There is a lot to consider when buying a parkour shoe. The shoe you end up with will of course be determined largely by your style and personal preference, which is why there is not one single perfect show for everyone. However, there are some universal elements that contribute to a high performance parkour shoe. Here are a few things to pay attention to:
Weight: Typically you’ll want a light shoe. Heavy, bulky shoes slow you down and make it more difficult to maneuver quickly and efficiently.
Flexibility: Most athletes prefer a flexible shoe to give your feet more freedom, allow them to move they way they’re meant to move. Flexibilty also allows you to better feel the obstacles and terrain under your feet. This helps improve balance and forces you to learn softer landing technique.
Grip: The more grip the better! Having said that, different materials and textures grip to varying surfaces differently. For example, a hard rubber will usually stick great to a rough textured surface such as brick (like rock climbing shoes), but a soft rubber sticks better to slick surfaces like painted metal and smooth concrete. In general, for good overall grip, you’ll want a mostly flat sole (no big treads like hiking boots), made of a softer rubber.
Drop: Many athletes prefer to use a shoe with zero drop, meaning the sole is the same thickness at the heal as it is at the toes. This keeps your foot in a more natural, flat position. For beginners working on drops, it might be a good idea to first try a shoe with a pit of extra padding in the heal; but again, it’s a matter of personal preference.
To get you started in your search for the perfect parkour shoe, here are our top recommendations:
OLLO makes some great shoes specifically created for parkour and freerunning. The “Zero” is one of the best all around shoes in my opinion. Named Zero because it is zero drop, meaning the heal is not raised. Comfortable, flexible, lightweight, great grip, durable. Everything you want! I got a lot of use out of mine before they started to show signs of wear (the sole started to detach from the top of the shoe). Really love these shoes!
The Tiger is a very popular and highly recommended shoe within the parkour community. Everything you want in a parkour shoe, plus they’re one of the more stylish options.
Elvolv is a rock climbing company that makes excellent climbing shoes. They created what’s called an approach shoe, which means it is intended to be worn while you hike to, or “approach” your climbing destination, at which point you would change into your dedicated climbing shoes. This is a great option for climbers because climbing shoes are not meant for walking, they are quite uncomfortable. The approach shoe as a parkour shoe is a good option because it has a lot of the awesome features of a climbing shoe; light weight and flexibility, but is more versatile and well-rounded. This shoe also has some of climbing shoe features that make it slightly less desirable for parkour, mainly lack of flexibility.
Five toed shoes seem to have been a fad that mostly died out after the early 2010’s. The idea that your toes perform better separated because that that is how your foot was created, seems to make sense logically; however, it may not be the most practical for your shoe to keep them separated. I believe my toes are stronger together! Personally, I’m not a huge fan of these; however, there are some parkour athletes who love training in them because they are flexible, lightweight, and have zero drop. It’s like a glove for your feet (I prefer mittens lol)!