe, this is my second choice!
12. Nike SB
Nike SB (as is skateboarding) didn’t have an easy rise to the popularity it sees today. Similar to Adidas, Nike got its start in skateboarding by accident when skaters in the 70s favored Nikes basketball shoes for their flat soles. In the mid-’90s Nike tried to make a skate-specific shoe but it totally flopped as skate culture fully rejected the corporate brand.
After a few years of hiatus from the skate industry, Nike came back with a vengeance, releasing the Nike SB Dunks in 2002. With the help of clever marketing and endorsements, the shoe really began to get traction in the skate scene. What really launched Nike SB into skateboarding though was when Paul Rodriguez, at the height of his career, signed with Nike and released the Paul Rodriguez Zoom Elites in 2005. These quickly became one of the most sought-after shoes and helped establish Nike in skateboarding.
Nike SB’s next big hit would be the Stefen Janoski shoe, which remains one of the most popular skate shoes today. Now Nike has established itself as one of the biggest brands in skating, with one of the most stacked team of skaters of any brand on this list.
The Best Nike SB Skate Shoes
– Nike SB Zoom Stefan Janoski RM
The Janoski’s are probably one of, if not the most, popular skate shoes of recent years. They are super light and feel like you’re hardly wearing shoes while you skate. Surprisingly, however, they still have good cushioning to protect your feet. This model is fully suede making it much more ideal to skate in than the many canvas versions the Janoski’s come in.
The shoes were also recently updated with an improved Zoom Air Unit in the heel. So despite being low profile, you won’t need to worry about getting heel bruises as frequently.
– Nike SB Shane
Similar to the Janoski, this Shane O’Neill pro model is another low-profile skate shoe with seriously good cushioning and flexibility. An added bonus to this shoe is the extended bumper around the foxing tape which helps extend the lifespan of the rubber. After all, there’s literally more rubber to wear through.
The SB Shane’s also have Zoom Air Unit insoles that feel great under your foot and work wonders to absorb impacts.
13. Vans
Founded by the Doren brothers and partners Gordon Lee and Serge Delia in 1966, the Van Doren Rubber Company began selling shoes directly to consumers. Every shoe was handcrafted in-store and delivered to customers locally. Talk about humble beginnings!
In the early 70s, Vans quickly became another shoe brand of choice because of their more durable build quality and exceptionally tacky rubber. In 1977 the Old Skool Vans were released along with the debut of the famous Vans side stripe. Paul Van Doren used to originally call this line the Jazz Stripe.
Shortly after the Old Skools in ’77, the Sk8-Hi’s were released in ’78 and were beloved for the extra protection they offered around the ankle. These shoes were often worn by Tony Hawk back in the day.
Since then, Vans has extended its reach into surfing and snowboarding too. It’s now set as one of the most prolific shoe brands in modern history. Known for their affordable prices, comfort, and exceptional grip, Vans are the typical go-to shoe for skaters of all levels.
The Best Vans For Skateboarding
For a more detailed overview, click here to see our guide on the best Vans skate shoes.
– Vans Old Skools
The Old Skools have been my long-time go-to skate shoe since they are pretty cheap, comfortable, and last a decent amount of time. This particular model has a suede toe and heel, with canvas at the side of your foot. Depending on how you slide your foot on your board, this can lead to some issues with the canvas shredding. If you can find a fully suede version of these shoes, then definitely get those instead.
With that said, these shoes still have DURACAP rubber inlays to improve durability in high-wear areas, and POPCUSH insoles that help a lot with taking impacts off your feet and joints.
– Vans Suede Slip-Ons
The suede slip-ons from Vans are some of the most long-lasting and comfortable skate shoes I’ve experienced. Especially since they don’t have laces, the typical struggle of ripping laces after knee sliding in the bowl is gone. This shoe is made of suede on all the high-contract areas and hugs the foot nicely with elastics around the tongue.
Like all the skate-specific Vans, these shoes also have DURACAP reinforcement in the toe, and POPCUSH insoles for a mind-blowing cushion while you skate. With that said, if you’re used to wearing regular Vans while skating, these skate-specific shoes will feel a bit stiffer.
With this list of the best skateboard shoe brands currently available, you can make a better decision when it comes to buying your next pair of shoes. Skate shoes really come down to personal preference. Especially if you have wider feet, some shoes will feel a bit more comfortable than others.
Ultimately you’ll be going through skate shoes rather quickly anyway (it’s the nature of skateboarding), so try to change things up every once and a while to see which brand suits you best.
Happy Shredding!
