Skate shoe

While numerous non-skaters choose to wear skate shoes as they are popular in fashion, the design of the skate shoe includes many features designed especially for use in skateboarding, including a vulcanized rubber or polyurethane sole with minimal tread pattern or no pattern, a composition leather or suede upper, and reinforced stitching to extend the life of the upper material.

By the mid 1960s, skateboarders wore Keds and Chuck Taylor All-Stars, which had flat rubber soles that provided traction before griptape was common.

High-impact tricks resulted in the increased popularity of higher-cut shoes, and Vans, Vision Street Wear, and Etnies introduced high-cut models by the end of the decade.

Super suede, action leather, and plastic reinforcing the toe box help to extend the life of a skate shoe.

Other common features include reinforced stitching to prevent ripping, and wider shoe width so that there is more contact with the board, with thicker tongues and sides to compensate.