9 Best BMX Shoes For Every Rider (2023)

Are you searching for the best BMX shoes to keep your feet safe and enjoy great grip?

Whether you’re a street wizard, flatlander or a park machine, you’ll find a shoe for you.

I tried many different brands, testing different shoe models over the course of 20+ years.

But I can safely say that Vans and Etnies are doing the best job.

Thank you!

This post covers:

• Best BMX shoes
• FAQs about BMX shoes

I like slip-ons the most, and you?

Best BMX Shoes

By the way, all these shoes are also great if you are a brakeless rider.

Update (May 5, 2023): Vans’ BMX shoes are almost entirely sold out at the moment, but you can grab a pair of Etnies! (And show some love to the Doomed dudes.)

1. Etnies Windrow X Doomed

Here we have a Doomed and Etnies collaboration shoe colorway on the Windrow’s.

Obviously, being a Doomed colorway means that this shoe isn’t only good for skateboarding, and some of the features overlap to work well for BMX.

If Jordan Godwin rocks it, you can ROCK IT, TOO!

Price: $77.99 (may vary)

2. Etnies Marana Slip XLT

After spending several months riding street in these I can confidently confirm that Etnies Marana Slip are really solid shoes for BMX. They have an extra thick insole, which helps prevent heel bruises. It feels really comfortable.

Plus, the rubber toe cap adds durability. The shoe tends to wear in pretty quickly so you may get a half size smaller.

Price: $79.99 (may vary)

3. Old Skool shoes

The BMX Old Skool Shoes from Vans were specifically designed with BMX in mind.

These shoes feature the Vans BMX Wafflecup and the Vans Duracap, with their classic gum rubber grip. These shoes are low-top with suede and canvas uppers.

The BMX Old Skool has a signature colorway of peach & marshmallow for the Vans lady shredder Angie Marino. (See below.)

So. Cool.

Price: $75.00 (may vary)

4. BMX Slip-On shoes

Here we have the Vans BMX Slip-On shoes. According to the Vans site, these are the first of their kind and are exclusive to BMX shredders.

Of course, being a BMX-specific shoe, these have the Wafflecup BMX Sole, which is “designed to deliver the best combination of pedal feel, support, and durability.”

With riders like Trey Jones and Dakota Roche on the Vans BMX team who enjoy riding in slip-on shoes, it only makes sense for the company to make a version dedicated to BMX.

Price: $70.00 (may vary)

5. SK8-Hi shoes

The BMX SK8-Hi Shoes from Vans is their entry in the high top BMX shoe space.

With the BMX Wafflecup, the Vans Duracap, and their classic gum rubber grip, this shoe has all the features Vans could throw in a BMX-specific shoe.

The BMX wafflecup is meant to give “the best combination for pedalfeel, support, and durability.” And the duracap gives the shoe more longevity by supporting areas prone to wear.

When it comes to colorways, Scotty Cranmer has a signature Vans Sk8-Hi colorway. (See below.)

Price: $85.00 (may vary)

6. Angie Marino Old School shoes

Here we have Angie Marino’s signature colorway of the BMX Old Skool shoes. These are a low-top shoe made specifically with BMX in mind.

The combination of peach and marshmallow colors on this shoe look great together and the fact that a shoe that looks like this is also made specifically for BMX is pretty awesome.

The shoe is engineered for a great ratio between feel and performance.

Price: $80.00 (may vary)

7. Dan Lacey Slip-On shoes

Dan Lacey is an absolute savage on a bike. He has done some of the most gnarly 360’s ever done in BMX. And when it comes to tricks like this, the shoes someone is wearing have to be important.

This is Lacey’s signature colorway in the Vans BMX Slip-on. Surely there is the merit that Dan can trust these for the types of things he does on his bike.

These shoes feature the same tech as the other colorways of the BMX slip-on and an additional feature in the Popcush cushioning.

The Popcush cushioning is Vans’ “best cushioning and impact protection” – and a perfect fit to be in the signature shoes of Dan Lacey.

Price: $74.95 (may vary)

8. Courage Adams Slip-On shoes

Each colorway in the popular BMX Slip-On shoes from Vans is unique to the person whose signature shoe it is.

Here we have Courage Adams’ signature BMX Slip-On colorway called Black Elephant. This shoe utilizes a premium leather embossed with an elephant skin texture upper.

On the bottom, you’ll find a translucent rubber outsole that serves as a window to see Courage’s signature Elephant/Scale logo.

These shoes feature the BMX Wafflecup, the Duracap, the Popcush Cushioning, and Vans’ classic gum rubber grip.

Price: $91.69 (may vary)

9. Courage Adams Old Skool shoes

Courage also has this rad Vans Old Skool colorway shoe with custom sole along with the all-black slip-on shoes.

The shoe features the custom Wafflecup BMX technology that keeps it strong and long-lasting but at the same time just the right pedal-feel.

And the extra cushioning will keep your feet safe (especially from heel bruises).

If you’re Courage’s fan (who isn’t?) but slip-ons aren’t your think, grab a pair of his signature Old Skools.

Price: $84.95 (may vary)

FAQs About BMX Shoes

What do BMX riders wear?

The most common BMX shoe brands are Vans and Etnies. These two offer a wide variety of shoes for everyone, whether you like low- or high-top sneakers.

Why do BMX riders wear Vans?

Because Vans has been part of the BMX industry since its early days. Plus, Vans created an exclusive BMX-specific line of shoes that are much stronger.

Can I use skate shoes for BMX?

Yes, you can ride BMX in skate shoes. In fact, many riders wear DC, Nike, Adidas, etc. shoes.