I’m the one person that believes sense and style go hand in hand. And when it comes to footwear, wearing the right shoes for the right purpose is the way to go most of the time. But can you wear basketball shoes casually?
You can’t wear boxing shoes casually because their design structure and level of performance is suitable only for the ring. They feature excellent traction, have their own arrangement for ankle support, and run true to size, but their overall anatomy isn’t that great for everyday use.
Manufacturers call them boxing shoes for a reason, and that’s mostly because they’re only suitable for the ring. So if you need a pair of shoes that you can wear casually, it’s best to look for everyday footwear that can stand up to hard surfaces and a lot of walking.
Why Can’t You Wear Boxing Shoes Casually? (3 Reasons Explained)
Boxing shoes look so stylish and sleek if you look at them from outside the ring. So stylish, in fact, that you’d want to wear them casually from time to time.
But that would be a bad decision, and here’s why:
1. Boxing Shoe Can’t Withstand Concrete Surfaces
Concrete floor is insanely hard. It’s ten times harder than asphalt and hundreds of times tougher than stretched canvas. Wearing boxing shoes casually and walking in them on concrete for long hours is a great way to rip the sole unit apart – and do so in a short span of time.
Let me explain:
The surface on which you step in the ring is made of heavy-duty cotton dark canvas, which isn’t anything close to the toughness of concrete surfaces. The soft surface of the canvas explains why boxing shoes tend to last for longer for boxers who only use them for the sport.
Bring them anywhere else and you easily reduce their lifespan.
From this point forward, I need you to understand that different types of shoes serve a different purpose. Shoe brands often have this info clearly printed so that you don’t buy shoes only to use them for the wrong purpose.
The bottom line is this:
Wear boxing shoes for boxing, and get yourself some durable pair of boots or stylish canvas if you need footwear for casual use.
Related: 8 Things To Look For in Boxing Shoes For Kids
2. Boxing Shoes Don’t Offer Sufficient Traction for Casual Use
Traction refers to how best a pair of shoes can grip the surface you stand on and provide the stability you need to take every step.
Boxing shoes have traction only sufficient for the ring. Wear them for casual walking and you’ll start to notice the difference after at least 5 miles of walking. The traction simply won’t be there anymore.
I’ve been on the brink of falling on tiled floors with my forehead because I wore boxing shoes that I’d foolishly mistaken for multipurpose footwear. The experience taught me that while boxing shoes soles can grip canvas surfaces very well, they can’t provide a decent grip on concrete floor.
The bottom line is this:
Your boxing shoes will perform well only in the ring, not anywhere else. They’ll enable you to make contact with the 25mm thick canvas surface and give you the grip and traction necessary to train and fight, but they wear out fast and become completely duff if you use them anywhere else.
Related article: The best boxing shoes
3. Boxing Shoes Don’t Have Sufficient Cushioning to Stand Up to Hard Floors
Concrete is everywhere you go. And if you think about it, it’s the most popular flooring material yet. From skate parks and highways to our homes and shopping malls, concrete flooring is a feature you’ll come by for as long as you breathe and move.
The connection between concrete floor and your choice of footwear is something you need to take seriously because you decide what to wear. And if you’ve opted to wear boxing shoes casually, you might want to reconsider your option.
Here’s why:
The structure of boxing shoes is such that their soles are flat and their insoles are thin. So in addition to not being able to pivot your feet well when you walk on concrete in them, the sole of your feet will feel the touch of the concrete floor more times than you can count.
Worse still, these shoes don’t have dense cushioning necessary for absorbing the impact concrete floor returns to your feet every time you hit the ground. So wearing them casually can put a great deal of strain on your ankle and knees and, worse, lead to ball of foot pain.
Related: Boxing Shoes vs Wrestling Shoes
Which Shoes Can I Wear Casually?
We don’t recommend wearing boxing shoes for everyday use. We suggest that you consider the following options instead.
The Columbia Newton Ridge Plus is a good example of a pair of hiking shoes that you can wear for everyday use. Versatile in design, with leather, mesh, and suede options, these are great for someone who needs waterproof walking shoes on a budget. The rubber sole provides the best traction yet and the high-level of cushioning gives you the kind of comfort unequaled to what you’d get from walking in boxing shoes.
Skechers Afterburn sneakers are also great. Made of pure memory foam, Afterburn sneakers will contour to your feet’s structure and maintain your natural stride with every step you take. And while they won’t last longer than rubber walking boots, their level of cushioning is higher than what you get from boxing shoes. The mesh tongue encourages breathability, so your feet stay cool and dry so you don’t have to worry about blisters.
The New Balance 577 Lace-up is also a great pair of walking sneakers that you can wear casually instead of your boxing shoes. They may not be the most colorful option to match with anything in your closet, but the decent cushion and the inclusion of ABZORB technology mean you get more comfort from them than you would from boxing shoes.
Final Thoughts
It’s not a good idea to wear boxing shoes casually because they won’t hold up well for so long. Consider investing in the right walking shoes instead and just use your boxing shoes in the ring because that’s where they work best.
