Parkour shoes

Ranked #764 in Sports & Recreation, #25,179 overall

What is Parkour?

Parkour is a physical activity with the goal of moving from one point to another as quickly and efficiently as possible. A person that practices parkour is called a traceur (male) or traceuse (female). Parkour has been featured in advertisements, music videos and movies.

Parkour can be practiced anywhere, both in rural and urban areas. All you need is some light casual clothing and a pair of comfortable athletic shoes. You need good quality shoes to protect you during jumps, drops and landings. This lens is created to help you find the right shoes. Read the shopping checklist to familiarize yourself with what your need to look for in a shoe. There is also a list with buying guides and a review list. Finally, there are several lists with shoes popular in the parkour community. You can even vote for your favorite shoes.

Shopping checklist

These are the most important things to consider when buying new parkour shoes:
  1. Grip - choose shoes with one piece tread at the bottom and make sure the sole wraps the top of your toe.

  2. Comfort - find a shoe that fits snug and leaves little empty space.

  3. Weight - parkour shoes are heavier than runner shoes but lighter than hiker shoes.

  4. Weight distribution - find a shoe that has a wide sole compared to the height.

  5. Material - look for strong material for all parts of the shoe that are not rubber.

  6. Flexibility - pick shoes that are flexible enough to give your freedom of movement but stiff enough to guarantee safety and durability.

  7. Cushioning - a good shoe should protect you during drops and falls but also allow you to interact with the environment.

Buying guides

Parkour Helper: "So I'm a traceur, now what?": Parkour shoes
Guidelines with a grading system.
Shoes for Parkour : Parkourpedia
What to look for in a parkour shoe.
American Parkour - Parkour and Freerunning - What kind of shoes to wear?
What kind of shoes to wear?
How to Buy Parkour Shoes | eHow.com
How to Buy Parkour Shoes.

Reviews

Parkour Shoes - first specifically designed parkour shoe!
The first specifically designed freerunning and parkour shoes by k-swiss
Washington Parkour
The gear thread at Washington Parkour
Shoe thread
Shoe review thread at Southern Ontario Parkour community forum

Best parkour shoes

These shoes are designed specifically for traceurs.

Savant - Men's by Five Ten

Savant - Men's by Five Ten

Lightweight and amphibious, the Five Ten Savant is more...1 point

Freerunner Sneaker - Men's by Five Ten

Freerunner Sneaker - Men's by Five Ten

Make your way through a speed vault and amp it up more...1 point

ariake Men's

ariake Men's

The K-Swiss Ariake is the most supportive Free-Run more...0 points

Men's K-Swiss Ariake

Men's K-Swiss Ariake

Upper is Leather. Profile is The most supportive f more...0 points

Popular shoes

These shoes are popular on the parkour community forums.
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Five ten advert

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K-Swiss Ariake Shoes

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Free Running/Parkour Shoes

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Parkour stuff on CafePress

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Movies featuring free running

Looking for inspiration? Check out these DVDs
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Reader Feedback

  • chasz-manequin Apr 17, 2012 @ 6:22 pm | delete
    from experience I found nike free-runs have no grip, have to stay out of wet or mud and are terrible for ankle support and rails. Iv'e torn an achilles tendon in them for a silly reason.
    ASICs are grippy but pull on your calves a bit more, but provide good ankle support.
  • goteachthailand Oct 31, 2011 @ 8:08 am | delete
    I've read that some people like to practice parkour barefoot or in thin soled-shoes like the Vibram 5 Fingers but I've never seen anyone free-running in anything other than trainers.
  • Jenny18 Jul 18, 2011 @ 7:48 am | delete
    Great Collection of shoes and awesome lens, good job done :)
  • CashInTheHand Jan 11, 2011 @ 9:20 pm | delete
    I enjoyed this lens.
  • Fluffymuppet Dec 29, 2010 @ 7:33 am | delete
    Useful stuff, thanks :) If you're looking for shoes online then have a quick look at my lens on footwear savings and discounts before you start spending money - you could save a lot!
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