How to Choose Skate Shoes
Skate shoes are the one piece of gear that is unarguably a consumable. Grip tape is sandpaper and your front foot drags across it every ollie. The only question is how long the shoe holds out and how well you can feel the board while it does.
The short version
- Vulcanised for board feel and street skating. Cupsole for impact and bigger drops.
- Suede in the ollie area, always. Canvas is for wearing, not skating.
- Fit snug. Loose shoes mean less control and more blisters.
- Price: $85 to $120 for a current model, $45 to $65 for kids and older colourways.
- They will wear out. The outside of the front foot goes first, every time.
- Running shoes do not work. Soft rolling soles and no grip-tape resistance.
What we cover
Vulcanised vs cupsole · Suede vs canvas · Fit · Why they wear out · What they cost · Brands · Why not normal sneakers · FAQ
Vulcanised or cupsole?
This is the real decision and it is genuinely a trade-off rather than a quality difference.
| Vulcanised | Cupsole | |
|---|---|---|
| Construction | Sole bonded flat to the upper | Moulded sole unit stitched to the upper |
| Board feel | Excellent. Thin and flexible | Reduced. More material underfoot |
| Impact protection | Minimal | Substantially more |
| Break in | Almost none. Ready straight away | A week or two of stiffness |
| Durability | Lower | Higher |
| Best for | Street, ledges, flip tricks | Stairs, gaps, transition, heavier riders |
If you are unsure, vulcanised. Board feel matters more than impact protection while you are learning, and you are not jumping down anything yet.
Suede or canvas?
Suede for skating. It resists grip tape far better than anything else at the price, which is why almost every dedicated skate model uses it across the ollie area on the outside of the front foot. That patch is where every shoe dies.
Canvas for wearing. Lighter and cooler, and it looks good. It also shreds within a few sessions once you start doing tricks.
Plenty of shoes combine the two: suede where it takes abuse, canvas elsewhere. That is usually the sensible option if you want the shoe to also be wearable.
Look for reinforced stitching or a rubber overlay in the ollie area on models built to last. Some brands double up the suede there specifically.
How should they fit?
Snug. Your foot should be held firmly with very little movement inside the shoe.
A loose skate shoe costs you two things: control, because your foot shifts relative to the board rather than moving with it, and skin, because movement inside the shoe is what makes blisters.
Most skaters take their normal shoe size, but some models run narrow and some run long. This is the strongest argument for trying them on rather than ordering blind, and it is why we keep the range in store.
Why do skate shoes wear out so fast?
Because grip tape is sandpaper and an ollie drags the outside of your front foot up the board every single time. Nothing survives that indefinitely.
What you can do about it:
- Buy suede in the ollie area. Biggest single factor.
- Rotate two pairs if you skate most days. Doubles the life of both.
- Shoe goo or similar applied early, before the hole forms rather than after, genuinely extends a pair.
- Finer grip tape is gentler on shoes, at the cost of some bite.
- Cleaner flip tricks destroy fewer shoes, which is not much help early on but is true.
Expect weeks if you skate hard and daily, several months if you skate weekends. Treat it as a running cost the way you do wheels and grip.
What should you expect to pay?
| What you are buying | Price range |
|---|---|
| Kids skate shoes | $45 to $65 |
| Older colourways and end of run | $45 to $70 |
| Standard adult skate shoe | $85 to $105 |
| Current pro and signature models | $105 to $120 |
Ranges current as at August 2026. Older colourways of the same model are frequently discounted heavily and skate identically, which is the best value in the category if you are not fussy about colour.
Which brands do we carry?
All of these make genuine skate shoes rather than skate-styled fashion shoes, which is the distinction that matters.
- Vans. The most recognisable skate shoe in the world and still genuinely good. Their Pro line adds proper cushioning and reinforcement over the standard versions, and is what you want if you actually skate.
- Lakai. Skater-owned, and the range we carry deepest. Excellent board feel and consistent quality.
- Etnies. Long-standing and dependable, with some of the most durable everyday skate shoes going.
- Globe. Australian, and consistently good value.
- eS and Emerica. Long-running skater brands for people who know what they want.
Shop skate shoes · Lakai · eS · Emerica · Globe
Can you just skate in normal sneakers?
You can, and everyone has. Here is what happens.
Running shoes have soft, chunky, curved soles that roll and compress on the deck, so you get almost no feedback and the board feels vague. The mesh uppers shred on grip tape within a session or two.
Fashion sneakers usually have hard, slippery soles with no grip on the board, which is its own problem.
Skate shoes have flat vulcanised or cupsole rubber with a grippy tread pattern designed to hold grip tape, reinforced panels where the ollie wears, and padding where the board hits your ankle. It is not marketing. The differences are structural and you feel all of them.
Skate shoes FAQ
What is the difference between vulcanised and cupsole skate shoes?
Vulcanised soles are bonded flat and flex easily, giving much better board feel with less impact protection. Cupsoles are a moulded unit stitched to the upper, offering more cushioning and durability but taking longer to break in. Vulc for street, cupsole for stairs and gaps.
Can you skate in normal sneakers?
You can, but they will be destroyed quickly and you will feel less of the board. Running shoes have soft chunky soles that roll on the deck, thin uppers that shred on grip tape, and no reinforcement where the ollie wears through.
How long do skate shoes last?
Anywhere from a few weeks to several months depending on how much you skate and how clean your flip tricks are. The ollie area on the outside of the front foot goes first. Suede lasts considerably longer than canvas.
Should skate shoes be suede or canvas?
Suede for skating, canvas for wearing. Suede resists grip tape far better and is what almost every dedicated skate model uses in the ollie area. Canvas is cooler and lighter but wears through quickly once you start doing tricks.
How should skate shoes fit?
Snug, with your foot held firmly and minimal movement inside the shoe. A loose skate shoe means less board control and more blisters. Most skaters size the same as their normal shoes, though some models run narrow, so try them on.
How much do skate shoes cost in Australia?
Around $85 to $120 for a current pro or signature model, with kids sizes and older colourways from about $45 to $65. That is genuinely good value given a dedicated skate shoe survives what would destroy a normal sneaker in a session.
Try them on
Skate shoes vary more between models than most footwear, and a size 10 in one brand is not a size 10 in another. Come to 435A Bridge Road, Richmond and try a few. Free shipping Australia wide on orders over $90. Call 03 9421 2293.
Keep reading: How to Choose a Skateboard · Learn to Skateboard · Skate Protective Gear · Grip Tape and Hardware · How Much Does a Skateboard Cost?
Shop: Skate Shoes · Skateboards · Protection