Searching for the best BMX shoes can be an important job for any rider, as they are a fundamental connection between the rider and their BMX bike.
The best BMX shoes are the DC Court Graffik’s, as they have a large range of color-ways and provide incredible comfort for any type of the rider.
In this article will be various examples of BMX shoes for different riders. Check out their sole’s for comfort and patterns on the sole of the shoe to ensure grip on their pedals.
Table of Contents
BMX Shoes Comparison
| BMX Shoes | Colorways | Comfort 5* rating |
|---|---|---|
| DC Pure Action | 28 | 5 |
| Vans Old Skool Shoes | 26 | 4 |
| DC Trase TX | 1 | 3 |
| DC Men’s Court Graffik | 24 | 5 |
| Osiris Men’s Protocol | 26 | 4 |
| Osiris Men’s Relic | 13 | 4 |
| Globe Men’s Motley | 14 | 4 |
| Etnies Swivel | 11 | 5 |
| Etnies Fader LS | 23 | 5 |
| Etnies Jameson 2 Eco | 1 | 5 |
Additional factors to check can be tightness of the shoe on the BMX riders toes and feet as some riders prefer looser fitting BMX shoes for comfort.
If you’re a beginner BMX rider, you should be looking at the more padded or hi-top BMX shoes which will offer you the best protection. If you’re a more experienced rider you should look at a lighter-weight canvas shoe, offering more flexibility whilst riding and to preform tricks.
Below is a list of all of the best BMX shoes along with their attributes.
The Best BMX Shoes
1. DC Pure Action BMX Shoes
The DC Pure Action Sport Sneaker is a highly recommended BMX shoe for the average rider as the shoe has a foam padded tongue which prevents the rider from injury, similarly as the collar which also has added form cover for comfort and support for your riding.
In terms of features of the DC Pure Action, they include:
- Size Ranges(USA): 6 – 18
- Color-ways: 15
- Mesh lining makes them weather proof.
- Small breather holes for ventilation
The DC Pure Action Sport Sneaker boasts of a durable leather upper, as well as a grippy rubber sole, perfect to grip the tips on any BMX bike pedals.
Additionally, it has a mesh lining to finish it to ensure its weather proof. Furthermore it’s been recommended by BMX riders for the perfect BMX shoe, as it is comfortable all over and wide so that the rider’s feet and toes do not feel too tight.
Check it Out2. Vans Old Skool BMX Shoes
The Vans Old Skool Low-Top shoes may currently be the most popular and trendy shoes out now among the common people, however it is also on the list of the best BMX shoes.
In terms of features of the Vans Old Skool, they include:
- Size Ranges(USA): 4 – 14.5
- Color-ways: 6
- Thatched rubber texture.
- Vulcanized construction.
The Vans Old Skool’s come with the authentic 60’s canvas styling which is actually incredibly durable compared to other shoes on this article. Furthermore it has a thick rubber sole as can be seen, this offers a lot of protection to the BMX rider whether you’re an experience rider or not.
The bonus is the thatched rubber texture on the bottom which is also very flat that enables maximum grip for the rider. Finally the vulcanized construction has incredible levels of comfort and adding to the durability, the Vans Old Skool are a great example of how a classic design cannot be beaten this is why it features on the article of the best BMX shoes.
Check it Out3. DC Trase TX Shoes
The DC Trase TX Unisex Skate Shoe is a massive contender for being the best BMX shoe, especially for long time experienced riders, as the shoes are very flat, with not much of an arch which allows them to bend and hug the pedals on a BMX very easily as they’re flexible.
Other features of the Vans Old Skool, include:
- Size Ranges(USA): 4 – 14.5
- Color-ways: 29
- Lightweight design.
- Low-top design for flexibility.
By being this flexible it makes them targeted towards BMX riders, additionally they are narrow and lightweight which allows the BMX rider to be more agile with their feet whilst using them. The DC Trase’s come in a variety of colourways with canvas fabric making them trendy and durable enough for any BMX rider.
A final benefit to add on is that they are low-top shoes which make the BMX rider feel less restricted, however they’ve also got a decent wrap around the midsole to prevent the BMX rider from any significant injury.
Check it Out4. DC Court Graffiks
Another recommendation is again a pair of DC shoes. The DC Court Graffik Skate Shoe are highly recommended by BMX riders, similar to the Pure Action Sport Sneakers they offer protection for the heel of the rider.
However, for comfort it is recommended that the DC Graffik’s for a number one choice as they offer higher quality protection with the better quality cushioned panels for maximum protection of the heels that they offer in comparison.
In terms of features of the DC Court Graffik’s, include:
- Size Ranges(USA): 7 – 17
- Color-ways: 1
- Sturdy leather construction.
- Reputable brand.
The DC Graffik’s have been praised for their robustness and durability as they feature sturdy leather on the outside of the shoe with stitching with creative graphics on the side. Furthermore the DC Graffik’s are tighter than the DC Pure Action, which makes them more agile for the BMX rider which further allows them to preform tricks easier as well as maintaining maximum grip and traction.
In conclusion DC Shoes are a reputable brand to buy from especially with these two BMX shoes as they’ve been market leaders for years and specialise in this area of sports and understand the need to have a fusion between creativity and function for the BMX riders, hence why they deliver on supreme range of eye catching colours as well as providing incredible comfort and durability.
Check it Out5. Osiris Protocol BMX Shoes
The Osiris Protocol shoe is one of the best BMX shoes for beginner/average BMX riders. This is because they come with a lightweight padded tongue and collar to protect a BMX rider from injuries. This is important as when learning tricks as a novice in BMX it can lead the rider to being injury prone.
In terms of features of the Osiris Protocol, they include:
- Size Ranges(USA): 5 – 14
- Color-ways: 26
- Abrasion resistant rubber outsole.
- Lightweight construction.
Another benefit of the Osiris Protocol Shoe’s is that they’ve got abrasion resistant rubber outsole for wear. This ensures the durability of the shoe as some shoes can be fragile due to the liability of wear from BMX riding. Finally the Osiris is on the best BMX shoe recommendations as it boasts of a very creative design with a variety of colour ways that would suit any BMX riders taste.
Check it Out6. Osiris Relic BMX Shoes
Osiris has produced another shoe for more experienced riders, which are the Osiris Relic Skateboarding Shoes. The Osiris Relic’s come in multiple creative colorway designs similar to the Osiris Protocols; however the structure of the shoe is a lot tighter in comparison which allows for more control for the rider when in control of their BMX.
Other features of the Osiris Relic, include:
- Size Ranges(USA): 5 – 14
- Color-ways: 21
- Reinforced high abrasion areas.
- Lightweight padding.
Similar to the other Osiris’, they also have a unique design with reinforced high abrasion areas for a more than impressive durability of the shoe. Finally another reason why the Relic is on the best BMX recommendations for BMX riders is that they have more lightweight padding to ensure a tighter grip for the rider and the lighter weight for the more experience rider for better control.
Check it Out7. Globe Motley BMX Shoes
The Globe Motley Skate Shoes are highly recommended as one of the best BMX shoes as they’re a stylish mid-top shoe that boasts of many varieties of colourways.
These BMX shoes are most recommended for experienced riders as they’re produced by Globe, an experienced BMX apparel brand who produces lightweight shoes to allow the rider to have more flexibility and grip whilst controlling the BMX during riding or whilst performing tricks.
Other features of the Globe Motley’s, include:
- Size Ranges(USA): 5 – 14
- Color-ways: 21
- Mid-top shoes to protect your ankles.
- Cushion protection.
Although they are lightweight with high quality material, they do offer a generous amount of padding along the mid-top collar to ensure the rider is not exposed to injuries if they fall, further more there is a lot of cushion protect on the heel to abstain the rider from fatigue from riding.
Check it Out8. Etnies Swivel BMX Shoes
Etnies are probably one of the largest leaders in the BMX shoe market, so it’s not a surprise that they’re high up on the list of being one of the best BMX shoes out there from their reputation as being the rider’s classic choice shoe.
The Etnies Swivel Skate Shoe are high up on our list as they offered in many different color-ways with a classic leather/synthetic based design which gives them a retro appearance.
Other features of the Etnies Swivel Skate Shoe, include:
- Size Ranges(USA): 5 – 14.5
- Color-ways: 5
- Egg-crate construction for comfort.
- Foam Lite 1 insole.
Furthermore they offer brilliant rubber sole protection as they have 300 NBS rubber outsole which is perfect for any level of BMX rider that would prevent them from injury. Moreover they have an midsole egg-crate construction, which enables the BMX rider of immense grip whilst riding and preforming tricks. Finally the Etnies offer Foam Lite 1 Insole protect in the inside to prevent the rider from fatigue around the base of the foot.
Check it Out9. Etnies Fader LS BMX Shoes
The Etnies Fader LS Skate Shoe is Etnies different modern approach on the best BMX shoe, as you can see they have a new trend approach on styling produced from ‘Action Nubuck’ and synthetic material as it aims to provide durability to the modernized version of the long-time classical look Etnies has always had.
Other features of the Etnies Fader LS, include:
- Size Ranges(USA): 5 – 14
- Color-ways: 21
- Egg-crate construction.
- Produced from ‘Action Nubuck’
The shoe has great structural integrity as it has a midsole egg-crate construction, with a ‘Die-Cut EVA insole and Blutcher toe to ensure the riders feet are protected from any accidents. Furthermore, the design includes over at least 21 different colourways to ensure that the shoe can fit anyone’s colour taste, surprisingly it has been a very popular choice in shoe amongst experienced and novice riders around the BMX community.
Check it Out10. Etnies Jameson 2 Eco BMX Shoes
The final pair of Etnies’ pair of shoes that are recommended in our list of the best BMX shoes are the Etnies Jameson 2 Eco Skate Shoe. These are unique, as they are part of the new policy of Etnies where they abide to if you buy shoe, they plant a tree through the reforestation program.
The shoe is sustainably produced as it is created from used recycled rubber in the outsole and on the pet shoe laces and created from recycled plastic, overall these features make these pair of shoes unique in being a contender for the best BMX shoes overall in this post.
Other features of the Globe Motley’s, include:
- Size Ranges(USA): 5 – 14
- Color-ways: 21
- Sustainably sourced.
- Faux-vulc cup sole construction.
Besides the impressive environmental factors that make this shoe one of the best BMX shoes, it also boast many other great qualities such as the shoe is a low top design that has faux-vulc cup sole construction which keeps the body of the shoe nice and rigid opposed to being floppy.
Despite obtaining a lightweight outerwear, the Etnies Jameson also offers thinly padded tongue and collar for protection and rider comfort which is another factor for it being a contender for the best BMX shoe. Finally the Etnies Jameson 2 Eco Skate Shoe has sti foam lite level 1 footbed which offers the BMX rider extreme protection padding like none other in the market.
Check it OutBMX Shoe Buying Guide
Overall this article provides many various options for the best BMX shoes to purchase however, at the end of the day you have to find a shoe that fits your style of riding.
Beginners
For instance, a beginner may be more driven towards the DC Men’s Pure Action Sport Sneaker for example as they offer a lot of padding within the shoe and a thick leather/canvas outer layer which enables the riding to be better protected.
Experienced
Where on the other hand a more experienced rider may be drawn towards the DC Trase TX Shoe as it is a more narrow show which has a light weight outer canvas, this enables a lot more flexibility for the BMX rider, furthermore it has a low-top design which makes the BMX rider more restricted whilst riding.
Features
Finally other riders may be completely drawn to the most unique shoe of them all, the Etnies Jameson 2 Eco Skate Shoe as they might find it to be the best BMX shoe due to the sustainable/recyclable resources that created, find your shoes that suit your needs.
Best BMX shoes: What To Consider?
1. Fitting
BMX shoes tend to have their design inspiration from skate shoes. This includes how they fit and the sizing they relate to, when compared to other cycling shoes such as road bicycle or mountain bike shoes.
Its advised when looking at BMX shoes to searching for sizes similar to your normal shoes to ensure they fit not too loosely. This is because there are incidents of shoes flying off on landings leading to a hurt foot because of it.
You’ll have to make sure you’re buying a pair with good insole comfort too, as you’ll be wearing these for long periods of time and they’ll have to withstand high-impact landings.
2. Design & Construction
Similar as mentioned before, BMX shoes follow skate shoes in this fashion. By this we mean that they have a similar silhouette and many skate shoes are even designed to suit the needs of BMXing.
Moreover the types of shoes vary, as they can be a high or low top and they can have extra padding to cushion your landings.
3. Sole
The sole of a BMX shoe is an important factor that you have to bear in mind. BMX shoes will tend to have a slimmer sole, as it improves control and grip on the pedal.
Moreover by having a slimmer sole you benefit from greater pedal feel, offering you better grip on the pedal pins. Although you can go the route of having a thicker sole, which has a benefit of offering you better protection from high impact landings.
Types of BMX shoes
Ultimately there are many type of BMX shoes that you can choose from. The common attribute that they all will share is having a flat sole, although a distinguishing factor between types of shoes for BMXing is the height of the shoe to the ankle.
There are three types of BMX shoes which include low-tops, mid-tops and high-tops shoes.
Low-Top BMX Shoes
Low tops look similar to regular shoes in regard to their height. A low-tops BMX shoes will be below the ankle height wise and are the most likely pair you’ll see about among other BMX riders
Mid-Tops BMX Shoes
Mid-tops will reach the height of your ankle and they will provide protection against the BMX to your ankles.
High-Tops BMX Shoes
High-tops are by far the most protective and will be the best bet if you’re prone to injuries, as they go above your ankles.
Conclusion
Overall you should take in consideration many factors before purchasing a shoe such as size, softness of the sole and even the repetitive patterns on the sole as it can effect your grip onto the pedals. On the other hand factors such as color-ways are always a bonus as well as the durability of the material they’re made from.
