Best Longboard Shoes: Top 10 Picks (Plus a Complete Buyer’s Guide)

Are you looking for the best longboard shoes out there?

How do you make sure you are going to make the right choice?

What are the main criteria you should pay attention to while choosing good longboard shoes?

Fortunately, you don’t need to spend hours on the web searching for the answers to these questions. We’ve done all the hard work for you.

We’ve spent hours on research, tests, and evaluating reviews made by real people and pro skaters. And now, we are happy to share the results with you in this article.

Plus, at the bottom of this page, you’ll find a complete buyer’s guide that will walk through all the most important criteria you need to know while choosing the best longboard shoes.

So, are you ready? Great, let’s start with reviews of our Top 10 picks.

Top Pick

DC 198708 Court Graffik

• Different Styles & Colors
• Ventilation Holes
• Cupsole Construction
• Lightweight Mesh Tongue

Check Price

Longboard Shoes Comparison Chart

10 Best Longboard Shoes (as of April, 2024):

1. DC 198708 Court Graffik Longboard Shoes Review

DC 198708 Court Graffik Skateboarding Shoes are great looking, comfy, and suitable for both skateboarding and casual wear.

357 people can’t be wrong.

This pair enjoys a rather high rating on Amazon – 4.7 out of 5 stars.

Your feet feel really comfortable in DC Court Graffik as the shoes don’t constrict them in any way. They are very well made with good padding and excellent grip. So, you’ll enjoy skating in them all day long.

They have special holes for breathability that prevent your feet from getting sweat after a couple of hours of the intensive skating session.

They are available in 4 different styles and colors: white, black, grey, and a stylish combination of black and lime. It is a great variety of styles. You can pick the pair that goes well with your wardrobe.

If you want to look amazing and at the same time give your feet a high level of protection and comfort during your skating sessions, DC Court Graffik Skateboarding Shoes are definitely a great option to consider.

They have one of the best paddings. On top of that, they are durable, so they are going to serve you for months if not years.

The price is very affordable in comparison with other similar shoes. No wonder we rank them #1 on our list.   

Main Features

• High Level Of Protection & Comfort
• Different Styles & Colors
• Leather, Nubuck, or Suede
• Lightweight Mesh Tongue
• Foam Padded Tongue & Collar
• Ventilation Holes For Breathability
• DC’s Trademarked Pill Pattern Tread
• Cupsole Construction

2. Vans Docket Trainers Longboard Shoes Review

If you are skating non-stop, you’ll love Vans Docket Trainers.

They are super durable.

After multiple tests in skate parks, these shoes look really fine.

They didn’t tear up at all. We couldn’t see any marks from skateboarding at all. That’s a pretty good sign.

They come in white and black colors. So obviously if you like something that simple, you can wear them with pretty much anything.

They are perfect almost for any type of skating. Vans Docket Trainers are so amazing that don’t be surprised if they become your favorite shoes in no time.

They fit crazy snug. They’re very wide. There’s so much padding on the bottom and on the top. There’s layer after layer so they’ll last a very long time for sure.

Main Features

• Embroidered Vans Logo On Quarter Panel
• Classic Vans Cup Sole Comfort
• Outer Material: Leather Suede
• Inner Material: Cotton Fabric
• Sole: Gum Rubber
• Closure: Lace Up

3. Nike 615957-028 Longboard Shoes Review

These Nike 615957-028 sneakers are awesome.

They are very trendy and never go out of fashion.

They are available in 2 colors: peach and black.

If you want to look fantastic and authentic, Nike Stefan Janoski Canvas shoes are going to be a great pick for you.

This pair was designed thanks to a collaboration between Nike and a famous Cali pro skater, Stefan Janoski. There is a great story behind it – a story of a rebel who came from nowhere and made his dreams come true being committed to his passion. 

Nike Stefan Janoski Canvas sneakers are very popular now among skaters. They have over 125 positive reviews on Amazon. The average rating is 4.6 out of 5 stars. Not only they look stylish, but also they are very comfortable for skating.

A special honeycomb structure, high-quality materials, a solid vulcanized bottom make these trainers a top choice for many skateboarding aficionados all over the world.

Be aware! This pair can become your favorite sneakers in no time. The price is not that cheap. However, they are totally worth it. 

Main Features

• Never Go Out Of Fashion
• 2 Colors: Peach & Black
• Material: Canvas
• Rubber Sole
• Special Honeycomb Structure
• Solid Vulcanized Bottom

You may be interested in best skateboard wheels for cruising. 

4. Etnies 4101000203 Fader Review

These shoes are designed specifically for skateboarding.

We skated a lot and did a ton of the flips in these Etnies 4101000203 Fader Sneakers.

There are many layers of different materials designed to protect them from being shredded by grip tape.

That’s why you are going to feel really safe and comfortable wearing them. The impact of the harsh grip will also be diminished significantly.

You can do heelflips in these sneakers without any fear of getting damage. You need to tie the laces in a bunch of different patterns.

The sole hold up super well. It’s kind of a shredded down a little bit, but that nice rubber keeps the sole intact. The only thing that we don’t like about these shoes is how stiff they are.

We skated in them like a crazy amount of time, and they’re still super stiff. The sole is really thick. It’s that rubber that makes it hard to feel the board underneath the feet.

Main Features

• Designed Specifically For Skateboarding
• Rubber Sole
• Egg-Crate Midsole Construction
• Recycled Open Cell PU Foam Insole
• 300 NBS Rubber Outsole
• Padded Tongue & Collar
• Blucher Toe & Eyestay

5. Vans Sk8-Hi Unisex Review

If you are looking for high tops and love vans, this pair can be a really great fit for you.

They can boast of nice color.

They are comfortable and easy to carry.

These Vans Sk8-Hi Unisex trainers are very good for spring and fall.

Vans is characterized by manufacturing high-quality, very comfortable, and durable sneakers.

The design of Vans Sk8-hi trainers is great. The price is by far the best on the market.

They are very sporty. Inside the shoes, there is leather on the heel. So you will experience neither chafing nor abrasion. The pattern on the shoe is cool. They can be a perfect gift. 

• High-Quality & Durable
• Comfortable & Easy To Carry
• Outer Material: Grain Leather
• Inner Material: Grain Leather
• Sole: Gum Rubber
• Closure: Lace-Up
• No-Heel Type
• Medium Shoe Width

Main Features

6. Adidas Originals GVS47 Superstar Review

They’re the best-selling on Amazon. They are really comfortable.

Adidas Originals GVS47 Superstar shoes feel pretty good, actually.

They have a lot of padding on the sides.

We’ve skated in these trainers for months. Now the sole is like almost gone. Nevertheless, we really like these shoes. They felt super comfortable on feet.

You can feel the board underneath you really well. It’s hard to explain, but some soles are thicker than others. And this sole just felt nice for skateboarding.

Obviously that it was made for skateboarding. These sneakers also have a heel cap. That’s good for heelflips. You can let your ankle bend a lot more than usual, and your heelflips tend to scrape against the top of the shoes.

There is a suede material on the top. It held up pretty well, actually. The overall opinion on these shoes is positive. We really like them and would buy them again.

Main Features

• Full Grain Leather
• Heel & Platform
• Classic Rubber Shell Toe
• Synthetic Leather Lining
• Herringbone Pattern Rubber Cupsole
• Closure: Lace-Up

You may want to know more about how to clean skateboard bearings.

7. Vans VN-097MU2C Slip-On Pro Review

The next pair of shoes that we skated for a little while is Vans VN-097MU2C Slip-On Pro.

Probably after the first skate session, the rip already began.

A little thin layer of cloth is the only thing protecting your bones of your feet.

We skated in these shoes a few more times, and we’d like to tell you that Vans Slip-On Pro shoes are not for harsh skate sessions.

Three or four skate sessions and these shoes need some extra padding. For example, if you tried to do a kickflip in these shoes, you would probably have blood dripping down the side of the foot.

Okay, that’s a little bit dramatic, but, yeah, if you’re going to buy vans, we definitely suggest buying vans pros because they come with extra protection and an extra layer like a toe cap.

We don’t know why we decided to skate in regular vans because, like we said, the fabric is so thin we could just rip it with our hands probably.

So for a while, we actually skated in these shoes on a different type of grip tape. And that grip tape was not a sandpaper grip tape. It is a huge game-changer when it comes to a shoe game in skateboarding.

The reason we were able to skate in these shoes so many times is because of this product called dkl grip tape. We skated on it for a while.

This grip tape is actually made out of a rubber substance. It’s kind of like a ping-pong paddle. So if we were to hit a ping-pong ball, it would sound very similar to a ping pong paddle. It is designed to save your shoes.

Main Features

• Suede & Canvas Uppers
• UltraCush HD Footbed
• Vulcanised Rubber Outsole
• Duracap Inlays
• Elasticated Slip-On
• Grippy Waffle Tread
• Woven Flag Label

Feel free to watch the best skateboard movies to learn more hacks like this.

8. Etnies MARANA-M Review

We love these Etnies MARANA-M shoes.

Growing up as kids, Ryan Sheckler was a huge inspiration for us. He still is.

Just looking back now, it makes the heart warm buying these shoes because we were Ryan Sheckler fans when we were younger.

They are so stiff. It has to be something in that rubber. They need to be a little bit more flexible.

Skating on the street is probably the best for these shoes because they’re so cushiony. So the impact-absorbing tough sole will help your feet.

We really like these shoes, and that’s why we bought them again and again. The color looks sick when it’s brand new.  

Main Features

• Performance & Durability Redefined
• 100% Leather & Textile
• Fused On, Injected Rubber Toe Cap
• Pro Foam 1 Polyurethane Insole
• STI Evolution Foam Midsole
• 400 NBS Rubber Outsole With Flex Grooves
• Padded Tongue & Collar
• Hidden Lace Loops

9. Vans VD3HSU Old Skool Classic Review

If you like luxury items of high quality, Vans VD3HSU Old Skool Classic shoes are definitely worth your attention.

They can be an excellent gift for any occasion.

People really love them because they are stylish, comfortable and go with almost anything you may want to wear.

So, if you’d like to underline your high status, Vans Unisex Adults’ Old Skool Classic are going to be a great choice. They have over 5850 reviews on Amazon. 80% of them are 5-star reviews! Can you imagine that? That’s how the quality shows.

As for protection, let’s be honest – they are not as well padded as DC Court Graffik Skateboarding Shoes. However, they still have a rather good grip thanks to the flat gum rubber bottom.

All the materials are of top-notch quality.  First-rate leather, matchless canvas, excellent textile, high-quality gum rubber make them extremely durable even if you wear them for everyday use.

The price is definitely higher than for other similar sneakers, but Vans Unisex Adults’ Old Skool Classic trainers are well worth it. So if you are looking for a bargain, check other picks on our list.

Main Features

• Durable Combination Suede & Canvas Upper
• Classic Leather Side Stripe
• Padded Collar
• Lace Closure
• Cushioned Footbed for Shock-Absorbing Comfort
• Vulcanized Rubber Outsole
• Signature Waffle Tread

10.  Emerica 6101000117 Omen Review

We’ve skated these shoes probably for the past three months with a regular grip tapes board. That’s crazy.

These Emerica 6101000117 Omen shoes are unbeatable when it comes to this.

We didn’t even know about a decal grip tape when we skated in these trainers.

You’re probably wondering why we didn’t buy a more decal grip tape. And we would if it was easier to buy and if it was easier to access.

We used a sandpaper grip tape board. And these shoes have lasted. There’s no hole. There’s no rip.

The only thing that’s happened is the little swoosh. It’s peeling off, but the toe is wearing down a little bit. It’s still possible to skate like ten more sessions in these shoes. Maybe even more than that. It’s crazy.

Main Features

• True High Top Conctruction
• Double Wrapped Vulcanized
• Additional Black Laces
• G6 Polyurethane Insoles
• 8 Ballr Signature Insole Graphic
• Canvas Pull Tab On Heel
• 8 oz. Canvas Upper
• Rubber Reinforcement On Quarter & Toe

Buyer’s Guide: How to Choose the Best Longboard Shoes

In this section, we’ll go over some key aspects of how to pick your skate shoes. Here are key factors that you need to take into account:

• purpose
• durability
• comfort
• protection
• style
• price
• positive reviews.

Also, you need to understand that there are different types of longboard shoes like high tops, middle tops, low tops, slip-ons, pros, etc. Depending on the purpose of your skate sessions, you may want to choose the type of trainers.

Ankle Support

What are the pros and cons of high tops? They give you the needed ankle support. The last thing you want is to get ankle hit with your skateboard.

With extra padding, high tops are going to have more ankle support. Low tops are gonna feel kind of slimmer and easier to move in, but they don’t give you that much of ankle support.

Sole

A sole is super important. For example, you put on shoes, and it feels like the ground is too close to your foot. It feels like thin shoes. Such shoes are going to have pros and cons.

Let us use an example. If you choose slim shoes, they will have a slightly less bumpy sole. So you’ll be able to feel your board better. This makes it better for board control.

You’ll be able to do flip tricks, technical stuff, technical grinds. Flips will be a little easier in shoes like that.

If the sole is too thick, you won’t be able to feel your board. However, when you’re jumping down, it won’t hurt your feet. It can be a game-changer for you.

Many skaters, when they jump down in shoes with thin sole,  feel like they are not going to be able to walk the next day. You have to go to jump down stuff without getting hurt.

Here we are saying one thing when it’s coming to soles. The thicker sole you’ve got to jump down, the easier you’ll be able to do that. Make sure even if it’s a thinner shoe that you have some padding down there.

Because sometimes it may take like two weeks to fully go away. It means you have to take days off skating and you do not want that. And you don’t want to get your heels bruised. 

Toe Caps

Now, let’s talk about toe caps. Toe caps are designed to protect your toes. There are some crazy toe caps these days. A lot of them are white, and it looks like you have clown shoes on your feet.

However, if this is your thing and you skate what you like, don’t care what anyone says. If it feels comfortable in skates, great. There are milder and huge toe caps. There are shoes with is a classic toe caps shape that goes around the toe.

For people that do a lot of kickflips and kick clubs, toe caps will help you a lot.

If you do more heel flips than cake flip, that’s not necessarily something you need to look for. So you should pay attention to your toe caps and where all the protection around the shoe is if you really need that.

Lace Protectors

We would like to talk about lace protectors, but apparently, the industry just decides to throw those. This isn’t 1995. I used to have lace protectors on shoes, but whatever it’s a thing if you find a shoe that does have lace protectors, it’s awesome.

Should I Choose a Vulcanized or Cup Sole?

A vulcanized shoe has the bottom of the shoe and the body. They put it down, and they tape it around a bit. They set the upper in there, and then they wrap the white around it to hold the upper and the lower together.

Let’s go over the pros of a vulcanized sole. Shoes with a vulcanized sole are going to be slightly lighter. They are going to feel a little slimmer to the cup size.

So it means you’re going most likely to build a better feel of your board. You’re going to have slightly more board control.

In that aspect and it’s gonna be a little bit cheaper. However, the con is that it will fall apart easier. But, again, it depends on what you skate if you don’t tear apart shoes super fast.

If you don’t like jump down stuff, you don’t need them. If you love jump down stuff, you want shoes that are going to be built like a tank. Maybe you should go with the sole capsule. This is the shoe that sits inside the sole, and it is stitched into it.

A cup sole sits upper into the sole. And the vulcanized sole has a wrap to hold it together but it’s thinner, easier for the board. And it feels thicker and easier to jump down stuff that will protect your feet a little bit better.

Pay attention to your sole. That’s the biggest part. This is the feel of the outside of the shoe on it and how your board feels in relation to that.

So if you want a slimmer shoe for your look, you’re going to get banged up a little easier. You’ll have more risk of injury. It might wear down easier. But you’re going to feel your board better.

What Material is the Best?

The canvas breaks quite quickly. We skate a lot, and we know that for sure. Once with the canvas slipped over the floor, there is a thick hole in it. So the canvas does not have such good quality. The leather is likely to withstand more.

So if you love to skate hard, you should perhaps get shoes with 100% leather as the upper material.

So, What are the Best Longboard Shoes for me?

When you are looking for longboard shoes, don’t necessarily go by other people’s recommendations. Instead, think about where you want to wear them and what you are going to do in them, where they could tear.

Depending on what type of skating you do, it’s what you need to be worrying about. So as in most cases, we recommend you to get shoes that have a little bit of everywhere.

For example, decently padded shoes that have well-stitched toe caps. It can be middle top shoes. So find something that looks like basic shoes with a little bit of everything, and go with that. Then you’ll be able to figure it out where you want to go from there.