Shoes. Most days, we struggle to get them on as we’re rushing to get out the door, and afterwards, don’t think about them. Psychologically, this is known as habituation—the more we put them on, the less we think about them. But, unlike some industries (like entertainment) that profit the more we think about using them, the shoe industry makes $403 billion globally (in 2023) by the shoes we don’t even think about (Grand View Research).
However, it’s important to note the specificity of shoes in the modern day, and how that contrasts with our past. Here’s an example—when my granddad was in high school, he was on his school’s basketball team. Jerseys may have looked a little different than now, but the shoes? Professional leagues wore Converse on the court. They were considered the sports shoe. Now? We think about things a little differently.
Now, if you go to an athletics or outdoors store like Dick’s Sporting Goods or even REI, you’ll find isles of all the different kinds of shoes you’d need for different occasions. And it’s not just about style. You have to decide whether you want hiking shoes, tennis shoes, walking shoes, running shoes, or cross trainers. And if you want cleats—there’s no “one size fits all” cleat. Soccer, lacrosse, football, and baseball all have their own cleats personalized to the sport.
So what is the role of shoes in sports? Why do we need so many types? Why doesn’t Converse work as the catch-all athletic shoe anymore?
The easiest way for me to explain this is through the sport I compete in—competitive rock climbing because I think it highlights some important aspects of the role of shoes in sports.
Climbing shoes are some of the most specific kinds of shoes I know—firstly, because there are shoes preferable for each discipline. The three disciplines of climbing are: bouldering (short walls up to around 20 feet), sport (any rope climbing anywhere from 30 feet to 3000 feet), and speed (races on a pre-set route). Though bouldering and sport shoes are somewhat similar in nature, depending on the type of climbing you do, you may need shoes with softer rubber (for large, sloped footholds) or harder rubber (for sharper, more precise footholds).
The shoes also depend on your level of climbing and the shape of your foot. Typically, beginner climbers buy shoes with a flatter sole and little arch, known as “low volume” shoes. High volume shoes, conversely, have a greater arch and typically a more aggressive toe for more advanced climbers, or climbers that have a more natural arch in their foot. Speed climbing shoes are much more rare, but they typically have a flatter sole and harder rubber.
The degree of customization and personalization of each climbing shoe to your own personal needs and feet illustrate a bigger picture—shoes are so much more than just things you wear. They are an extension of what you do, especially in sports—as pivotal, I’d argue, to your performance as training or stretching. Shoes define what is important in each sport.
For example, the rubber and leather elements of climbing shoes are indicative of a climbing shoe’s goal of both gripping to the wall and molding to one’s foot. The center toe cleat of football cleats indicate the quick action required at the line of scrimmage . The high-top shoes of basketball indicate how players have to jump and change direction quickly. Cushioning inside running shoes indicate the level of forward motion required to run (WebMD).
While some sports share elements of their shoes with others (for example, lacrosse and baseball shoes share a toe cleat and general structure), chances are, any major sport in the modern day (and some minor ones!) have their own shoes that reflect their own values.
So the next time you go to replace your old soccer cleats or grab a new pair of tennis shoes, as you seem to try on every pair to see if the shoe fits, think of what your shoe is saying about you, what your values are, and what kind of activities you engage in. Chances are, the shoes you aren’t thinking about are the same ones that can tell a lot about you.
Sources: https://www.webmd.com/fitness-exercise/ss/slideshow-different-types-athletic-shoes