Types of Shoes and Your Stance

[CrownCityCorey]

Corey,

Why are the walking shoes on the bottom of your list? This is a serious question since I wear them all day working in my shop and tend to wear them shooting pool also. I haven't noticed any disadvantages to wearing the Cabala's soft soled Rockport knock offs but I am certainly willing to learn.

Please explain why the walking shoes are bad to play in.

Thanks,
Hu

The walking shoes are not at the bottom, just last in the list of acceptable shoes.

They have a little too much cushion for me (I like to feel grounded while playing) on top of that the style of walking shoes is just awful (seriously). I do have some Rockports that are accectably comfortable, but what would I ever wear them with?

"I" can not wear walking shoes in a pro tournament with the dress code (though many do, and sometimes even camouflaged sneakers).

I just can't wear non "dress" clothes (including shoes) in a pro event. It just does not feel right.

Playing just for the sake of playing (no dress code), the Chuck Taylors or Running Shoes get the dough!

 

[BRKNRUN]

Get you sole on

Get your sole on.

 

[ShootingArts]

Thanks Corey

Corey,

I wore the walking shoes with casual dress in the nuclear plant for years as a draftsman/designer. In the pool room folks are so taken with the elegance of the rest of my garb that I doubt that they notice the shoes.

Hu

The walking shoes are not at the bottom, just last in the list of acceptable shoes.

They have a little too much cushion for me (I like to feel grounded while playing) on top of that the style of walking shoes is just awful (seriously). I do have some Rockports that are accectably comfortable, but what would I ever wear them with?

"I" can not wear walking shoes in a pro tournament with the dress code (though many do, and sometimes even camouflaged sneakers).

I just can't wear non "dress" clothes (including shoes) in a pro event. It just does not feel right.

Playing just for the sake of playing (no dress code), the Chuck Taylors or Running Shoes get the dough!

 

[BRKNRUN]

I have never been able to play pool wearing; sandals, boots, loafers or basketball shoes. The best pool playing shoes IMO are (in order from best down); Chuck Taylor Converse All-Stars (low-top), Running Shoes (or cross trainers) Dress Shoes (w/rubber sole) and lastly walking shoes (Rockport, FootJoy or whatever).

I absolutely agree a flat shoe, no heel is best (hence the Chuck Taylors). I spent years looking for the perfect pool shoes and they are not out there. And dress shoes all have a heel.

We have even done some R & D at Tiger for a pool shoe, but there is just no market for them. They'd most likely be $400+ a pair and very few will pay that.

I posted a couple examples of about as no heel as you can get casual shoe...for casual events.

For pro events have you looked into Golf "Teaching" shoes. Foot Joy and Nike make some very nice low heel type shoes with rubber "non slide on the carpet soles"......

 

[third_i]

If you want a comfy shoe that is flat on the bottom look into a few crosstrainers or walking shoes. But be careful with crosstrainers because some will lift your heels waaay up(shox, air max tr, something like a monarch would work well). Running shoes are my prefered shoe so I mainly shoot with running shoes on... I honestly don't care what shoes are on my feet when I'm playing pool, as long as the shoes are slippery dress shoes on a slick floor.

 

[Jack Madden]

For years I watched an a very smooth hustler show up - dressed to the nines with his dress shoes to play the local businessmen (he looked very much the part of a successful businessman just dropping by the room for a short game of pool). When the action started, he pulled out his tennis shoes out of his briefcase, put them on and proceeded with the afternoon festivities.

 

[ez2h8]

A lot of you guys will disagree with this one, but I find skateboarding shoes to be my best bet for playing pool. These shoes have absolutely no heel (all flat since it is necessary for sk8boarders to do those board flips) which will give you balance for any stance and with some foot relaxors (Dr. Scholes for instance) it would be like walking on clouds. My 2 cents.

I actualy agree on this. I have a pair of old airwalks. They look like bowling shoes by design but are actually flat bottomed skate shoes. I wear them only to play pool in. I find that shoes or boots with a slight heel make it feel as if I need to bend over further or bend at the knee's more vs flat bottomed shoes. Running shoes don't work either. I also know that heavy shoes will wear on me physically if I am playing long hours. I need a shoe that almost feels as if I am not wearing any. Lastly and most crazy, I can be shooting awesome, look down and see my shoe untied and that will pause me from shooting to tie my shoe. Crazy, I know!

Good thread!
ez

 

[spliced]

A lot of you guys will disagree with this one, but I find skateboarding shoes to be my best bet for playing pool. These shoes have absolutely no heel (all flat since it is necessary for sk8boarders to do those board flips) which will give you balance for any stance and with some foot relaxors (Dr. Scholes for instance) it would be like walking on clouds. My 2 cents.

Ditto. Vans and DC's all the way.