American Parkour

K-SWISS Ariake, next question...  8)

Post questions and suggestions about shoes here. Everybody has a different opinion, but some important points:
1.) The shoe should be hella' durable. We obviously abuse our shoes a lot, so they have to be designed to take a bit of punishment.
2.) The shoe should be pretty light. There is a balance between this and durability that depends on personal preference.
3.) The shoe should be relatively inexpensive. No matter how durable we think our shoes are, we're going to tear them up pretty quick, so it's nice if they don't cost 150$ a pair ;)
4.) They should have good grip on many different surfaces. It helps if they don't have much plastic on the sole that could cause you to slip when doing precisions or other techniques.
5.) They should have decent shock absorption, and good insoles can make a difference here. This is no replacement for good landing technique, though.

That's all I have right off the top of my head. Some of the good shoes I've owned:
1.) Nike Air Max Pegasus- I've had 3 pairs of these, they are light, and have good grip and shock absorption. They are actually relatively durable, but their light weight negates this a bit.
2.) Merrell Chameleon Slams- Very durable and good grip. They had better grip before they changed from the Octagrip sole in the new Chameleon II's. They're pretty damn heavy, though, and without insoles the shock absorption is sub-par.
3.) Brooks Adrenenaline trail runners- These shoes fit great and the shock absorption system is AWESOME. The soles fell apart relatively quick, though, mainly due to the fact that they aren't one solid piece but a lot of cut and glued pieces together.
4.) Saucony Grid Aura TR5- These shoes fit great and are relatively durable, but the shock absorption isn't quite there.
5.) Solamon XA pro 2- These trail runners are durable, breathable, protective and have great grip. The one-pull adjustment system is hella' sexy too. The arch doesn't fit my foot right, though, so I have to drool over them while they're on the shelf..  :'(

Well, i live my life by the merrell chameleon slam II's. they may be a bit heavier than most, but MY feet cant tell too much of a difference between them and any other shoes. I have punished these shoes and they still look brand new. As gear said, they changed the grip on them so now they only have 5 times as much grip as the runner up, rather than 10 ;)
All in all, i think the only downside is the weight.  :)

i got my merrel stormriders, a little on the heavy side but are quite nice, i think. Also, insoles help a lot too. those are pretty cheap too.

Well after reading Skippers and Altimot's praise of Merrells I will just add that I am VERY happy with my Merrell Chamelion Ventelator ll.
The only complaint is in the weight but all the other benefits (grip, shock absorbtion, & feel,) outweigh that one drawback.

the Merrell ´Chameleon II Stretch Gore-Tex® :)

 so far i have used two pairs of asics gels, a pair of nike air run dual-d's (http://store.sidelineapparel.com/shoxturbo.html), some wal-mart brand, and skate shoes.

the asics have been pretty much perfect. good support, good grip, durable, light, everything you look for in a shoe.

the pair of nike's that i had started falling apart within the first month or two. everything just about was as good as the asics that i had, except the durability was crap. i have heard from others that nike crosstrainers don't really hold up well in the parkour world.

the wal-mart shoes were all around crap.

the skate shoes offered good cushioning, as well as good grip on flat surfaces. however, there is no ankle support at all as your feet need to rotate when doing flip tricks on a skateboard. also, on uneven surfaces, the skate shoes are pretty much worthless. durability is pretty good, on them (they are built to be raked across essentially sand paper)

so all around, i'd have to say get a pair of asics gels. but wait until you have been training for at least a few months, otherwise you won't know what to look for.

here is a link to the shoes that i am currently using. they are holding up beautifully (i got them cheaper at dick's sporting goods):

(http://www.martyshoes.com/store/media/asi-s05geltiogabone.jpg) (http://www.martyshoes.com/store/asi-s05geltiogabone.html)

I loved the Salomon XA shoes would highly recomend them.

Asics GT-2100 for me. The salesman from a running shoe shop told me to walk, and he figured out what gait I had. He said I had a high arch, so he recommended the Asics for me. I tried on the Asics and the Nike Pegasus, and decided that the Asics was a tighter fit. You don't want your ankles to be loose during jumps :p. Sure, it doesn't offer LOTS of shock absorbency, but that could be fixed with correct landing technique and insoles. The Asics are great because they're pretty durable ( withstanding wall runs since 2005. lol), comfortable, and breatheable. They're not too bad looking either :)

When choosing a shoe, it's good to know
-what kind of feet you have (narrow, wide, high arch, etc...) since different feet have different types of needs
-whether you want it to be breatheable (mesh) or waterproof (gore-tex). Both have their advantages. With mesh shoes, I find myself complaining less of heat build-up, but water gets in. With gore-tex shoes, it's the opposite.
-what's more important to you: grip, shock absorbency, everyday comfort, price, or style. Not every shoe will give you all five.
-whether it'll hurt if you kick someone else in the family jewels with them

another vote for the merrell chameleon slams here!
i'm planning on getting some new insoles really soon though, these ones were decent at first, but now have become quite 'sub-par"
they are pretty heavy, which is not too fun if you're running distance track :'( , however, the resistance training is a good thing sometimes.

my father, although he does not do parkour, has used nike air pegasus for years to run in, and he loves 'em.  they are a great running shoe, but i have no first hand experiance on how they hold up through parkour. 

Brooks Dyad 3----excellent shock absorption but it lacks in necessary traction for a lot moves requiring you to plant your feet into a wall. If you are just running and jumping they work fine, but if you ever need to latch onto the surface of the ground for anything the traction isn't the best.

klaymen what model are those they look nice and how much?

I have had converse all stars, new balance 574, new balance of some other model,asics gels and and nike attempt II

all stars: light, durable, no grip, no shock absorption, and cheap
new balance 574: light, grippy but horrible on wall runs however, ok durability, hardly any shock absorption, $30
new balance: heavy, grippy but wore out quick, $40, good shock absorption
asics gels: light, grippy, regular shock, $35, durable except
   --the grip came off from the sole rather quick because of the way it had a space in the sole pattern and gate I was doing some work on tore it up. other models I don't think wold have this problem tho. I would definitely use asics again but a different model

using the nikes for about a month so far they are as good as the asics I used but more expensive but had a better grip pattern to me.

Well, I am really new to parkour...I mean, I have always been into the whole...jump off stuff to piss mom off thing...but yeah. So i don't have much experience with shoes.

But...what i wear...i only own one pair of shoes. is a pair of etnies...no clue on the modle number...don't matter anyways, cuase they are all the same, I don't know why i like them so much, I am not a skater (i think needing a piece of wood to do your sport is BS) maybe its how they are flat on the bottem and let you feel the ground really well...maybe they have magic fairy dust in them...who knows.

But they work great, my last pair lasted me a year (granted i wasn't doing parkour, but i wasn't nice the them in any case) they are light enough...the lack that rubber on the toe...but thats fine, i mean...i go up the rock wall just fine with them. plus since they are pretty touch, you don't need to buy new ones ever couple months...i said my old pair lasted a year because i was being conservitive, they probly lasted 1 year and a half. they seem to take the shock fine...and they are only 60 bucks.

They suck for the first few weeks though..until you break them in and soften the leather up.

Matt

i've heard good things about asics from runners....how are they for parkour? (ie, grip, etc)

I recently had a pair of Asic Gels [i think that's what they were called?]. I really liked them, grip was good, flexibility was good, etc. My only qualm was that the rubber on the bottom started "flapping" off in what seemed like a short time.

Could have been a fluke though :]

Akh: I have Asic Gels, too. That's what I started out w/ and I've recently bought a new replacement pair. The rubber on the bottoms have not come off on mine at all, so maybe what you experienced was a fluke. *shrug* The main thing that happened to my last pair was that the rubber on the ball of the foot wore straight through due to tacs and wall-runs, etc. But that took over a year. ;)

HEY YOU'RE THAT GUY! :]
Yeah, other than my fluke-specific shoes, I love the Asic Gels. Previously I had some Merell Chameleon Ventilators which were pretty good all around other than their weight [a bit heavy] and the color totally clashed with me.

I'll definitely second (or third) the Asic Gels. Started wearing Asics way back in the day for high school track. They feel good, are lightweight, and surprisingly tough.

I've had no problem using them for parkour. They're comfy, give good support, and grip well.

Chameleon Ventilators +1.  I just picked up a pair in DC before I left for about $70.  I like them about the same as the Chameleon Slam IIs I still have.  In general, I've had great success with Merrell shoes.

I used to have a set of New Balance (not sure which ones) that absolutely sucked for grip.  The soles were WAY too hard. :shrug:  I'm sure some people would have liked them.

Reese

well, i just got some merrel chameleon stretches and they rock. Pretty much every springs guy has a pair. So when we go out to do pk, we all have our COPK shirt and jeans and our exact same pair of shoes, lol.

Ok, first post here, I'd like to make it a good one.

I have an interesting condition going on with my body, specifically, my feet. My left foot is about two sizes (US) larger than my right foot. That's about a 9 and a 7. Now, I have three options:

1. Buy two pairs of the same shoe (Mix n' Match)
2. Buy one pair, but swap them out in the boxes (Stealing? Kind of....)
3. Wear hi-tops (so the right foot doesn't slip out of the larger shoe, but the extra room is.... difficult)

As of recent, I've been praciticing with your standard Converse All-Stars, but they lack in.... just about every field with the exception of weight.

I also had an operation on the right foot a few years ago, and it now lacks a full 360 degree rotation. Up and down? Yes. Left and right? Not so much.

I need a shoe that can help me out with my situation. Any suggestions?

As I'm new to the sport myself so I wouldn't know, I think the biggest concern might be the price. It might be possible that the store will help you out with the size different.

My question is concerning price. Is there anything out there that is decent for under $40-50?

I use AND1 Stinger, they've last me for about a year of on and off roughness, mainly from basketball, and they're now only pealing the outside skin and the cloth underneath is in great shape and the soles are slowly pulling off, it is fixable. I bought them for 30 bucks they're worth between 50-60 though.

Brand new
Scale 1-10
General:
Durablity: 8-9
Weight= .5 LBS each

Grip: 9
Comfort: 8
Ankle Support: 7
Shock Absorbtion: 5
Breathablity: 5.6
Appearance: 7

Between 6-12 Months old
Scale 1-10

Grip: 8.90
Comfort: 7
Ankle Support: 5.5
Shock Absorbtion: 4.5
Breathabilty: 5
Appearance: 4.7

Been looking at shoes and recommendations on various sites and here is what Ive come up with, the criteria being; 1) light, 2) cheap, 3) Style, 4) Cushion?, I initially thought I wanted a pair with lots of padding for landings however...

One PK site recommends the Pose method of running and Dr. Romanov recommends flat running shoes with little to no cushion such as racing flats.  His logic is that cushioning allows for the ankle to roll more and so there is more room for injury.  Seems like the same logic would follow for Jumping/landing. (Anyone?)

It seems in principal that these would work for PK as well, provided you could find some with good traction (I know Merrill came out with sprint shoes a few years back and I still have a pair though the tread is wearing thin.)  Also in this catagory would be trail runners except for the fact that they are not particularly flat.

What I've surmised as the top choices in PK seems to be are;

Asics Gel 2100,2200 series
Merrel Chameleon stretches, Slams?,or Ventilators
Nike Pegasus
Adidas Nova

so, i'm looking for a shoe that is nice to run in (nicer than merrel chameleon slams), and yet can grip a whole lot better than nike air pegasus.  would asics work out for this criteria?

Conditioning vs Training

I'm in the conditioning stage of Parkour.  I'm working on the basics (jumps, rolls, vaults).  I run two miles three times a week among the other stuff-- stretches, flexes, etc.  I run in New Balance shoes, but I want to get some Asics Gels.  Do you guys just use one pair of shoes for everything, or do you have 'Parkour shoes' and a pair of 'running shoes' to wear out on runs? 

It probably doesn't matter, but it would be cheaper not to wear out my shoes when I'm not really doing anything except running.

Asic Gels what are the cost again cuz i heard that they are like 130 near where i live.

I totally recommend asics gels I have a pair and they are awesome great grip shock absorption haven't had them for that long but they seem like they will lasta  while

Ok guys, I have tried many different kinds of shoes from merrals, to I paths (lol), and they all seemed to be just ok, in the past couple years of pk. One day I forgot my shoes at home when I was going to West Virginia for family and parkour (I was wearing sandles). When I got there I was bummed but decided to just go buy a cheep pair of shoes from the small store down the street. I got a pair of Champions and they turned out to be the best shoes for parkour I have ever had. The grip is amazing and they are very comfy. The thing is that all payless stores have them from what was told and if they wear out I could just buy another pair for 15 dollers. It has been 5 months and they are still in good condition, I did have a broken arm for a month and that did ration my parkour. Overall I was very surprised. When I got home I put Adio shock absorbant Impact insoles in them and now they are perfect. If you really want to see what I mean go to payless and look for a shoe with crazy grip on the bottem with the brand name champion, they are running shoes.

I haven't actually bought them yet but i will. They are the newbalance975's. They are very light and what is cool is that they have vent's in the bottoms of the shoes. It is worth at least trying them on. They are about $89 from foot locker but they are cheaper online.

Merrell Chameleon II Stretch. These complelty rock and the weight doesn't bother me at all because it is just so comfortable with my Polysorb insoles. I'd recommend these to anyone who don't mind a little extra weight.

I've been practicing PK in my cross country shoes, Asics Gel Kayanos. They're just about the best training shoe money can buy, and they've held up decently in PK. The rubber on the bottom is starting to come loose in one place, probably from tic-tacking, but that's about it. The grip isn't excellent, but they are a good beginner shoe with great support all around. They are somewhat pricey, however, mine were $130.

This is mostly personal choice here. If people would post the stats of their shoes in the consumer whores section then poeple would check the shoes out and maybe make an informed decision.

I just bought a pair of New Balance 643's.  A running shoe.  I'll let everyone know what I think about them.

Here is the Ultamite Parkour shoe, it is made by Adidas and is specificly designed FOR Parkour/Freerunning. One catch is it is sold in Europe only, but it is worth looking at. Maybe it might be possable to get it over here to, but that might belong in a diff. thread.

Well here is the link, I'm sure you can find your way around. :) 
 http://www.flyfree-forever.com/content/language_launch.html

There IS a pair of shoes made by Adidas called Gigaride that can be bought online. They are close to the Hyperride but don't have AS great a cool effect compared to the Hyperride.

Here is a link to a store that, I HAVE NOT tried it myself, will give a look at the Gigaride.
http://www.zappos.com/n/bs?q=gigaride

BlackShadow

Actually all accounts I've heard say those are garbage for parkour. I just bought the Nike Pegasus shoes and they are absolutly amazing, exaclty what I was looking for, highly recomended.

I need some more advice on which shoe I should buy. I went to a store and the guy told me to walk around so he could see what shoes is best. The results of that combined with what I said I would do with the shoe gave me this: http://www.brooksrunning.com/prod.php?p=BSI41166&k=23645 . I tried it on and I liked the feel. It had very good toe coushioning and staybility. What do you guys think?

Looks good to me. The issue I can see is it looks like there could possibly be plastic on the sole, and some people don't like that because they could slip of rail precisions. Personally, I never land on that part of my foot, and you have the most control by landing on the ball of your foot. The other issue is the grip seems to be in many parts, this could lead to premature tearing of the sole.

Yeah I see what you mean...do you think I should try find somthing different (what do you wear?) or do you think I should just go for it?

If you scroll up a couple posts you'll see that I recomend the nike pegasus, thats what I wear. They are really great shoes but the tread is such that some of the nubbons might come off. This happened to me recently but a spot of super glue will get you back to perfesct shape in 30 seconds. Worth it I think for the feel of those shoes. However, if those brooks feel good to you, go for 'em, they look just fine!

(http://www.saruy.com/Imagenes/vasque/velocity-7600.jpg)
Vasque Velocity shoes.

Great Support, Great Grip, Excellent Durablity (had them over a year and they haven't gotten worse). They're pretty light also.

Thanks guys. I'll take it all into consideration and dicide tomorrow, cuase the rubber sole on the shoes I have now is hanging on by a thread (litterally, the whole rubber sole is peeling off and the only part that is still connected to the shoes is where it goes over the front of my toes. The rest is dangling there, barealy hanging on. ;D) So I have to get the new ones tomorrow. lol

I wear Aisics Onitsuka Tigers ~~~> very light, very comfy, durable....

(http://xs104.xs.to/xs104/06325/onitsukalimited.jpg.xs.jpg) (http://xs.to/xs.php?h=xs104&d=06325&f=onitsukalimited.jpg)

Ok, I haven't really tried these shoes yet, but they are Nike Trail Running shoes called, "Air Alvortas" from the Alvord series. I'm about to be back in school, and I'll try them there. But all I can say right now is, I can move my carpet with these shoes. They are also comfortable. But you can not move these shoes unless you pick them up, or if they are on a smooth, or slick serfaces. But these shoes are the best I've ever seen. Well other then the "moving the carpet", all of this is in my opinion, so you may want to see if you like them before you buy them.

thats what my shoes look like but mine are some off brand and they are the best shoes ever with added gel insoles :).

just bought the nike junga today. It is very nice and light also the padding is incredible withought slowing you down.  These add an inch to my vertical over my older and much heavier merrils.  The merrils are exelent too but much heavier.

http://niketown.nike.com/niketown/catalog/pdp.jsp?productId=108300&categoryId=52722&productGroup=108302&catalogId=1 (http://niketown.nike.com/niketown/catalog/pdp.jsp?productId=108300&categoryId=52722&productGroup=108302&catalogId=1) to take a look.  I found them for 90 in store so dont pay more than that.

(http://www.academy.com/images/products/120/0505/0505-02020-1504.jpg)

The one I use.

Right now, Im using two shoes: Merrel Stretchs - Great for grip and the weight really isnt bad and then I also use Saccony cross country shoes. But Klon Re on those Brooks.... I used those two years ago for Hurdles in track and they hold up quite well except I found the toe area to be HUGe which bugged me. But all in alll, they are a decent shoe.

which model are those?

i just got new asic sidewinders and i was wondering are they any good for parkour ???

heh I use some older new balance shoes or my old work boots with thick wool socks. the socks give me extra cusioning and the boots can stand up to the need to be able to take impact fromt he enviroments.... But if your on like the fake plastic floors and have freash mud you might slip a little XD

how expensive are the Solamon XA pro 2

um any recomdations for a size 12 wide that isn't teribbly expensive like under the pegasus' $80.00 price tag
any suggestions would be appreciated.

I think we should try to make beginners (actually everyone really) read these articles on shoes
http://www.quickswood.com/my_weblog/2006/08/athletic_footwe.html#more
 (http://www.quickswood.com/my_weblog/2006/08/athletic_footwe.html#more)
http://tullyrunners.com/Articles/RaucciArticle.htm (http://tullyrunners.com/Articles/RaucciArticle.htm)

then people may get a better idea of what is best for their feet, and actually landing softly, not just relying on shock absorbing shoes when really they are landing more heavily than they should.

note: read these articles when you have some spare time as they are quite lengthly.

I used extensively worn down skate shoes for PK at first, they felt fine, they had no grip on the shoe, although i could grip better than others who had big grippy shoes somehow.

But I decided to buy some Nike Air Pegasus due to fear of getting knne/ankle problems from not having shock absorbing shoes. Firstly i felt like i was walking differently, everything felt too cushioned and i could walk alot more quieltly in my skate shoes. I tried doing all the things i usually did in my skate shoes.

 I had less grip/found it alot harder to grip properly. Wall-runs were much harder. Balancing was badly effected due the all the grip on the underneath of the shoe.
 Landings felt slighlty heavier, didnt feel right, and also they sounded much heavier.
 When running on a treadmill, i felt that i was running differently, even the gym instructor said i was running wrongly. And ive never had problems with running properly.
 Overall i felt that i was restricted, and that i could not use my feet properly.

When i switched back to my tatty old skate shoes, i could balance no problem, felt like i was walking properly, my landings had to take a teeny while to adjust back to normal, and grip was a million times better. I think that grip is not too important on shoes (unless it is wet or something), and that its the way you use your feet that enables you to grip better.

My favorite parkour shoes right now are merrell water pro trail shoes (http://www.amazon.com/Merrell-Mens-Waterpro-Ultra-Sport/dp/B000A7M9N4/ref=pd_sbs_a_2_img/102-3166061-6440151?ie=UTF8&qid=1176966073&sr=1-14l)
The grip is descent though nothing compared to 5.10 or la sportiva, it is good enough in dry conditions. The thing I like about them is the feel flexibility and lightness of them I feel very similar to barefoot with just enough protection from scrapes and bumps. When I first got them it hurt my feet to take impacts in them however since I started training barefoot they are fine and I have begun to really question weather significant shock absorption is a positive thing in parkour shoes, I have found that the chondromalacia in my knee is not irritated training barefoot or in the water pro's while a short sessions in padded shoes leaves my knee's aching. I think if the impact is to much for your feet to handle then without padding then its to much for your knees to take at all.

eig s i am really new young and running on a low budget do you have anything in mid in youth sizes cheap and long lasting i don't mind any other drawbacks

jamminb0111 - not the best of things but maybe try some cheap skate shoes or something simlair? skate shoes are ok as they are made to withstand being raked across sandpaper so they work quite well on the durable part,and dont have a ridiculous amount of shock absorption which you would know you dont need if you read the two articles i suggested on one of my previous posts.

skate shoes are extremely durable, don't get me wrong...but their shock cushion is minimal, sole is too soft, support is next to none, and they come off real easily.

TO ALL: 5.10 SAVANT'S ARE THE WAY TO GO. extremely sticky climbing rubber, lightweight, very breathable, durability unmatched (made for climbing approach and light hiking), cushioning very good, wide and nearly flat sole, support unbelievable. this is the most advanced shoe available for parkour, i think. rumor has it that 5.10 is making a new parkour-specific shoe. i highly highly recommend them. they will last a long time, so the 75 bucks is well worh it.  ;D ;D ;D ;D

So a couple months back i got a pair of Nike Free's5.0 (v2) and they were wonderful at first. There are some things i've learned tho.
-First, they are extremely light, and flexibly, so easy to move in them like a ninja
-Second, they are very grippy, sticking to walls is no problem at all, because they are so flexible it's so easy to grip and climb.
-Third, (some problems) there is no heel cup just this meshy stuff, so when you move laterally your heel could slip off the shoe. Which is very dangerous cuz you can roll your ankle. I got out of a fountain (long story) and sprained my ankle- in crutches for a week and a half. Then in like the past 2 weeks i rolled my other ankle twice, (but much minor). See what happens is the shoes are very grippy, and so when you plant your foot the shoe stays, but then your ankle can slide off and then your roll.
-Fourth, (a little more problems) there is hardly any cushioning, so when you jump your landings have to be perfect, cuz you sure feel it when they aren't.
-Fifth, These things wear out fast, 1 pair for 5 months
---So i really like these shoes, but the whole rolling of my foot really bothers me. I think im going to try their Nike free 7.0 trainer , because it has a lot more lateral support

On concrete, the grip of a shoe is based on the kind of rubber it has and the amount of rubber it can put on the ground. In the dirt, points and lugs in the tread will dig into the dirt and give you better traction but on hard smooth ground they will prevent you from putting rubber on the ground. More surface contact=more friction=more grip. This is why I don't think trail runners would make optimum parkour shoes, because they tend to have more lugs for grip on dirt. That is also why your worn down skate shoes gave you more grip, it's because you were able to put more rubber onto the wall. Keep this in mind when looking at shoes. Flatter tread will give you more friction.

Ok I have a pair of Nike Shocks from playing basketball for school last year and didn't know if these would be any good for PK. Right now I'm using a pair of DC skate shoes but I can't seem to get a good grip on walls

If you can find yourself a pair of 5.10 savants I would try those. 5.10's grip is very impressive and worth trying.

I find that skate shoes don't give enough support and no where near the grip that you want.
Try out the shocks, they should have good cushioning. I had a friend that pked in nike shocks and they fell apart very easily, so watch out for that.

haha ok thanks! I've been looking around the net at some Asics but they are a bit pricey... and the 5.10's are just a little cheaper... My sister is take me up to Fairview Heights tomorrow so she can get some shoes but I might look at some cross country shoes. do you think they would get mad if I tried them on and started vaulting some benches and try to run up the walls?

ok, so I tried on the Shox and I'll test them out at the church tomorrow. I can't test them out right now cause its 2:30 in the morning and can't see anything outside...Just setting on my feet against the wall they seem really slippery, but its probably from not being worn for a while.

You have my vote for the Saloman Xa 3D these shoes are comfortable hve good grip and are "hella sexy". ;)

firstly, cheers boulder for the insight, i'd long forgotten that fact about grip.
secondly, what is the purpose of arch support? why would you need support for the arch of your foot?
we'd naturally have zero arch support so how come some shoes have it?

cheers, pete

Im so TORN!!
which to get..

Nike Pegasus
--or--
La sportiva 522 Fireblade
--or--
merrell chameleon slam II
 
Can someone give me info about them.. plz tell me all you know. As in where to get, which is best and all the specs you can think of. Thx so much.,

Well there are many posts about each shoe. Best thing to do to get alot of people's opinion on each shoe would be search for each shoe and read each post about it  ;D Mostly its going to count on which feels best for you. For instance, I wear nothing but skate shoes so if someone handed me a good pair of running shoes that would technically be twice as good in every aspect compared to a skate shoe, I would do better in the skateshoes because thats what I wear day to day and I'm used to doing things in them.  You can read about the shoes all you want but you won't know if they are good for you until you wear them and geta  good feel of them.

Heh. I just bought these: http://www.evolvesports.com/PSYCHE.htm (http://www.evolvesports.com/PSYCHE.htm). You can't beat $19 shoes with climbing rubber, especially since I'm just starting out. Evolv is a really good climbing shoe manufacturer, too, quite reputable.

ok guys a quick question. ima go pick up a pair of new shoes, and i need to know what size would be better. Im between a 10.5 and 11 . Should i get the slightly tigher 10.5's or the slightly looser 11.  i would think that 10.5s would be better for parkour, but those 11's would be more relaxing. Idk, any suggestions on what would get me longest and best parkour experiance and enjoyment?

I have recently bought a pair of Nike Air Tri-Vis. Are they any good?

I have recently bought a pair of Nike Air Tri-Vis. Are they any good?

arrrgh they just called me and told me that they're out.  :-[ poopy.

Go pegasus they are all around the best shoe of the ones you are considering. Or fireblade, if you are new dont get chameleons it will be hard to do alot of movements with them for you.

As for me birkenstock sandals all the way. even though i have worn them down so much from wall runs if you are looking for a challenge

the Pegasus' are nice, but I found them too cushy. currently i don asics gel trail attack 3's. they have great arch support, ample cushioning and grip that gets better with wear(haha)

I recommend Asics and New Balance. New Balance have some amazing products. The M873 and the M1000(Pegasus killer)

i dont care what you think the best shoes out there are the puma roma.   the sole is about 1mm thick the grip is horrific in a bad way and they get dirty fast  i love um.  my shoes are just about the closest thing to bare foot as you get  its also nice because after you ware them for a moth or so they get nice little holes all over them so your feet can breath well.     

Ok i just bought the Nike Free Trainer 7.0v2. Tell me wut u think there on Nike.com i really like them i pimped them out they look pretty nice but i wont get them fr 22 to 30 days cuz of my pimping :'( but i think the wait is worth it well tell me wut you guys think...

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^6
UHH scratch that they ran out or something well anyways i got the Nike Hurrache There basketball shoes but the grip is awesome and the shoe in its entirety is very durable

I have an idea for this thread:
Everyone should post pics/specs/reviews of the shoes that they wear to PK/FR.

Anybody know anything about the Nike Air Max Assail III?

http://www.davesproshop.com/index.html/page/shop-product/mfrnum/312899-441

i just picked up a pair but i'd like to know if anybody has used them/what you guys think before i keep em, they seem pretty decent, the rubber on the sole seems a bit too hard, but that will change i'm sure as i wear them in. thanks in advance guys for any wise words

uh, i barely started parkour, and im doing all the basics also
i can do everything in the warmup except the pullups,
well im practicing them with converse all stars shoes
but i dont know if this is an OK shoe, i just bought
them and itll be along time since i get a new pair.
what do you suggest?

About what shoes to "wear for Parkour"; since my regular shoes recently wore out (and I haven't been using different shoes to train), I've been looking for a pair to replace them. It seemed like a good opportunity to make sure they were good for Parkour, too. But it's important to not think about these shoes as "for Parkour" in the sense that we wear one pair regularly (for the long term, to not wear out) and our PK shoes when we know in advance that we're going to train. I can see where certain differences might allow for this separation (if they both had good grip, etcetera, and if whenever you needed to use Parkour in your regular shoes there would be plenty of time to replace them), but mentally we should be ready at all times, not letting our shoes tell us when it is possible to use Parkour and when not.

They called you? I just got an E-mail . . . 9 days after they sent me my receipt . . . with another receipt, this time for my refund :(

I was wondering if anyone knows of a shoe store or franchise chain that sells La sportiva 522 Fireblade.  Any help would be sweet.  thanks.

K-Swiss Just announced a line of shoes specifically for parkour. they are available for 100 dollars and 80 dollars, but the 100 dollar ones have better grip and cushion soles for jumps, and are by far worth the 20 bucks extra.

What do you guys think about Nike Shox RNG Remix or just regular Shox?

Another question, is this one of those things where get whatever is best for you or is there a good shoe that would be good for everyone?

A word of advice for anyone who does parkour...STAY AWAY FROM K-SWISS SPORT SHOES!!! No grip whatsoever although they have now developed better shoes I think the best for parkour so far would be asics, Nike, and some of those. I currently have a set of Nike that costed about $60 and I love them. They are great for wallruns and tic-taks and they are very durable while staying light! Deffinently recommended...I will get back to you guys on the exact model but I bought them at Kohls.

Have you actually worn the shoes?  Everyone who has a pair raves about their grip. 
If you want to read some feedback on people who have tried the Ariake, go read http://www.americanparkour.com/component/option,com_smf/Itemid,159/topic,5097.0/ (http://www.americanparkour.com/component/option,com_smf/Itemid,159/topic,5097.0/) several of the admins really like them.

I Suggest K-SWISS ARIAKE Parkour shoes. I recently bought a pair of the site and love them. They are super light, durrable, grippy, and look so damn cool. I have only had them for a week and I am planning on buying a second pair in a different color for work (So I can PK on lunchbreak).
They are $100 and well worth the money!

Someone recommended 5.10 shoes to me http://www.fiveten.com/ (http://www.fiveten.com/)
Does anyone else think they're good shoes?

I have the free runners and i would say go with the ariake's. The free runner's grip is better but only on anything with enough of a gritty texture. They absolutly suck on any thing slick such as marble, unpainted metal, etc... Were as the ariake has more of overall grip. This combind with the fact that if you use your' 5.10s as much as i do expect about three months worth of use out of them.

Lol. And I almost bought the freerunners >.> Thanks Aladdin!

At stonebriar mall?

Those look pretty awesome but I believe I am going with the Ariakes. They definitely seem to be the perfect shoe.lol.

i heard a little about sacouny cohesion, and the ariakes. but are there any shoes that have HIGH ankle support like basketball shoes, i normally wear jordans cause its all i got and they support my ankles (lots of surgery). any reccomended shoes that are a high top fashion???

Lol, trying to look good while doing parkour. I don't think it is about the fashion or cost of your shoe. Just that it is the shoe that gets the job done. Don't worry about price and if everyone has or knows of that pair of shoe... Find what works for you.

If I had to suggest some really durable parkour shoes I would recommend the f-lite 320pk by inov8!

whats the difference u would say between the ariake, and the 305pk-GTX by inov8? i like the look of those. btw anybody know any Hightop pk shoes that are for high ankle support?

I would have to say the f-lite inov-8 sho is overall more lightweight, flexible and gives the foot more room to breathe! Having high top parkour shoes would limit posability so i cant say there arent any sorta defeats the purpose of free-running...

They are probably out there, but they really would limit your ability to function to the max. It would be rather difficult.

now that i think about it would limit it, cause u can't roll your feet as much. im just so used to it. anways now i think im having a battle between the ariake, the sacouny cohesion, and inov-8s though i would get the GTX model just cause it looks a bit stronger. i will try to find some more reviews and go from there. the reason i include the cohesion is cause i can buy those at dicks or another store for around 50. idk how good they are i just read it somewhere on this site.

Awesome, but like you said, just look up some reviews and then make your judgement from there. You will pick the right choice, I know it. ;D Good luck :)

thank u :)

Welcome home skillet!! 8)

Hey, i'm new to parkour and was looking for some great shoes for parkour in the $80.00 and below range if there are any.Also, i've read practically all the comments on the K-SWISS Ariakie's (If that's how you spell it.) and i'd love to get them but it'll take me a bit to save up for them since they are $100. I'm not sure if it's worth saving up that money for them though. If someone could help me out that'd be cool, thanks.

Has anyone tried Pumas?

I have a pair of Puma Drift Cats

They are really light and your foot does not move around inside the shoe at all, quite form fitting.

(http://www.zappos.com/images/728/7289288/6901-353587-d.jpg)

gray, those shoes have an interesting sole design.  It looks like they'd have immaculate grip, but how would you rate them?

If you want to get the Ariakes, try to wait untill your foot wont grow anymore. Might save you a couple $100. That's what I'm doin at least...

well, seeing as how I only just got into Parkour and have only tried two different pairs of shoes, this rating may not be accurate but here goes:

Price: (on sale) $50

Grip: I thought they gripped quite nicely so I would give them an 9/10 but take that with a grain of salt as I am somewhat inexperienced at this point.

Fit: nothing will conform to your foot better except maybe your socks, and even then I'm not so sure so 10/10

Weight:  like wearing no shoes at all. (maybe a slight exaggeration but you get the point) 10/10

Padding/cushion/shock absorbency: at the ball of the foot there is no padding that i noticed so good landings are a must, at the heal there is considerably more but its still hard.   5/10

Durability: seems like it would be good but I haven't had them for more than a week or two yet. ??/10

if I have left anything out, and I probably have, let me know and I will fix it.

PS I have ordered a pair of Ariake's and will gladly post a new review after wearing those.

can someone tell me if these shoes have good grip or not? they're Nike Air Man TL 2.5's and they just look sexy but i still wanna have a decent grip

heres tha link (sorry its soo long lol)
http://www.auctiva.com/hostedimages/showimage.aspx?gid=557567&image=108614690&images=108614681,108614683,108614685,108614687,108614688,108614690,108614693&formats=0,0,0,0,0,0,0&format=0

I don't know about grip but from my experience, almost anything with the "air" shock absorbers stands a good chance of having the air part puncture and or pop with just normal use.  with what you plan to use it for would most likely cause this to happen.


PS don't let that stop you, that is just my experience with this.

That's not necessarily true.  I know several runners who love Nike's air shock system and haven't had problems with the bags bursting.  However, I would avoid these types of shoes for parkour or free running because you're doing a lot of high-impact landing.

ya you guys are right. Besides i found a pair of Nike Free trainers 7.0 for $60 =] i already ordered a pair

footlocker.com has Ariakes for $69 right now, I dont know if it's a permanent change but that's much better than the $99 they used to be for those of you who wanted them but didn't want to spend the money.  ;)

In the essense of risking popularity lol (as if it matters) I will go on the record saying forget K-swiss ariakes and five ten gimmick shoes. They're far to expensive to be getting after they wear out after serious training. A normal pair of running shoes such as pumas,nike,adidas,or even Reebox. Specified "parkour shoes" out of experience make you too reliant on superb grip and take away from certain foot poseability.

The 5.10 Free runners are awesome.

Grip: amazing grip on brick rocks and cement. Only problem it doesn't stick to most metals well but I did find some railings that worked fine.

Fit: It worked out fine with my shoe size

Comfort: Feels amazing, most comfortable shoes I have ever worn.

Durability: I have gone through woods many times and they are holding together nicely.

Cushion: Just right

Overall: I have had these shoes for about 3 months now and there are no complaints except on the metal grip but other wise I highly recommend them. 

go buy the araikes if you want a PK shoe's grip to last a month, coz thats what happens with them. After 2 months with them mine had a hole in the toe from cat grabs and the grip had gone, so i suggest noone buy these and go but some addidas running trainers or some asics

what do you guys think of these, i have read through about 3 pages on this forum and found these asics.
http://www.zappos.com/n/p/dp/18085921/c/4081/g/men/s/13.html
they are pretty cheap, i like gum tread on shoes and have shock absorbers.  So far im not doing anything big, still getting the technique down.  What do you think of them for a beginner.
The description makes it sound like a tennis shoe or something.

Those look decent to me.  I don't know how the grip will be; I've never used a tread like that before.  The intricate pattern might hinder it; however, if you're really only working on the basics, it shouldn't be a problem.  I've heard very good things about Asics; they're pretty durable and they're comfortable.  The only downfall of most Asics (their Gel series especially) is that they're kind of pricey.  These don't look too bad, though; $60 is a pretty decent price.  They'll probably be fine.

yeah i also found the k-swiss ariake and the kirov for 70 off of finishline or footlocker, and i've heard great thinks about the k-swiss.  The tread on those asics kind of looks like its for an indoor tennis court or maybe even turf, i may try them, just to see how they hold up.  you never know unless you try.  I can alway get the ariakes as my skills improve and i progress further.

sorry double post
I haven't heard much about the kirov as seen here
http://www.footlocker.com/catalog/productdetail/model--94575~21151099/supercat--mens/cm--Mens%3A%20Brands%3A%20K-Swiss/mvpid--prod_tp~60321/
it looks like a pretty tough shoe and the price isn't too high.
anyone know if its good/bad?

Yes, i've used Pume F-1 BMW Sabers. They are great, light weight shoes. There fault is shock absorbtion. They don't do you justice from a high jump. Also, they have average hieght.

Im currently using an old pair of Nike Shox. Great Height and Shock absorbtion. Medium - heavy weight.

I've tried the K-Swiss Kirovs and they are great with everything but grip - they don't really stick to anythings, and especially if you have been walking on dust.

This is in contrast with the Inov F-lite 320 PKs I have - the best shoes I have ever used or seen.  They are even decent on railings and still work when dusty.  All of my friends are jealous :D and are going to get some.

i say try the Five.Ten Freerunner ya the tread may get worn down fast but hey they are resole-able, and they have the new Stealth Phantom non-marking rubber, so you get amazing grip, the quality you can expect from 5.10, no leaving marks{good for saying that you are not vandalizing where you train}, and they are cheaper than the Ariake{footlocker had them recalled along with the whole "freerunning" shoes from K-Swiss because sales didn't do good at all} i actually just went out and ordered my Freerunners, i will get back with details on them

Ya, but what about us girls? The K-Swiss Ariakes are only for men and K-Swiss only makes a mens 6.5 as the smallest size anyway. So are there any good girls shoes for free-running out there?

How are the KSwiss shoes for those of us with pronation issues?  I know that I overpronate somewhat and need a stabilizing system in the shoe to help keep my feet in line.  I've also been wondering about trail kicks, are they too grippy?  When I was trail running they'd stick to just about any natural surface so I'd think they should make a perfect transition to the urban environment.

not really sure if these are good shoes or not for parkour or anything because i havnt tried any other type yet, but i use nike 6.0's they have pretty good grip on the bottom,

somoene also told me to try puma's beccause there light, flimsy, some have grips going up the toe area to the top of the shoe, i guess that could help scaling a wall maybe?

actually K-swiss makes the kirov for women im not sure if its anygood but i think some people in the PK women thread might know

have you guys heard of the asics tigers? there comming out soon and are geared especially towards freerunners. i got to try them on at an audition. they were fantasticly light, and extremely grippy. ugly as sin. but extremley functional.

i didnt get the part ><! i donno how, there wasnt even anybod there that good, but a host of people extremley goodlooking.

I'm planning on buying either the "ariakes" or the "kirov's" (womens) but I dunno which to pick ;D I've never heard of the "5. w/e freerunners" (pretty sure I got the name wrong lol) what brand are they? I'm curious now!

Could you give us a link or at least a picture?  Despite splurging on a pair of Ariakes, I still consider myself an Asics man.  In fact, I still use my Asics GT-2120s on a regular basis.  I'd love to try out their attempt at a freerunning shoe; I have a feeling that they might be one of the few running shoe companies to get it right.

Personally, I use New Balance, but I bought those before I got into parkour, so I intend to buy some better shoes for parkour purposes, maybe Ariakes.

the only reason i knew about them was because of the audition for the freerunning commercial there going to be in, i'm not sure of there release date, but beleive me they are sweeeeet, i was able to 2 step higher then i ever have before in them, and i was jumping around rails like my feet were glued to the earth, as soon as i find out more about when there actually going on sale il link you guys

Any sort of reebok basketball shoes are really good for everything that I do.

Or my current shoes Adidas Goodyear. Those are pretty good. .

Oh and Chucks, old school, and good for the ankle. Light weight, but it's really not good for shock absorbance..

One of my best friends wears steel toe boots, Dont do that.
Thats not productive,.