Have you just started parkour and looking for the best parkour shoes?
It is necessary to use shoes that are specifically made for parkour because they have the required qualities which are needed for excellent performance in this sport.
Without any further wait, here is a comparison of top parkour shoes
Best Parkour Shoes 2023
1. Stealth Ultras by TakeFlight – The Best Parkour Shoe
Every company created shoes for different sports like running, tennis, baseball, and many others but no company ever paid much attention to Parkour. Parkour is officially a sport but still, it was neglected by footwear and other sport gear manufacturers.
We can say that Take Flight is the only company that truly loves Parkour and created these special Take Flight shoes for parkour.
At a glance, let me tell you that Stealth Ultras by TakeFlight is considered as top parkour shoe being affordable and durable.
Fulfills every Parkour Needs: Traceur does have specific needs such as a rubber sole for shock absorption such as present in Onitsuka Tiger Ultimate 81. Traceurs can perform better only if all of their needs are fulfilled and the most important of them is the range of motion. This shoe provides a full range of motion and maneuverability to traceurs.
In free-running, the out-sole of the shoe is usually bearing most of the effect of the activity. For that, it needs to be strong. This shoe has a rubber sole that provides flexibility and cushioning to the heel. Flexibility provides you with the ability to perform a wide range of parkour tricks. It also protects your body from the effect of landing from a high jump.
Strong Grip: You also need a strong grip under your feet to climb beside durable soles. This shoe offers an insane amount of traction which is destined to keep you steady on any uneven ground. This means you can do free running with confidence while your feet are in these best shoes for parkour.
Parkour is also about style and show off. All good parkour shoes not only focus on performance but also on the design and looks of the shoe which are not neglected in the Take Flight Parkour Shoes.
These shoes took the design to the next level by providing full black and blue color shoe. These two colors also work well with your casual wear making it possible for you to wear this shoe anywhere you like. However, the taste of style changes from the person to person and I cannot say anything about it.
Another essential thing for the intense parkour training sessions is keeping your feet bacteria-free. It is a shame that this shoe lacks anti-microbial pads but still have a breathable mesh. This breathable mesh brilliantly serves its own purpose of keeping the feet airy and odor-free.
Either you consider this as a downfall or simply the quality, their price is a bit more than usual shoes. It is true that you can find many parkour shoes under 100$ even 50$ but this one goes a bit above 100$.
Overall Review: If you haven’t picked any shoes for parkour then this shoe can be your ultimate choice as it will fulfill all of your need in an affordable price.
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CONS
2. Gel-Venture 6 – Best Free Running Shoe
Gel-Venture 6 is a great choice among Asics shoes for free running and is #1 in the list of Amazon Men’s Running Shoe. But it is added to our list of best parkour shoes because it provides a fantastic grip while running on the road.
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.
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 moisture and helps further in keeping your shoe dry.
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.
If you need too much arch support, I would suggest you pick any other shoe from the list. It is because this shoe has low 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 that 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. The traction is enough to perform well in wet conditions yet it is better to avoid parkour in rainy weather.
Overall it is one of the best shoes for parkour training with breathable mesh and a comfortable insole.
This shoe is also good for trail running as it has a one-piece outsole. It can with-stand debris from trails or harsh elements.
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CONS
3. Feetmat Men’s Non Slip – Parkour Sneakers
This shoe has a sleek black color design and is a bit unique from others on the list. Many other shoe colors are available on Amazon but with the same design. However, the black one is most famous among others for shoes which are best for parkour.
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.
You are lucky if the price is not an issue for you, but most people look for in-expensive shoes. It is good to buy affordable parkour shoes and better if you buy two pairs of shoes instead of one.
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
Is this shoe waterproof?
No, it is not waterproof.
Is this true to size?
Shoe material is stretchy so I would suggest you to buy 1/2 size down.
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CONS
4. Revolution 4 by Nike – Best Shoes for Parkour
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
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.
The simplicity in the design of the shoe is because it is an entry-level shoe. It is not so unique and does not has any type of cutting-edge technology or new features embedded in it.
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 a squeaking sound coming out from shoes then buy an extra pair of insoles. These will help you to reduce this sound.
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. Its weight also comes in the standard category as it weighs above 10 ounces. It is actually among the cheap parkour shoes rather than the high-end ones.
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CONS
5. Brooks Adrenaline GTS 19 – Grippiest Shoes
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 a comfortable resting place for your toes.
The interior is breathable and smooth thanks to the engineered mesh. It also has enough room in the forefoot and toe-box area. Overall, it has a true size profile as seen in Adrenaline GTS 18.
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 out-sole 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.
This shoe is recommended for over-pronators because of its high stability. It is stable but this stability comes at a cost. It has DNA loft wedge lined in it. However, this DNA loft foam is not soft. It is actually harder than the Biomogo foam used on its Brooks Adrenaline GTS 19 previous (18) version.
This shoe enhances the sense of under arch support due to small pieces of foam glued to the midsole edge. It also raises the sidewalls a bit and provides a cupping effect.
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 than these. Also, the knee support is extraordinary.
Now let us do an overall review on these shoes. It will run easily for 500-600 miles because of its rubber sole. You may see insole contraction with time but it is durable enough to prevent any wear and tear. The mid-sole will also hold its cushioning and will remain 90% same even after long use.
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6. Gel Contend 5 – Parkour Running Shoes
Seventh on 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 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.
The majority of the cushioning you get in the shoe is due to the AmpliFoam in the mid-sole. But if you are a heel-strike runner, you have the benefit of the Gel Cushion right under your heels. But it is limited to the heel area and if you do not strike heel much you might feel this as extra weight.
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. Being true to its size, the toe box has enough space. Also, the heel is neither too tight nor too loose. However, due to the tight mid-sole and rigid overlays, this shoe does not help much in flexing.
On the downsides, the material of the shoe absorbs water and does not repel it efficiently. It will not affect your performance but if you are running on wet grass, it can irritate your feet.
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7. New Balance 520v5 – Best Shoe for Freerunning
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, it has metallic look near the sole which is not that good but believe me, it looks very classical in-person.
While wearing a shoe, the last thing you would want is the weight of the shoe pulling you down to the ground. However, these new balance parkour shoes are extremely lightweight training shoes and easy to wear as well.
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8. Merrell Trail Glove 4 – Parcore Shoes
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.
Protective Shoe Material: Extra durability and stability with underfoot cushioning are provided by the 4mm EVA midsole. It will long last as it is compressed which further adds to its lightweight attributes.
The shoe is made with 100% pure synthetic material, while the sole is made with rubber and is also lined with a 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). The material is also abrasion resistant in addition to its low weight.
The thing that concerns most people is the arch support in this shoe. It is flat like a pancake at the bottom. But the insole has a bit of an 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 the shoe to you.
In the foot-bed, there is a non-removable microfiber foot that prevents microbial activity. It keeps your feet neat and also prevents odor.
Trail Protection Pad: Although it flat but there is a trail protection pad in-between the mid-sole and the out-sole. It will protect your feet from sharp objects, stones or uneven surfaces. It further maintains the forefoot flexibility of the shoe.
This shoe gives you superb grip due to the Vibram Outsole TC1 as well as efficiency in running because of improved flexibility.
The glove-like fitness of the shoe comes from its Merrell Omni-Fit lacing system. The padding in the tongue and collar also makes this shoe snuggish. Not only fit but it also keeps your feet in place and prevents it from slipping.
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.
Less Cushioning: Parkour shoes usually do need much cushioning. Merrell Trail Glove 4 is more about fitness, performance, responsiveness rather than comfort. This might be the reason this shoe has very low cushioning in it.
Overall, this shoe has breathable mesh, 10/10 fitness, and less arch support. It gives you more control and makes you run efficiently while at the same time its material protects your feet.
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9. Inov-8 Bare-XF 210 – Grippy Parkour Boots
Inov produced this stylish Bare feet design shoe for Men with pure textile. It is meant mainly for cross-training or gym but it is also a good parkour shoe.
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.
This shoe allows you to bend easily and perform complex physical movements. It is because of the ease to move toes in this shoe.
Barefoot Style: This shoe may look like a minimalist parkour shoe from its outer design but in reality, it is a good barefoot shoe.
One thing that you should keep in mind while selecting a barefoot type shoe is that it will not last long due to its 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.
This shoe has the property to adapt to the weather. You can splash water on it and it will still remain dry.
Rope climbing is possible on the shoe because of the Rope-Tec material rubberized on the sides. This rubber material on the sides can affect breathability but overall it has good airflow in it.
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10. Under Armour Micro G Pursuit – Top Parkour Trainers
This has a lot of qualities that made it to the top and its design is one of them.
It has a lace-up closure while 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. The design is not very new, even the strip in the mid-sole is just for the design without any true function.
Performance: This shoe is true to its size. It is because of the padding in the ankle which makes it fit comfortably to feet. This shoe fits like an old shoe even on first wear as they have enough space in the toe box. It is also available in many colors and styles with minimal shoe design.
Its cushioning density is optimum with EVA midsole in the middle. It has a single density midsole with a very low drop.
The inside of the shoe 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.
With an 8mm drop, this shoe classifies as a great free running shoe. However, it is low profile and not very well-known.
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 shoe for beginners, but if you are already an expert, you would mostly choose a shoe with less comfort and more flexibility.
Rubber sole: The outsole of the Armour Men’s Micro G Pursuit Parkour Running Shoe is made up of rubber which fulfills one of the important requirements of being among the best parkour shoes. 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 traction on the indoor and outdoor surface is also great. 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:
PROS
CONS
Our Top Recommendations
In short, following are our top 3 recommendations are
- Choose Stealth Ultras if you want an ultimate parkour shoe.
- Choose Merrell Trail Glove 4 if you want the barefoot feeling.
- Choose Inov-8 Bare-XF 210 if you want shoes with insane grip.
Still not satisfied?
Do Checkout our Video!
Parkour Clothing and Shoes Brands
If you are a die-hard fan of a specific brand, then you might want to purchase shoes from a specific brand. Thus, we analyzed shoes of each brand and selected the ones which are best for doing parkour.
1. Nike
Nike is the world’s biggest company that supplies athlete shoes, shoe accessories, apparels as well as it is a big supplier of support equipment also.
Bill Bowerman and Phil Knight first founded the company on January 25, 1964, with the name of blue ribbon support. But on May 30, 1971, it officially became Nike with the logo of swoosh Nike.
It is an American global company that is famous for unique design, classic manufacturing, preeminent development, as well as global sales of footwear, apparel, sports equipment, and some good quality retrofits. In the Portland metropolitan area, the company headquarters is located there near Beaverton Oregon.
2. Merrell
Merrel is the manufacturer of high quality as well as best performance hiking shoes. It is an American company founded in 1981 by three persons Clark Matis, Randy Merrell, and John Schweizer. The headquarters of the company is located in Rockford Michigan US and they sell high-quality footwear that gives you more comfort as well as safety while running.
When the company was established it worked as a whole new company but in 1997 the company became a subsidiary of Wolverine Worldwide, a world giant shoe industry. Through now the company is working as a subsidiary under its parent company Wolverine worldwide.
3. Storror
Storror is a shoe brand made by seven athletes and forerunners on 10 October 2010. The team initially started with three members, Cave brother, and Drew Taylor.
At the start, they make documentaries and videos from a tv series named Jump London and Jump Britain whatever they see in these series they copy and make documentaries. They started to upload their videos and documentaries on their youtube channel named Storror or blog.
Behind time they meet their 4 other members who belong to the British parkour community then they established their brand in 2010 and make Storror youtube channel.
They are professional parkour and they also act as an expert stunt performance team. They get work in movies for stunts, digital invitations, advertising, live performances, and much more in order to give you the feeling of something real on your screen.
First, they all work together as a team but in 2010 cave brothers made their official youtube channel and they got a lot of people to support as well as the interest.
Now, they have 5.69 million subscribers on their youtube channel. They make their videos and explore cities from the high roof top, their balconies, as well as back alleys. They give people a real action feeling with their stunts and flying videos.
4. K Swiss
The k Swiss company is made by two Swiss brothers Art and Ernie Brunner when they immigrated to us they became interested in playing tennis. They made their brand K Swiss in 1966 in Los Angeles in California and the k stands for California. They provide the best quality athletic shoes in the world.
Their shoes are high quality comfortable and they mainly focus on providing you safety plus protection in order to do something extra as well as unexceptional. They first give the tennis shoes with the leather you can use in both conditions inside and outside the court. Their brand mission is to inspire and set up the young entrepreneurs of the next generation in order to make our culture strong.
5. TakeFlight
The take flight company was founded in 2008 by Adam Dunlap in the area of Portland Oregon US. They sell parkour shoes and apparel worldwide. They also make customized appeals for the people who are parkour lovers and the fans of parkour all around the world.
Their company slogan is jumped fly dreams that give people inspiration and motivation to complete their dreams with their best athletic shoes and clothes. They did not say to do it not just complete your small dream they give people motivation to dream big and hunt those dreams successfully.
6. Reebok
Reebok is a famous brand in the footwear shoe world. It was founded by Joe and Jeff Foster in 1958 in Bolton Lancashire England. They sell their high-quality sports shoes, casual wear, fitness, running as well as excelsior in the whole world.
CrossFit, spartan race and ultimate fighting championship(UFC) their official footwear and apparel sponsor is reebok. Its international headquarter is still located in Boston Massachusetts in the US while its regional offices are located in Amsterdam, Montreal, Mexico as well as in Hong Kong city.
7. New Balance
New Balance is one of the oldest brands of American sportswear and appeals because it was founded in 1906 by William J. Riley. They sell their high-quality sports shoes, apparel, athletes’ shoes, and shoe accessories all over the world.
One is new balance athletes, Inc that is an American global company. The second one is its parent company New Balance, Inc. Jim Davis is the company CEO and he holds new balance athletes. The New Balance Athletes, Inc and the New Balance, Inc are both working and placed in the same headquarter located in Boston Massachusetts.
When the brand was established it was only related to the new balance arch support company but now the brand is related to two more subsidiaries.
8. Ollo Parkour
The main aim of the Ollo brand is to make not only the world’s best footwear but also the best as well as high-quality parkour shoes. This brand design as well as make their shoes with high-quality cushions that give you more comfort plus ease in order to run fast, jump high, and climb too.
They make their shoe out sole with a high-quality rubber that gives you more grip and flexibility on any kind of surface. They also focus on the protection of your heel muscles as well as give you a comfortable room that reduces the chances of foot injury and pain during your sport.
9. Puma
Puma is a german based global company that sells, designs and manufactures high-quality athletes’ shoes, casual footwear as well as shoe accessories. They are the world’s third big largest com[any that sells the best footwear in the whole world and their headquarter is located in Herzogenaurach Bavaria Germany.
Puma was founded by Rudolf Dassler in 1984. Besides this, in 1924 Rudolf and his brother Adolf Dassler made together a new company named Gebrüder Dassler Schuhfabrik (Dassler Brothers Shoe Factory). Their relationship was collapsed and both are separated. They make their own two separate companies one is Adidas and the other one is Puma. Both companies are now selling the best shoes and footwear in the world, as well as both, are operated in Herzogenaurach Bavaria Germany.
10. Under Armour
Under Armour’s founder, Kevin Plank started his brand from his grandfather’s basement in Washington dc. He established his brand on 25 September 1996 and his brand sale came at the end of 1996 with plenty of successful sales figures that are $ 17, 000 sales. The company headquarters is located in Baltimore Maryland US and they sell their products all over the world.
The shoes of Under Armour not only give you high protection and safety during your journey but they also give your feet a moistureless environment. They manufacture high quality and comfortable footwear, sports, and casual apparel.
Take a look at the following video which gives an overview of the top 5 parkour shoes.
Are you wondering what to look for while ordering these shoes?
Well, here is a definitive buying guide for you.
What to Look for while buying the best Parkour shoes? – Buyer’s Guide
The selection of shoes for casual wear is simple but if you want to select shoes for some specific sport or activity then it will be a difficult task for you.
Contents
Before you go, take a look at some other great models for parkour that are available on today’s market: