10 Best Parkour Shoes to Buy (2020) Updated Review

Best Parkour shoes are those who provide better grip, last longer, help in jumping or climbing, and, most importantly, land you back safely on the ground. Men’s Micro G Pursuit free-running shoe by Under Armour is considered as the best parkour shoe being cheap and also have all the qualities of top parkour shoe.

Good shoes for parkour are hard to find when you have to search for thousands of shoes available in the market. In such cases, a detailed guide can save you time and money. Following is the list of top 10 parkour shoes. These shoes are for professionals and are best for free running or extensive parkour exercise but if you are a beginner then you can check out shoes for beginners. If you are tight on budget, then you can take a look at our list of cheap parkour shoes.

10 Best Parkour Shoes Compared

1. Micro G Pursuit – Parkour Shoe by Under Armour

Under Armour is a renowned footwear company. It has many shoes for men for freerunning, but Micro G Pursuit Running shoe has something unique, which is the reason it has made to the top of our list. One of those unique things is the minimalistic shoe design. Let us do an in-depth review of this shoe.

Minimalistic Design:

This shoe is available in many colors and designs and yet has minimal shoe design. This shoe has a lace-up closure. The upper part is made with textiles and is extremely light-weight. It has a breathable mesh on the top which keeps your feet ventilated.

Cushioned Insole:

Inside is lined with foam to provide cushioning. It is so soft that you will feel that you are running on some gel. You will feel the comfort once your shoe land on the ground after a jump. Sometimes while doing parkour, you forget that jumping from a great height can have a pressure o your feet. This shoe is designed to absorb the impact of the ground as much as possible. It can be a good thing for beginners, but if you are already an expert, you would mostly choose a shoe with less comfort and more flexibility. I already explained the role of the sole and cushioning in parkour so you can take a look at it if you wish.

Rubber Outsole:

The outsole of the Armour Men’s Micro G Pursuit Running Shoe is made up of rubber. It is thick and strong. The pattern at the outsole is also adequate for a parkour shoe. It can provide you with a high rebound. The outsole is a one-piece as well as the midsole and that is a pretty appreciative thing for a good shoe. Let us take a look at its pros and cons and then I will leave it up to you whether you should buy this shoe or not:

2. Gel-Venture 6 – Running Shoe By Asics

Gel-Venture 6 is a great choice among Asics parkour shoes and is #1 in the list of Amazon Men’s Running Shoe. But it is added in our list because it provides a fantastic grip while running on the road.

Design with Breathable Mesh

Gel-Venture 6 free running shoe is available in many colors and designs. The main design features a breathable mesh covered with stripes of synthetic fiber. Breathable mesh is pretty efficient in keeping your feet cool and dry. It is an essential thing to keep your feet healthy.

Rubber material:

Most of the shoe, including the insole, upper part, and the further covering is synthetic while the outsole is made up of rubber. Rubber stands right in extreme conditions while synthetic fiber absorbs moistures and helps further in keeping your shoe dry.

Insole with Removable Sockliner:

The insole has a removable sock liner that can be removed to obtain a medical orthotic. It is better to choose a shoe which fits you and this can help to fit. The reason behind this is that if the shoe is slightly larger, then you may not be able to run fittingly and if the shoe is somewhat smaller, then you will get injured when you will land because our feet spread out a bit on landing.

Low Arch Support:

If you need too much arch support, I would suggest you pick any other shoe from the list. It is because this shoe has less arch support as compared to other brands. Although your feet are flat, then it is the best parkour shoe for flat soles.

Outsole with Vertical Patterns:

The outsole has verticals patterns which are good for traction. Although they may not last long yet they will provide you with enough friction to perform at your best in the sport. Overall it is one of the best shoes for parkour training with breathable mesh and comfortable insole.

3. Feetmat – Free-Running Shoes

This shoe has sleek black colour design and is bit unqiue from others in the list

Rubber Lace Design:

The thing that makes this shoe different from others is its unique design at an affordable price. The whole upper part is a breathable mesh with rubber lace holes that comes from the middle. As these lace holes are made of rubber, so you are never going to face the problem of torn lace holes. Now you can tighten up the laces as much as you wish.

Sometimes we are too lazy to change our shoes after a morning walk. This stylish design makes it possible for you to wear these at work in the office or casually at home. Thus, the shoe design makes it great for indoor, outdoor as well as for sports like parkour.

Affordable Cost:

You are lucky if the price is not an issue for you, but most people look for in-expensive shoes. In parkour, I also suggest you buy cheap shoes because it does not matter what, your shoes will not last more than six months. So, it is good to buy affordable ones and better if you buy two pairs of shoes instead of one.

One-piece Outsole:

The outsole is in one-piece, and I always prefer you to choose such one-piece soles. The reason for this is that the two-piece soles wear out quickly when you try to stop your body or lower your speed. One-piece sole will provide support to the whole lower part of the shoe, keeping it intact with the group while staying.

It also has anti-skid support so you will not fall off while stopping after a run.

FAQs about Feetmat Men’s Running Shoes

4. Revolution 4 – Parkour Running Shoe

Here comes the grand of brands, Nike. This shoe of Nike makes it to the top 10 of Men’s Running Shoes on Amazon. Let us test this shoe here

Simple Design:

The design is ordinary and similar to many shoes. A breathable mesh on the top is made up of synthetic fiber. Overall the exterior is pretty much minimalistic. You also get a Nike logo on the right of the shoe.

Flexible Insole:

The insole has cushioning to provide flexibility. It is non-removable. The primary issue which I observed with the shoe is the squeaking sound while walking. It is also pointed out by many users. I tried to figure it out and found that it is due to the insole. So if you see squeaking sound coming out from shoes then buy an extra pair of insoles. These will help you to reduce this sound.

Extreme Durability:

Nike never fails its customers in the strength of the product. The rubber is strong and durable so you can use it easily on hard pavement such as asphalt.

In short, these shoes are worth the money and I consider them as the best Nike parkour shoes.

5. Adrenaline GTS 19 by Brooks

This shoe is made by Brooks Brand. It has a lot of features which we are going to discuss now

Streamline Design

The shoe has a modern and streamlined design. The exterior is 3D printed. It provides your feet Go-To fit and comfortable resting place for your toes.

True Cushioning

It is crucial to get shoes with the true extent of cushioning. In parkour, you always need a response from the ground. You must be able to feel what is under your feet. Thus, the outsole must not be so thick with the foam that you cannot feel the ground. It must be thin enough to provide you with the right sensitivity and responsiveness.

This shoe comes with such balanced cushioning, which is thick enough to be comfortable, yet you can feel the ground under your feet.

Best Arch and Knee Support

Brooks Men’s Adrenaline GTS 19 provides you with the best Arch and knee support. Have you ever felt pain in your sole of the feet after a slight walk and wondered what the cause of that pain is? It is your shoe. I mentioned earlier that your shoes keep you healthy. Now I am going to prove this to you.

If you have completely flat feet, then avoid these shoes and go with any other shoes. But if you are looking for arch support, you cannot find shoes better then these. Also, the knee support is extraordinary.

Now let us do an overall review on these shoes

6. Gel Contend – Asics Parkour Shoes

Seventh in the list is Gel-Contend 5 Running shoe made by Asics. It has a nearly similar design to the Gel-Venture 6 mentioned above. Let us see what are the differences between both of them

Ortholite Sockliner

This shoe is available in many designs so you can choose the one you like. The insole features an Ortholite Sockliner with moisture management. The insole is made such to absorb shock while jumps.

This shoe comes at an affordable price so it will not be a burden on your pocket even if you have to buy it every four months.  This shoe is a perfect combination of comfort and low cost. You get two enjoy flexibility and softness of insole at a very affordable price. The insole is like memory foam so it might not be too good for a training shoe.

Good Foam Density

The only issue I found in these shoes is the foam density. It is much higher as compared to other shoes. You always need minimal foam density and for that, you have to sacrifice your comfort. I know that foam is for protection of your shoes but too much also reduces your sensitivity to the ground.

Overall, this shoe is good if you are not going to train in it.

7. 520v5 by New Balance

520v5 Cushioning Running Shoe is one of the best new balance parkour shoes. The upper shoe design is mostly a synthetic breathable mesh combined with a comfort collar. The shoe is made 100% with synthetic material. The shoe outsole is made up of rubber.

A shoe for every Occasion

This shoe is suitable for both tough parkour training or casual running. The insole is made with a new compound to give the feeling of a soft gel and design is combined with underfoot flex grooves.

When you wear them for the first time you may feel hard on the bottom tab but it will improve and sensation would be gone within a week. You are going them to find true to size shoes so choose a perfect pair for yourselves.

In online pictures, they have metallic look near sole which is not that good but believe me, they look very classical in-person.

While wearing a shoe, the last thing you would want is the weight of shoe pulling you down to the ground. However, these new balance parkour shoes are extremely lightweight and easy to wear as well.

8. Trail Glove 4 – Barefoot Parkour Shoe

This is one of its types of shoes on our list. It is made by Merrel for Men and is Trail Glove 4 runner shoe. There is something special about which you can guess by its name. This shoe fits on your feet like a glove. Let us see how it does that.

First, let us talk about the quality and material. The shoe is made with 100% pure synthetic material, while the sole is made with rubber and is also lined with trail protect pad for underfoot protection. There is also breathable mesh so you can run far without worrying much. Also, the shoe is nearly weightless as each shoe weighs just 0.5 pounds (226 grams).

Arch Support

The thing that concerns most of the people is the arch support in this show. It is flat like a pancake at the bottom. But the insole has a bit of arch in the middle. So if you have a slightly flat foot then this shoe is good for you but if you require more arch support, I would not recommend shoe to you.

Fitness like glove

Fitness is the whole concept behind this shoe. It fits on your feet like a glove. This shoe has a lace-up closure to tighten it up as per your feet’s size yet has enough space in the toe box.

Overall, this shoe has breathable mesh, 10/10 fitness and less arch support.

9. Bare-XF 210 – Inov-8

Inov produced this stylish Bare feet design shoe for Men with pure textile.

Flexible Sole:

Bare-XF 210 V2 Sneaker has a sole made with rubber. The sole is not very thick to provide you with a maximum response from the ground but also provides good traction with the ground. you would not imagine that the sole is as thin as 3mm.  The sole also has a great extent of flexibility so you can jump on pipes and you can do parkour in every type of environment.

Barefoot Style:

One thing that you should keep in mind while selecting a barefoot type shoe is that it will not last long due to their thin soles. At the same time, they are good because of their minimalist design and proper fitting. Proper fitting makes your feet feel like a part of these shoes.

10. TIMP 1.5 Trail – Altra’s Mens Shoe

These shoes by Altra are only zero drop shoes on our list. Do not know what is the meaning of zero drop shoes? Let me explain that to you

Zero Drop Shoes

This term is first used by makers of these shoes. It describes that heel is at the same height as the ball of the foot which means the stress from the knee will be reduced and shifted all over to calf muscles. It usually happens when you are standing barefoot on flat ground.

Perfect Design

Altra Men’s running shoes are our last on the list of best parkour shoes. Although they are not waterproof yet they drain well so you can use them in rain too. Also, they are not good for muddy area. These shoes are designed very well which makes them feel lighter than their actual weight.

What are the best shoes for parkour?

The role of shoes in sports is very vital. They provide you grip, flexibility, and speed so, they must have a breathable mesh to keep your feet cool and dry. It is essential to buy the right shoe because choosing wrong can have a negative health impact. Our team of expert parkours carefully selected all of them listed above, and all of them have the required features. So you can choose any of them without a worry.

You need to be a bit specific while selecting a shoe for yourself. There are some things which must be in proportion to make the shoe for this strenuous exercise. Let us talk about these qualities that a good parkour shoe must have

Thin But Strong and Flexible Sole

The sole for an ideal parkour shoe is never thick. You need to have a shoe with a sole that gives a maximum response from the ground.  At the same time, it needs to be strong so it does not wear it easily. Flexibility is also a need thing because sometimes you are running on uneven ground and flexible soles provide you better grip than hard soles.

Lace-Up Closure

You may already know this but if you do not, then keep this in mind and always choose Parkour shoes with lace-up closure. Laces grip your feet firmly with shoes and provide every needed fitness

Breathable Mesh

This breathable mesh can be a necessary evil in some cases. It allows your feet to keep it dry but at the same time if you are running in moring you can feel the breeze touching your feet. These are a few important points you must keep in mind while buying a parkour shoe.

Here are some FAQ’s that will give answers to all of your questions

Are vans good for parkour?

Yes, they have a good grip, flexible sole and good quality but they can be a bit expensive. And if you are talking about Vans Ultra Rang then they are basically running shoes. And they are totally OK for running.

Are Adidas shoes good for parkour?

No, most of them have a very thick sole and thus not preferred for parkour.

What shoes do free runners wear?

Shoes with medium-thick sole, more grip, and breathable mesh are mostly suggested for free runners. They can also wear parkour shoes.

What is the difference between parkour and free running?

Parkour is a special type of sport developed from military training and course. Free running is the part of parkour while parkour is more than just free running. It involves tackling obstacles while running while free-running is usually on a smooth track without obstacles.

Are vans good for skating?

Vans are ranked as the top skating shoes. So yes, they are good for skating.

What kind of Shoes is Good for Parkour?

Shoes with good grip, less cushioning, more durability, better traction pattern are usually appreciated for parkour.

These parkour shoes are good for running, climbing, jumping and every other type of exercise. If you have any other suggestion, you can share with us in the comments.