what kind of shoes do you wear for curling
You generally wear specialized curling shoes , not regular sneakers, once you get beyond “try-it” level.
Quick Scoop
For curling, there are two main options:
- Beginner / rental nights
- Clean, flat-soled athletic shoes (like indoor court or tennis shoes) are usually fine if:
- The soles are rubber, not hard plastic.
- They’re very clean so they don’t shed dirt or pebbles on the ice.
- Clean, flat-soled athletic shoes (like indoor court or tennis shoes) are usually fine if:
* Clubs often give you:
* A slip-on **slider** for your sliding foot.
* A slip-on **gripper** for the other foot.
- Proper curling shoes (what most curlers eventually buy)
- Purpose-made curling shoes with:
- One slider shoe : a Teflon or steel sliding sole so you can glide smoothly in delivery.
- Purpose-made curling shoes with:
* One **gripper shoe** : a high-traction rubber sole so you can walk and sweep safely on the ice.
* Common features:
* Insulation to keep feet warm in cold rinks.
* Reinforced or coated toe for the dragging foot so it doesn’t wear out.
* Good lateral support so you stay stable in the slide.
What most regular curlers use
Once people decide to curl regularly, they usually:
- Buy dedicated curling shoes from brands like Goldline, BalancePlus, Asham, etc., which sell “left-hand” or “right-hand” specific shoes depending on which foot you slide with.
- Choose slider speed/thickness (slow, medium, or very fast) based on comfort and skill level.
- Sometimes upgrade to steel sliders or replaceable slider disks for performance and durability.
In short: for a first time, clean indoor sneakers with club sliders are okay. But the “real” answer to what kind of shoes you wear for curling is: one sliding shoe with a Teflon/steel slider and one gripper shoe designed specifically for curling.
TL;DR:
- First few games: clean, flat-soled indoor sneakers + club slip-on slider/gripper.
- Ongoing play: dedicated curling shoes with a built-in slider on one foot and a grippy rubber sole on the other, plus warmth, toe protection, and stability features.
Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.