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How to Choose: Bowling Shoes
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Having your own pair of bowling shoes can be just as important as having your own ball. Bowling centers provide shoes available for rent, but at an average of $5 per visit, renting can quickly add up to become uneconomical.
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When choosing a pair of bowling shoes, consider the following:
- Shoe Type: Choose between athletic and performance shoes
- Shoe Features: Features like soles, heels and lace type determine the quality of the shoe
- Shoe Fit: Bowling shoes should fit as comfortably as your everyday street shoe
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Bowling Shoe Type
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Athletic
These shoes look and fit like any ordinary sneakers. They provide a more comfortable fit and slide than typical rental shoes and, because of their starting price point, are a great choice for the recreational bowler. Athletic shoes have fixed slide soles on both feet, so they’re suitable for right-handed or left-handed bowlers to slide with.
Pros:
- Comfortable fit
- Wide variety of styles that most resemble sneakers
Cons:
- Fixed soles can’t be replaced when worn
- Slide soles on both feet mean less traction
 
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Performance
These shoes are left hand/right hand specific with a traction shoe on your dominant foot and a slide shoe on your opposite foot. Right-handed bowlers will only slide with their left foot and therefore don’t need a slide pad on their right foot. Performance shoes are available in three subcategories:
- Fixed Sole with Traction Shoe: These shoes are left-hand/right-hand specific providing a traction shoe on your non-sliding foot. The slide and traction soles are fixed and therefore cannot be replaced.
- Replaceable Sole Shoes: These shoes are left-hand/right-hand specific providing a traction shoe on your non-sliding foot. The slide and traction soles are attached with Velcro and are replaceable.
- Replaceable Everything Shoes: These shoes are left-hand/right-hand specific providing a traction shoes on your non-sliding foot. The slide sole, traction sole, and braking heels are attached with Velcro and are replaceable
Pros:
- Traction shoe provides more stabilization and power during your approach
- Replaceable soles can be changed to provide more/less slide and can be replaced when worn
Cons:
- Less variety of styles
- Larger initial investment
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Bowling Shoe Features
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Soles
Slide Soles: As mentioned above, athletic shoes all have fixed slide soles. If a replaceable slide sole is something you want, you’ll need to look at performance shoes. Replaceable slide soles have two benefits:
- They can be replaced when they wear out, increasing the lifespan of the shoe
- They can be replaced with different levels of soles that provide more or less slide. These are typically numbered with the higher number providing more slide. This is a huge plus when bowling in multiple bowling centers where the approaches have a different feel. Also, changes in weather can affect the feel of the approach.
These soles are attached with a durable Velcro that is easy to handle, allowing you to make any changes to your shoe whenever needed.
Traction Soles: Same as for slide soles, replaceable traction soles are only available on performance shoes. The benefits are the same and they also come on a numbered scale with the higher number providing the least traction (most slide).
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Shop replacement soles here
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Heels
As with soles, replaceable heels are a feature you will only find on performance shoes. The heel acts as your brake and is an important factor in how the shoe slides. Replaceable heels are available on a numbered scale with the higher number providing the least amount of brake (most slide)
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Shop replacement heels here
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Lace Type
Laces: This is the most common closure type for bowling shoes. Some performance shoes will come with an extra set of laces, but most shoes only have the one. These can be replaced with any type of shoe laces that you want
Strap: Velcro shoes are less common, but they are available. These shoes are easier to get on/off but can still be tightened down and secured.
Slip-On: Slip-ons provide a simple alternative for closure type. You don’t have to worry about breaking laces or Velcro straps, but it’s important to find a pair that fits your foot well.
Boa: Boa laces utilize a thin wire that’s tightened by turning a knob and loosened by releasing the knob. These laces were made popular on ski boots and now are being used on some high-performance bowling shoes. They’re simple and quick to operate and tend to be pretty durable.
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Shoe Fit
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Shop towards the end of the day: Your feet are largest at the end of the day. All the walking you do can make them swell up to a full size. To make sure you get a comfortable fit, measure your foot or try on shoes in the evening.
Try on shoes for best results: Your shoe size is a good starting point and in most cases is your best choice when shopping online. If possible, shop in person and try on shoes to ensure a proper fit. If shopping online, consider ordering more than one size and returning the size the doesn’t fit.
Understand not all brands fit the same: Shoe size may vary across brands, so keep this in mind when shopping online. Even within the same brand, if the materials used are different (i.e. leather vs. canvas) the shoes may not fit the same.
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Additional Considerations
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Youth Shoes: While renting shoes for kids is an option, if you are bowling at least once a month, it’s more efficient to buy them their own. Kids’ feet are constantly growing, so fit them roughly a size too big and let them grow into them. Hopefully this gets you at least a year before needing a larger pair. Renting shoes once a month for a year would cost on average $60
Shop Youth Shoes here
Shoe Accessories: There’s a variety of shoe accessories that can help complement your new purchase.
- Extra Soles and Heels – Adjust your slide levels with performance shoes
- Shoe Covers – Protect your soles while walking around the bowling center or in the parking lot
- Shoe Brush – Clean your slide soles and brake heels
- Smooth Slide – Help you slide more and reduce sticking (see USBC rule 12)
Shop Shoe Accs here
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Learn more about choosing the right bowling equipment for you
How to Choose: Your 1st Bowling Ball
How to Choose: Your Next Bowling Ball
About the Author
Related Posts
Proper Care: Bowling Shoes
Understanding Soles and Heels
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Comments
Is there a slip on type of bowling shoe, that slips on, no laces or velcro straps. And how much do it costs? I’m looking at a size 13 wide,
Thanks.
Could you send me your reply?
Looking for size 21 bowling shoes please help
Can anyone help size 21 bowling shoes I need please and thanks
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