What is the difference between cupsole and vulcanized

Vulcanzied or Cupsole. Both equally represented by skaters but usually different in pricing and the manufacturing process. If you actually are here to learn about the difference between vulc and cupshole shoes, then prepare yourself for a complete miseducation of the subject. The rubber outsole of the shoes is assembled onto the typically heat-resistant upper part before the rubber is completely cured. Vans Rowley Solos. Example of a Vulcanized shoe.

The important part to remember here is that many of the materials have to heat resistant, so that means no foam material such as EVA Ethylene-vinyl acetate or TPR Thermoplastic rubber. These kind of materials, however, you will find in cupsole shoes. Additionally, since vulcanized shoes do not typically have EVA or TPR in them, which act as a cushioning agent, the insole of the shoe is going to be the most important. Footprint Insoles, which just creates insoles for both skate shoes and snowboard boots, found a niche market for people who wanted something more of out of their insoles for both vulc and cupsole shoes just rip the liner out of the cupsole and you can put in one of their insoles.

So what does all of this mean for skating in vulc shoes? They usually have minimal padding which can lead to blowouts in the shoe but companies have been inserting second layers into toe caps to combat this. The highest wear areas on your shoes will be in the toe area, the side of the foot, and the sole. Suede is the standard for skate shoes and has stood the test of time for performance and durability. Canvas is a much less durable material and will ripvery quickly if you're doing lots of ollies and flip tricks.

Unless there's some kind of rubber reinforcement, it's best not to skate shoes that have canvas in the highest wear areas. Some shoes are made with synthetic textiles, and thedurability will depend on what it's made of. It's fine if there's mesh on the tongue and on the medial side of the shoe but, don't skate shoes that have mesh in the highest-wear areas. Rubber toe caps can give you a ton of grip and flick for flip tricks, but can make your shoe feel bulky in the toe region and will take a bit of time to get used to.

Printed on toe caps give you the extradurability without that excessively grippy feeling, and will feel similar to suede. Some shoes come with a rubber layer underneath the upper material to keep the shoe going even after wearing a hole through the upper. Shoes that have a single-piece toe box tend to wear more evenly throughout the lifespan of the shoe. Lakai has their Paramount rubber, New Balance has their Ndurance soles, and Etnies even partnered up with Michelin to make soles out of tire rubber.

Also shoes that have deeper grooves in the tread tend to have a longer-lasting traction before the soles get any bald spots. Impact support is important if you want to prevent injury and keep your jointshealthy after years of skating. If you're gonna jump down gaps skate handrails or big transition, you'll want as much impact absorption as you can get.

Cupsole shoes have more built-in support in their midsoles and outsoles and provide better impact protection than vulcanized shoes. In general most foams such as EVAprovide a fair amount of impact absorption, but packs out over time. Foams made from polyurethane don't pack out as easily and still provide good responsive support.

Vulcanized shoes primarily get their support from their insoles which vary depending on the shoe. Be sure to check out what insoles are in the shoes you're considering getting and what they're made of. These days, insoles in every shoe are much better and some vulcs feel as stable as cupsoles. I've also skated newer cupsoles that felt thinner than vulcs I've skated before. Overall, I'm probably still a cupsole guy because of the easier flicking.

Always been a Vulc guy, but these new Crockett Hi's I just bought got me thinking that might be no longer be the case. I can't skate vulcs because they give me serious metatarsalgia.

Cupsoles feel like pillows for the feet and knees. Angle grinder makes sense a brand new pair of halfcabs with those sharp sidewalls seems like an accident waiting to happen Currently skating cupsole that feel like vulc. I had plantar fasciitis and couldn't skate vulc for almost a year, now I use extra insoles if I skate vulc. Cupsoles: Boil for 5 minutes, bury in clay for a week, belt sander, rinse and then tumble dry. Shoe size: 6. I skated vulc for years before I got back into cup soles.

I usually wear my shoes for at least 3 weeks before I skate them and they are good to go. After 1 skate sesh theyre set.

I feel less impact which helps with my bad ankles. I still will skate some vulcs though since either way i stay low impact. Skatebeard Trade Count: 0 Sr. I've got very flat feet and wobbly ankles, so cupsole every time for me personally.

Being a bit older I appreciate the extra cushioning and general support. I would take staying injury free and supported over board feel any day of the week, i've had vulcs as casual shoes in the past and even walking around for a few hours isn't a particularly enjoyable experience! I have noticed a big difference between the leather and suede versions of the same cupsoles though I've skated three pairs of DC Maswell back to back, two suede and one leather , leather definately stay stiffer for longer, and last longer, but I like the way suede cupsoles soften up after a few weeks of use A few weeks ago I walked around for 4 hours with vulc shoes, my hip hurt so bad I had to sit around for a while before I could continue to walk.