I realize that there have been several threads about which shoes people wear when they play--but the idea here is to put together a wish-list of qualities you'd like to see in a shoe designed specifically for disc golf.

I find myself wishing that I could switch shoes depending on the situation. When I have a nice, dry, concrete tee to throw from, I'd be very happy to wear skateboard shoes. When the tees are packed or unpacked dirt I'd want to wear light hiking boots.

The problem with skate shoes of course is that if you're playing somewhere like Delaveaga and you have to hike up the side of a hill and get a comfortable stance for your upshot, the skate shoes are often too slippery to feel confident.

Light hiking boots on the other hand wear out pretty quickly and really aren't designed for the x-step. I find myself either wearing out the side of the shoes or even tearing the rubber off the bottom because I drag my foot a bit during my run up.

I personally would love to see a shoe that has the grip of a hiking boot, wears as well as a skateboard shoe and is prepared to handle the rigors of turning sideways and planting my foot without falling apart prematurely.

I look for stable trail runners or light hiking shoes that are entirely waterproof and have an agressive tread. If the shoe or sole are too thick and stiff they wont give the grip or flexibility I want. After wearing Gore-Tex North Face running shoes for the last year I dont know how I ever played without them. It is amazing how waterproof they really are. I used to wear Adidas trail runners and one step in a puddle meant miserable feet for the rest of the round. Now I go right into the swamp after my disc and theres no sloshing around in my shoes afterwards.

Skateboard shoes wear well because their sole is just a thick mass of rubber. If you want tread then you give up some of this durability. I like trail hikers (i.e. low cut shoe with a hiking tread) + goretex socks. If you can find the trail hikers with a Vibram sole then they will last longer (more durable material).

1.Good foot and ankle stability and support

2. Waterproof

3. Good cushioning (gel in heel, good foam EVA )

4. Lightweight

5. Durable

6. Turfshoelike traction

7. Under $100

Okay, okay too good to be true........but I guy can dream can't he?

What we need is a light-hiker/court shoe hybrid. Running and hiking shoes are designed to go forward only, while court shoes lack a decent sole. A court shoe with knobbies would probably be perfect.

I've been having pretty good luck Nike ACG low tops lately. I had sworn off Nikes after some ultra comfy mid-tops kept ripping right at the pivot point, but I'm glad I gave them another chance. New Balance look good and seem to have all the right features, but just don't fit my feet right. Same with Salomans. (sp?)

my foot

The tread and foam cushion of my new balance running shoes are seperating from the upper right under the big toe of my plant foot. They are not holding up well (I got them in March).

I'm looking for the perfect shoe too....

my foot




BWAHAHAHAHAHA

http://a712.g.akamai.net/7/712/225/1d/www.eastbay.com/images/products/zoom/4-139364_z.jpg

Merrell makes a good combo shoe!

1.Good foot and ankle stability and support {the best}
+
2. Waterproof {ha ha ha}
+
3. Good cushioning (gel in heel, good foam EVA ) {no foam, but nice}
+
4. Lightweight {lighter than ANY other shoe}
+
5. Durable {durable, resoleable, etc}
+
6. Turfshoelike traction {vibram sole with heavy tread}
+
7. Under $100 {~$80 on ebay, $95 in the stores)

=

CHACO Z2/Z1 SANDALS

when will you all learn?!?!? :D

Pat,

You got a photo or a link to this super sandal of yours?

Can those sandals really keep a weak ankle from rolling? Currently wearing Merrels but my foot moves around way to much. Nike ACGs tend to wear out real fast playing 72 or more holes a day even on dirt tees.

Shouldn't it have a mini pocket and a drink holder?, perhaps a pencil pocket?

and a dry erase score card!

:p

You should ask the TD for the Skylands Classic where he got his score cards because they were plastic and you wrote on them in pencil and then it could be cleaned right off and used again. They were the BOMB!!!

What do you want in a "scorecard"? Nice drift.

go check out the shoes at www.Salomonsports.com (http://www.Salomonsports.com) and you should be able to find everything you want in a disc golf shoe and more.

Plus they support disc golf and sponsors Schultz, Feldburg and Jenkins :D

For concrete tee pads, wouldn't you still need traction on your shoes? Or does no one take a run up on their next shot?

I have found skateboarding shoes to be completely uncomfortable providing no support to my feet. I definately need some traction. Like someone mentioned, you may have an upshot where you are at an elevation change.

I like my Merril's though they are a bit stiff; I found that it was the insole making my foot hurt, not the shoe itself. The thing about Merril's is that they are very wide. To find a pair that is long enough for my foot, I have to settle for extra width; however, the insoles are not as thick. Where my foot overlapped the insole was causing my foot pain.

I do wish they were ankle high for more ankle support.

#1 lightweight
#2 waterproof
#3 supportive around the ankle
#4 traction like a goodyear
#5 makes my 40ft'rs go in
#6 under $120

Kevlar Toe

I am going through shoes every 2-3 months because I wear out the toe of the left shoe.

I have seen some shoes with Kevlar Toes but have not yet purchased.

I also like the small Turf Shoe cleats on the bottom

My shoes have a re-inforced toe; some kind of rubber sown in.

[QUOTE]
Kevlar Toe


I have seen some shoes with Kevlar Toes but have not yet purchased.



lw-
check out Montrail shoes/boots. Most sturdily constructed shoes I"ve ever had. that kevlar never even dented after two years of concrete.

Pat,

You got a photo or a link to this super sandal of yours?

well, for a pic look at my avatar. then visit www.chacosan.com (http://www.chacosan.com) Z2 for warm weather (the toes loop is nice) and Z1 over cotton and sealskin socks for winter play.

YES, the shoes provide MORE stability than 99% of the shoes out there. i used to wear Soloman X-Trekkers, a very solid shoe. but i know for a fact that my chacos have prevented rollevers that would seriously screwed me up if i was wearing the solomans. the molded sole combined with the single strap work together to actually bring a rollover back before it rolls all the way over.

[QUOTE]
Kevlar Toe


I have seen some shoes with Kevlar Toes but have not yet purchased.



lw-
check out Montrail shoes/boots. Most sturdily constructed shoes I"ve ever had. that kevlar never even dented after two years of concrete.



I always thought that Kevlar was a from of fabric, when I was into BMX, I bought a seat with Kevlar on it, first time the Kevlar was assaulted by asphalt, it got all torn up. So the Kevlar that "hasn't dented" must be put over something else to give it form.

Kevlar is a form of fabric, but when it's layered it is one of the hardest substances there is. It is what body armor is made out of :)

I got a pair from Saloman sports that have worked well all year for me.

Correct, they make bullet proof vests out of thick layers of kevlar, but those don't stop bladed attacks.
note: I'm not saying that the kevlar toed shoes won't hold up. I'm just trying to make people aware that if you buy cheap/off brand like I always do, that they won't last as long as Montrail's

What would be cool, but rather pointless to see is like Biker Sherlock's street luge shoes that had flint in the heels so when he was slowing down, they would shoot sparks...put something like that in the toes, so it sparks on concrete tees.

I got a pair from Saloman sports that have worked well all year for me.



I'm going to be buying a pair of Salomon Solaris this weekend. The North Face Fury Gore-Tex XCR Cross-Training Shoes I bought about 6 months ago were pretty good. But in the last week or two the rubber started coming off the bottom.

I picked up a pair of these a few weeks back. Extremely comfortable and extremely lightweight.

http://www.teva.com/ProductDetails.aspx?productID=6745&model=X-1

I picked up a pair of these a few weeks back. Extremely comfortable and extremely lightweight.

http://www.teva.com/ProductDetails.aspx?productID=6745&model=X-1



I find that running shoes don't work very well for me because they're not made for the turning and planting of the x-step.

I've found the perfect disc golf shoe. I picked it up for 30 bucks at an Adidas outlet. It's called the Kumasi. Here's why it rocks my world.
1. Sole like a hiking boot, beefy without being clunky and durable
2. Lightweight upper like a trail runner
3. Rubber up around the toe (xstep drag doesn't destroy it)
4. Comes in Gore-Tex XCR
5. Durable. I've played almost daily in it all year and it will be good for next year as well.
6. Did I mention Comfortable?

You can find this shoe on ebay or many sports stores.

For me the main points, in order, are:

The toe has to have reinforcement from the sole that comes up and wraps over on the inside. I drag my right toe on my drives and the top/inside of it gets chewed up faster than anything.

Waterproof is good.

Traction is also good.

And unless it's waterproof AND I know the right toe will hold up more than a few months it has to be under $40.

I've found the perfect disc golf shoe. I picked it up for 30 bucks at an Adidas outlet. It's called the Kumasi. Here's why it rocks my world.
1. Sole like a hiking boot, beefy without being clunky and durable
2. Lightweight upper like a trail runner
3. Rubber up around the toe (xstep drag doesn't destroy it)
4. Comes in Gore-Tex XCR
5. Durable. I've played almost daily in it all year and it will be good for next year as well.
6. Did I mention Comfortable?

You can find this shoe on ebay or many sports stores.



These look like exactly the kind of show I look for... But the last couple pairs of adidas I tried on had too thick of soles. I felt like I could roll my ankle over during an x-step. I think I am gonna go with one of the Salomon XCR trail runners.

Almost like a running shoe. Light,durable,good grip but also water proof.

After today...something comfortable, snug, warm, waterproof, traction, ankle support. The drastic 40 degree temperature drop from yesterday to today really makes me re-evaluate my decision to wear skateboarding shoes.

[ I think I am gonna go with one of the Salomon XCR trail runners.

[/QUOTE]

careful with these kicks. The "runners" tread on my pivot foot peeled right off the sole after the first round I played. The pair I got may have been defective, but I just wanted to put that out there. I know they're steppin into the disc golf world, but their runners don't hold up to the game as of yet.

Aftera soaking rain, and a misty sprinkly first round, then playing all day, then partying, I got home to find my feet were completely dry. No stinky nasty feet from Goretex socks, no wet sufffering feet in general.

I gotta give props to the Timberland Delerion Pro GTX with the ankle gaiters, these rock!

Is there different types of Gore-Tex or do different companies just call it different stuff...xcr, gtx, etc..?

With temperatures getting cooler, I guess I need some warm shoes too. My Merril Ventilators were great in the summber, but unless I want to play in my boots, I'm gonna need a warmer hiker. After hearing how great gor tex keeps your feet cool because it breathes, how well does it keep you warm?

Gore tex is often combined with thinsulate in hunting/hiking combos. Expect to pay over $100 for it though unless you find a sale or something.

Most everything with goretex is pretty thick and sturdy though, I dont think you would have a problem keeping warm unless you disc in the snow or something.

Screw in type cleats, mid style , stash pocket (remember kangaroos?) reinforced toe guard (I drag my back foot toe down on release) gore tex water proofing is a must. I wear mizuno mid top metal baseball cleats now and they work well but when the ground is real dry and real hard they can get tough on your feet. Water socks keep my feet dry when its wet.

I paid over 100 for my non goretex shoes. Did I get jacked? I think it was the vibram souls that made them expensive.

http://www.timberland.com/graphics/email/TBL_Friends_12_1_05.html

40% off ALL Timberland products this weekend, starting Friday. Try the Delerion shoes, which have cool gaiters to keep out the dew and briars.

The Montrail (http://www.zappos.com/images/130/7135130/76689-d.jpg) shoes are my favorite, despite the fact that I use a shoe horn to get them on and they tend to wear out in the upper area near the front of the shoe, but they are comfortable and light, have great traction, good waterproofing, and breathability and they are very stiff for good foot protection. Pricey, sometimes you can find them for around $100 even.

Over the last 4 years I've gone through several pairs of Hi-Tec "Altitudes" for $50-60 a pair...loved them! ...but Hi-Tec replaced them with "Altitude IIs". Two words...THEY SUK!! The first pair hurt the top of my right foot, so I brought them back. The second (replacement) pair hurt the top of my left foot in the same place.

So I traded up...to more expensive Eccos - and they are sooooo friggin' comfortable! :cool:

Eccos - worth a look.

.02

For myself , I really like the Air Pegasus from Nike.

Light weight , comfortable , enough grip and washable.

On sale , at times , for $30.00 at the Nike outlet. They last about a year. /msgboard/images/graemlins/smirk.gif