Athletic Shoes

Athletic shoes focus on functionality and aim to assist athletes and participants of various sports in avoiding injuries, gaining balance, protection and support, and generally enabling and enhancing their performance. These shoes are mainly categorized depending on the type of sport they are manufactured for.

Sneakers/Trainers: General purpose athletic shoes, usually made of rubber, cloth or plastic in order to be lightweight, flexible and have good traction. They are usually preferred by non-professional athletes, or individuals going to the gym.

Running shoes: Shoes that are very similar to sneakers, but with additional emphasis on cushioning and traction and frequently more aerodynamic in form.

Track shoes: Shoes very similar to sneakers are running shoes, lightweight and often with plastic or metal cleats to improve traction and enable and enhance performance in track sports.

Cleat shoes: Shoes featuring molded or removable studs, referred to as cleats, along their bottom. Usually worn while playing
football, American football, rugby or baseball and other field sports.

Golf shoes: Shoes with spikes for better grip in the grass and wet ground. Replaceable "soft spikes" made of synthetic plastic-like materials with prongs distributed radially around the edge of each spike are the most common today.

Bowling shoes: Shoes of an intermediate style, between ordinary casual shoes and athletic shoes. They have harder rubber soles/heels so as not to damage bowling alley floors.

Climbing shoes:Shoes designed to facilitate rock-climbing. They typically have a close fit, little if any padding, and a smooth, sticky rubber sole with an extended rubber rand.

Hiking shoes or boots: Boot-style shoes that have a high and somewhat stiff upper, usually with many lace eyelets to provide ankle support on uneven terrain. Their sole traditionally has extra large traction.

Walking shoes: Shoes having a more flexible sole than running shoes and lighter in weight than hiking boots. They may have holes, and may or may not be waterproof.

Skating shoes: Shoes that have various attachments for skating on the bottom of the shoe, usually in the form of small wheels, either aligned or distributed. They often have a high and stiff upper, and sometimes include lace eyelets in order to provide better ankle support.

Ski boots: Large, thick plastic boots specially designed for attachment to skis or snowboards.

Skateboarding shoes: Shoes with flat soles to provide a better grip on a skateboard. They are very wide and have extra layers of padding to protect skateboarders feet.

Cycling shoes: Equipped with metal or plastic cleats to interface with clip-less pedals. They also have a stiff sole to maximize power transfer to the pedals and support the foot.

Snowshoes: Special shoes for walking in the snow. In temperate climates these shoes are used mostly for recreational activities during the winter.

Wrestling shoes: Light, flexible, lightweight shoes that mimic base feet while at the same time proving traction and protection.

Fins or flippers: Shoes for swimming with a paddle-like front that acts as an aid in swimming, especially underwater (scuba diving etc).