Shoes

[sabresamurai]

What is the best kind of shoe to wear when fencing, besides specialy designed shoes for fencing

[a517dogg]

when you are just starting out it doesn't really matter

[MyrddinsPrecint]

sneakers, obviously.

generally ones with thin soles, and grip on the bottom of the shoe....

but as long as they're sneakers, they'll work out fine for quite a while....

[corinna2u]

I would add...close fitting without pinching.

Also, if you use your day to day tennis shoes...make sure they are clean...especially in the treads...if you don't, one of the more experienced fencers will probably end up embarrassing you by yelling out "Who has the mud on their shoes?" and all eyes will rivet your way.

[sabresamurai]

lol, would former NIKE basketball shoes work?

[wflaschka]

Bad: Some sports shoes have thick soles that elevate your feet from the ground. Such as running shoes, which are built to withstand a lot of repetitive pounding. And basket-ball shoes, which are sproingy so you get a nice vertical leap. We don't need these things in fencing.

Good: In fencing, there are a lot of direction changes. Big, thick soles complicate this, and can roll your ankles, causing injury. Wrestling shoes, squash shoes, any shoes with a thin sole -- these are good. If you can find some with a rounded heel, even better.

I'm always keeping an eye out...

[fencingguy]

it's a good idea to avoid wrestling shoes. While thinner soles are a plus, you do not want to get to the point that there is not enough support or padding to protect your feet. Wrestling shoes are similar to athletic slippers. You're better off with the squash shoes recommended earlier, tennis shoes, or anything else with good lateral support and semi decent padding in the sole. I switched away from fencing shoes last year (too expensive) and have been finding success with some addidas tennis shoes. Ok, off to practice!

[corinna2u]

Originally posted by sabresamurai
lol, would former NIKE basketball shoes work?

Shouldn't be a problem. Those shoes should do you fine for your summer camp...my son used something like that...but when you get a chance to buy a different pair, search the forum for various opinions and information on shoes.

[sabresamurai]

ok thanks for the help, my basketball shoes have NO elevation on them whatsoever{they arent the most expensive basketball shoes ever} and so i think that i will use those, although they do have fairly hight tops, will that cause a problem?

[corinna2u]

No, high tops shouldn't cause a problem.

I actually prefer high tops...but there again, after you fence awhile you will start to develop an opinion on what you want in shoes. You will either love the shoes you start with or you will start to say something like, "Next time, I will get shoes with more heel cush...these lunges can be a bugger."

[pkt]

Generally court shoes work best for the following reasons:
1. It has rounded corners.
2. It's designed to work on lacquered gym floors which we fence on most of the time.
3. Most of the time they're white, vs the multi-hued fancy colours of a lot of B-ball shoes.

The only drawback of court shoes is that the heels are thin. This can of course be remedied by buying and sharing a pair of those ortho-heel cups. As fencers we only need one for the leading foot.
At CAD20 a pair...

I personally found that Adidas' cross trainers and court shoes give me the rounded corner beside the ball of the foot that I look for in a shoe to fence in. The newer Adidas court shoe also have ahigher - read more comfortable - toe box as well as more suppport. I bring my Adidas Equipment shoes as well as my Adidas court shoes to tournamnets since the former don't work as well - read less gripp - as the latter on lacquered gym floors.

If you want, I can tell you the model of Adidas court shoe I'm using. It's so grippy that every step I make the shoes sqeek!

PK

[hawaii kid]

Well,
I used to have some Adidas (pronounced Ah` - Dee - Daaaz, like La-Dee-Da)
And they lasted a loong time.

I just ordered some of Blue Gauntlets $49.00 shoes as they were recommended by several people I know. I'll let you know after they arrive.

[ShaggyShaw]

Skateboard shoes... the absolute best (short of fencing shoes) for fencing. they're designed to take impact, they're comfortable, they have rubber up the side, so when you're a beginner dragging your feet they don't wear down as fast and they grip like nobody's buisness.

of course that's IMHO

[Louweasel]

My old university club and the club I go to now both recommend squash shoes. They particularly recommend ones by the brand Hi-Tec; many of the more advanced fencers at my club swear by them, and there’s the added advantage that they’re cheap as chips (£20, which is about $30 I think). I can’t say for certain whether you can buy them in the US but other squash shoes should be good too.




I know the egyptian smiley is completely unrelated to this thread but I was wanting to use it and didn't anticipate ever having an egyptian-themed post...

[lfortier]

If you are just beginning, I recommend just your regular old sneakers, since its not as important in the early stages, and you may change your mind about fencing. But, if you know for sure that you'll stick with it, go ahead and buy shoes just for fencing; They may be expensive, but they work best, are so much lighter and easier to move around on the strip with. Besides, you WILL need fencing shoes anyways, so it's better you get them sooner than later.

[Marcos]

First few months, wear what you have at home

After that, get some squash shoes - pretty cheap and do the job great. Keep 'em clean and only use when fencing, playing squash, badminton , etc.

One trick - put talcom (baby) powder in your shoes - will stop you getting blisters

...and they will last longer, and not smell!

[achilleus]

When you start out, whatever court shoe you have in your closet works just fine. If you get serious it, you have to find what works for you.

Indoor court shoes (like volleyball, squash, racquetball, etc.) are very similar to fencing shoes, but tend to wear out very quickly.

Basketball shoes are great if you get the right style. Some are made for the larger players, like Shaq, who don't move too much and need lots of cushion and support. Others are made for the small quick players, who need a shoe that is low to the ground, and good for quick cuts. Most, now a days, have rounded heels.

Tennis shoes are very similar to the indoor shoes, only more durable, and heavier.

Many top, mostly epee, fencers don't wear fencing specific shoes, so don't feel pressured.

Personally, I've worn fencing shoes, basketball shoes (loved those shoes), squash shoes, tennis shoes, and volleyball shoes. My favorites have been the ones that fit me well, which do not happen to be fencing shoes.

Currently, I happen to be wearing some Adidas volleyball shoes that work great.

[IHaveNoTipSir40]

I suggest wrestling shoes. Wrestling shoes are surprisingly similar to fencing shoes. Additionally, wrestling shoes provide superior ankle support. However, if you decide to buy wrestling shoes make sure you get insoles (these shoes don't provide much shock absorbtion, however, the insoles should solve this).

[Craig]

Originally posted by IHaveNoTipSir40
I suggest wrestling shoes.

IMO, wrestling shoes are not a good fit for fencing. Wrestling shoes are designed to be used when you are on top of a 2" think mat, not on a fencing strip.

The soles of wrestling shoes have 0 traction and tend to slip/slide, and even with an insole you don't get much shock absorbtion.

If you're not going to use fencing shoes, then use something designed for similar characteristics. Shoes that come to mind are those made for indoor volleyball, squash, and raquetball.

Cheers,
Craig

[sabresamurai]

Ok, thanks for all the help