Best Skate Shoes – Updated for 2025

The relationship between skateboarders and their shoes is something that can only be described as obsessive. For most other people, shoes generally come down to two things: fashion or function. Dress shoes, for example, are purely fashion and are designed to look formal and smart, but (in my experience anyway) have no intention of holding any sort of performance value. On the other end of the spectrum, running shoes are the antithesis of fashion, and purely exist to make sure your knees and ankles don’t slowly obliterate as you go for your morning jog. Skate shoes, however, need to be created with considerations for both sides of the scale. Impact protection, durability, breathability, comfort, aesthetic and of course, affordability must all be taken into consideration when designing a skate shoe. So, it only makes sense that skateboarders can become almost tribal when it comes to their shoe preferences.

I can’t stress how much this applies to every single person who works here at Supereight. We are all very passionate about skate shoes and have strong opinions as to what makes the best skate shoe, the issue is that no one really agrees… Luckily, I am the one who writes the copy around here, so I get the final say! Sort of. Well, not at all really. But we did manage to agree on some things!

Notable Styles of 2025:

Although we still yearn for Andrew Reynolds to be rocking a fat Emerica sticker on the nose of his board, times have changed, and we have to accept that he is now on New Balance Numeric. The good news is his pro shoe on NB is an absolute belter. We actually had no idea what the 933 was going to look like when we ordered it. Luckily, NB handed over a wedge of money to Thrasher to whack Andy onto the cover (just a joke, don’t sue me) for the time of the release, so we did have a rough idea what the 933 would look like before it arrived with us.

Reynolds is no spring chicken, and even before riding for NB was wearing their 990 as a comfortable chiller in between skate sessions, so it only made sense to make his pro-shoe a skateable version of his favourite non-skate shoe. With that in mind, it is safe to assume that these are not going to be lacking in the comfort department. Breathable mesh panels and underlays, gusseted tongues and New Balance’s ABZORB foam cushioning all make for a shoe that you can skate in all day with ease.

Being designed around the 990, it would be super easy to make the 933 a bit minging, and although it’s definitely not a shoe everyone looks at and thinks “yummy”, it is definitely a huge improvement on the 990.

As we all know, New Balance do not mess around when it comes to quality products, and the 933 effortlessly maintains that theme. Hard-wearing, triple-stitched suede and leather panelling help the shoe last longer than most other skate shoes, and the NDurance rubber sole unit gives the shoe impressive long-lasting grip.  Lastly, the midfoot shank plate hidden inside the sole takes inspiration from basketball, improving the shoes’ stability when landing as well as enhancing the cushioning when skating big drops.  

The Vans Half Cab is easily one of the most well-loved skate shoes of all time. Gradually improved since its initial release in 1992, the Half Cab has never found itself being a shoe of the past, and in 2025, the next evolution of the classic silhouette was introduced to the world, further cementing its place as a premium product. So, what have Vans done to an already near-perfect skate shoe to improve it?

Firstly, and most noticeably, the vulcanised sole unit has been swapped out for the tried and tested Wafflecup sole unit initially used on Vans shoes such as the Kyle Walker. To be honest, that should be enough information for you. If this sole unit is good enough for the big dog Kyle Walker, we regular folk should find no issue with it. However, with it being so impressive, it only seems fair to give the Wafflecup tech some love.

What makes this sole unit so impressive is the fact that it actually does work, and that’s coming from a massive advocate for the Half Cab and vulc sole units in general. In fact, I would go as far as to say I hate skating cupsole shoes. For me, cupsole shoes leave me feeling detached from my board, giving me little feedback and ultimately confidence. The Wafflecup, however, has managed to do what a lot of cupsole shoes claim to be able to do – combine boardfeel with impact protection. The ball of your foot still feels connected to the board, whilst your heel feels protected and comfortable, something I have yet to experience with any other cupsole shoe. I wouldn’t say I’ve been converted to the Wafflecup, but it is now in the realm of shoes that I will happily skate. 30+ year old vulc dudes, take my advice and consider them, I certainly will be from now on, and cupsole nerds, welcome to skating a shoe that lets you feel what’s going on underneath your feet!

Don’t worry, vulc lovers, the vulc sole hasn’t been replaced; this cupsole version will sit alongside its forefather, not replace it.

Similar to the Chris Roberts switch flip manny clip on the Nine Club, the 2006 IPATH Promo video is permanently running in the background of my mind, so when the news dropped that IPATH was returning for 2025, the stoke was high! It was a hard pick between the Grasshopper, Cats and Reed, as all three were such integral styles from IPATH back in the day, and with their return have only got better. However, the Grasshopper must be the main focus here due to its positioning between the niche Cats and ‘simplistic’ Reed, making it the perfect middle ground for us to delve into.

If you were to place a Grasshopper from 2006 next to a Grasshopper from 2025, at first glance, you would struggle to find an obvious difference, which is exactly what you would want from a reissued shoe. No one wants to buy a shoe from their youth for it to turn up and look completely different. At the same time, you also don’t want to purchase a shoe from your youth, and it comes with the same archaic technology as it did back then. Don’t worry, though, they do still have a stash pocket in the tongue.

Luckily, IPATH knew exactly what to do and ensured the Grasshopper (and all other heritage models) can endure the treatment modern skate shoes have to go through. High-grade suede, leather and waxed cotton material options are now used across the board with IPATH, instantly creating shoes with improved durability. Modern EVA foam midsoles and strobel lasting constructions create a sole unit that feels ready to go straight out of the box, whilst also protecting your feet from high-impact drops. Most importantly, when skating these, you will look down at your feet and feel like you are Bobby Puleo. Just without the… quirks…

If I do say so myself, TJ is the man. So much so that I would say there aren’t many other skateboarders who deserve a pro shoe as much as him. Not only has he been ripping for as long as I can remember, but he is also a super humble and genuine guy.

We spoke to TJ earlier this year, and when he talks about his shoe, you can instantly tell he put a lot of time and effort into creating a shoe that he truly backs. Being the baggy dude that he is, it’s no surprise that he has taken design inspiration from the ’90s/early ’00s eS models. With a puffy silhouette merged with classic details, they just make total sense when he is wearing them.

Often unfairly, eS is seen to be a brand that perhaps doesn’t pack their shoes with as much technology as their sportswear competitors. This couldn’t be further from the truth when it comes down to the TJ Rogers shoe. Triple-stitched high abrasion areas, premium quality midsoles and insoles, perforated panelling, tongue-straps and hidden lace loops all create a shoe that easily competes with anything else on the market. Bonus points for being an endemic brand too!

If anyone deserves a pro-shoe on Vans, it’s Curren Caples. Curren has been ripping around in Vans since he was 12 years old, oozing that classic west coast pool skater vibe, with effortless style and an almost offensive perfect surfer-kid aesthetic, whilst, of course, exclusively wearing the thinnest Vans skate shoes he can get away with. When I see a checkerboard slip on, for example, Curren is always one of the first people that come to mind.

So, when we heard that Curren was going to be receiving his first pro shoe for Vans, with the design focusing on modern tech whilst also keeping the iconic Vans stylings, a few eyebrows were raised around the office here. This isn’t the first time we have heard something like this; however, usually this applies to puffy reissue shoes, maintaining their original aesthetic but being modernised through the tech inside the shoe. How were Vans going to keep the style of shoe that Curren loves to skate, whilst not just creating a shoe they have already released 40 years ago?

Pretty easily, apparently. Well, I have no idea how easy they found it to be honest, but I do know they did a great job. It was always going to be a vulc sole unit, however, and surprisingly, the classic waffle grip has vanished and has been replaced with a whole new, even grippier pattern. Still made from Vans’ durable SickStick™ rubber formula, just optimised further. Of course, the Curren also has the insanely good PopCush™ insole and DuraCap™ underlays too. But what impressed us here is the fact that Curren has designed a stripped-back, simple yet striking, high-performance skate shoe that looks totally original. Vans’ styles are often imitated; I guess mainly because it’s easier to do so rather than design your own original shoe. Well, Vans and Curren have just shown the world exactly how it’s done.

2025 Champions

Collab of the Year:

When looking back over the years at previous footwear collabs, the final product can often end up being way too over the top, with the brands involved seeming to battle against one another to ensure their logo is the most obvious on display. As you can see with this Bronze x JS-1, the branding is minimal from both DC and Bronze; the focus is clearly on celebrating a historically important spot being back in action, with the colourway replicating the iconic brickwork from Brooklyn Banks.

We are massive fans of everything involved in this collab, and although the New Balance Numeric 480 collab with Bronze was also sick, the JS-1 just about takes the top spot. With the colourway of the Bronze x JS-1 being this deliberate nod to the newly reopened Brooklyn Banks, it’s a great reminder of the incredible history between DC and the infamous spot. On top of that, knowing how much Bronze adores the culture of skateboarding, you can see why they, of all brands, have teamed up with DC to make such a rad design.

Chiller of the Year:

Admittedly, these did initially release in October 2024, but there is no denying that these are still the best chiller skate shoes for 2025. Of course, you can skate these too, with them being made from high-quality suede, possessing a grippy and durable rubber sole construction, and most importantly, having the Last Resort ‘Cloud Cush’ insole placed inside, but let’s face it, they’re always going to look better down the pub. Classic moc-toe stylings with modern Swedish influence.

Best Winterised Skate Shoe of the Year:

These have all the bells and whistles needed to get you basically anywhere you need to via foot. GORE-TEX® waterproofing, as well as GORE-TEX® Duratherm insulation, merged with Vans’ Ultracush footbed and All-Trac rubber lugged outsole, result in footwear you can use in almost every environment without a second thought. Winterised skate shoes are becoming increasingly popular, with brands such as DC, Etnies and New Balance all putting out their own versions, and although they are all great in their own right, the Vans MTE Sk8-Hi GORE-TEX is hands down the ultimate winterised skate shoe. 

Durable, strong, warm, waterproof and kind of look like a Sk8-Hi, you can’t go wrong!

Best Value Skate Shoe of the Year:

When was the last time you saw a pair of genuinely decent skate shoes priced at £54.99? Not on sale, that’s full price! You may or may not be aware that there have been some changes over at Lakai recently, and without going into it too much, they have definitely needed to mix things up a bit to have a chance of being the brand they once were.

Obviously, getting dudes like Chris Jolsin and Bastien Salabanzi on the team will help that, but releasing well-designed shoes that skateboarders can easily afford is where it really counts. With PARA-MOUNT dual-density rubber outsoles, VLK vulc technology and high-quality materials used, these shoes have been made to perform. So many companies within skateboarding fall for the trap of pricing their shoes in the higher brackets, perhaps to signify that they are of great quality (whilst not being that at all) or even just to appear to rival premium brands. We are firm believers that skateboarding has been crying out for someone to come and introduce stylish, functional and most importantly, affordable skate shoes into the market. Luckily, Lakai is doing exactly that!

Stinker of the Year:

Need I say more…

Thank you for reading through this entirely opinion-based post. If you do have any objections to anything that has been said throughout this piece, please feel free to complain. Just not to us. 😊

See you in 2026!