Ok Imelda… do you have a bit of a shoe problem? It seems to be an increasing first world problem to have way too many pairs of shoes. But even if you only have one or two pairs it’s important to keep them looking good and doing what they are designed to do. Shoe maintenance may not be something you’ve considered before as a lot of skateboarders just put them on and thrash their shoes till their dead. But, if you take care of them it will save you a whole bunch of lucre down the track. Today’s post is all about doing just that, keeping those kicks looking good and performing well.
So how do you make your skate shoes last longer?
Here are three great products we stock for Shoe maintenance to keep all you sneaker freakers happy.
The first thing you do with a new pair of kicks is give them a good spray with this stuff. The Vans Water & Stain Shield is specially formulated to provide an invisible barrier against moisture and stains. Water and Stain Shield is ideal for footwear and accessories made from canvas, cotton, suede, nubuck, leather, mesh, or nylon, and should be used before you first wear your new kicks for maximum protective benefits. It seals the surface of your shoes so water just beads off. It can also prevent dyes in the uppers from running when wet. It’s good goop and it works perfectly for preventative Shoe maintenance. You can also use it on jackets and backpacks.
TrickTape Skate Shoe Tape 8pk
If you told people that don’t skate to sit there for a couple of hours a day and rub their new shoes with sandpaper they would be horrified. Being a skateboarder you know you need to buy kicks that will endure that sort of treatment, right? When you skate you ollie a hundred times, fall a lot, and your shoes get wrecked. In this war of attrition between your skate shoes and your griptape we all know the grip always wins in the end.
That’s where this cool new product comes in. Thanks to Tricktape you can now bring a gun to the knife fight. Tricktape is a simple and especially quick solution to those shoe blowouts. Keep some in your pocket or field kit when you go for a roll. In less than a minute you can throw a patch on and get back to skating with the same grip and feel of regular suede. It comes in three colours to match your kicks. When you blow a hole in your shoes you get back on board and keep skating. Check the video below to see how quick and easy it is to use.
Shoe Goo
This is probably the most well known aftermarket product for skate shoes. I’ve been using it since the 1980’s and now use it to patch up my kid’s shoes. I did an earlier post about this stuff you can check out here. It’s available in clear and black and works a treat.
Do you have other Shoe maintenance tips? Super glue or Araldite on the the stitched seams? Interior upgrades? Odor reduction? Drop us a line and let us know!