Skate or Die: 10 Signs It's Time to Throw Those Skate Shoes Away

Image via Complex Original

Sneakers should never talk. They're inanimate objects. But when a sneaker's sole flaps, it's time to throw them away. It may not be noticeable if you're just cruising around, but if this happens on your push foot, then it's going to be a long, long day skating. Plus, when you're chilling, it's an extremely awful look to have a sole that's halfway detached from the upper.

Not every skate shoe rips the same. Some shoes will form a small hole that grows and grows, but some shoes will come apart at the stitching. This is the absolute worst. The shoe opens up and leaves a skater's foot exposed the whole time they're skating.

There are crazy sneaker stashes out there that aren't Nikes or Jordans. '90s-era skate shoes can still be found, and if someone is lucky enough to come up on of these, they should skate the shoes, because they'll never be found again. Everyone would love to skate a pair of O.G. Sal 23s instead of a ratty pair of retros that passed their skate-by date two months ago.

if a sneaker is completely in pieces, a gut reaction might be to grab duct tape and wrap it back together. If this is done, it makes the sneaker look completely laughable and like something that should never be worn outside. Not to mention, the duct tape is going to give an abnormal board feel and make every trick feel stranger. And if the duct tape itself is held on by Shoe Goo, well, it's time.

Skaters are innovative folks, and will even go to extreme lengths to patch their sneakers up so they can skate for an afternoon. This includes even putting cardboard in the ripped up spot of a skate shoe just to protect the skater's foot. This might be a quick fix, but if this is done on a regular basis, it's time to chuck the sneakers.

Skate shoes are known for their grip, and often skate shoes have gum soles to make feet stick better to a board. If a shoe's sole is worn down so far that it no longer keeps feet properly secure on a deck, it's time to trade in the busted kicks for a new pair of grips.

Griptape is super gnarly. It's made to keep feet stuck to a skateboard so tricks can be performed. It's not the sort of thing to rub against bare skin. When a skate shoe has a big enough hole in it, feet can bleed from rubbing against the griptape's grain. This will quickly end an afternoon of skating, and even cause people to take weeks off for their feet to properly heal up. There's a reason you've never heard of a barefoot skateboarder.

Socks are the last line of defense between your board and a skater's bare skin. If socks are starting to get shredded by griptape, it's time to call it quits on a pair of kicks. It sucks to have to throw away socks because they have a hole in them after every skate session, and you'll soon be sockless if the ripped-up sneakers haven't been replaced.

Shoe Goo is a lifesaver for skaters. It is a rubbery compound that gives extended life to any pair of sneakers. But it shouldn't make up for a percentage of a sneaker greater than its original leather. Everyone has had a friend who used too much shoe goo, and their looked like they stepped in a bucket of tar. This is the moment when the sneakers should be tossed for good. I mean, why not just skip sneakers entirely and cover your bare feet in Shoe Goo? (Please don't try that.)

Skaters are expected to have damaged sneakers, but there comes a time when the sneakers can't be worn in public anymore. If you have to ask yourself, "Can I wear these in front of people I know?" then it's time they need to be chucked. There's a huge difference in a skater proving their legitimacy and not having women talk to them because their sneakers are reminiscent of a homeless person's.