Curlers wear specialized curling shoes that are designed with one sliding sole and one grippy sole so they can both glide smoothly and stop safely on ice.

The Basics: What Shoes Do Curlers Wear?

Most curlers use purpose‑built curling shoes rather than regular sneakers or skates. These shoes look a bit like sturdy athletic shoes or casual leather shoes, but the magic is all in the soles.

  • One foot wears a slider shoe (for gliding).
  • The other foot wears a gripper shoe (for traction).
  • Competitive models often use full‑grain leather uppers, insulation, and reinforced toes for durability and warmth.

For beginners, many clubs still allow clean, flat‑soled sneakers with temporary slip‑on sliders and grippers, but serious players quickly move to dedicated curling shoes.

Slider vs Gripper: Two Different Soles

Olympic and club curlers all follow the same basic setup.

  • Slider shoe
    • Underside made of Teflon or stainless steel (or other smooth plastic).
* Worn on the foot that pushes out of the hack when delivering the stone.
* Lets the curler **glide smoothly** down the ice during delivery.
  • Gripper shoe
    • Has a thick, rubber sole with tread for traction.
* Used for **walking and sweeping** without slipping.
* Helps the player stop, turn, and brace during sweeping or line‑calling.

Some shoes use velcro slider and gripper pods , so the same base shoe can be configured for right‑ or left‑handed curlers.

Construction and Features of Curling Shoes

Modern curling shoes are engineered much more like performance sports footwear than simple rink shoes.

Common features:

  • Upper materials
    • Full‑grain leather for strength, warmth, and a traditional look.
* Padded collars and insulation for comfort in cold arenas.
  • Soles
    • Loop‑velcro bases so sliders and grippers can be swapped or upgraded.
* Low‑traction rubber on some beginner shoes to ease into sliding.
  • Fit and support
    • Custom or dual insoles for better arch support and fit.
* Reinforced toe boxes and lateral stability for balance during delivery.

High‑end models, like BalancePlus Delux curling shoes, are designed specifically for elite and professional curlers and have been worn in multiple world and Olympic championship wins.

What Do Beginners Wear?

If you’re just trying curling for the first time, you might not need dedicated shoes immediately.

  • Clubs often recommend:
    • Clean, flat‑soled athletic shoes or tennis shoes reserved only for the ice.
* Slip‑on **rubber grippers** over both shoes to walk safely.
* A removable **slider** (usually Teflon or plastic) that goes over one shoe when you deliver.
  • As you improve, you’ll likely move to:
    • Entry‑level curling shoes with fixed or small sliders.
    • Then thicker, faster sliders as you get more comfortable gliding.

One curler on a popular forum explained that there’s technically no formal rule requiring “official” curling shoes, but the two‑sole concept (one slider, one gripper) is universal because it makes the sport safer and more controllable.

Off‑Ice Footwear Around the Rink

Around the club or heading to and from the rink, curlers usually switch to normal warm, waterproof sneakers or boots , especially in winter climates. Some brands even market waterproof sneakers as ideal for wearing before and after games—comfortable, slip‑resistant shoes to get to your car without soaking your feet.

Bottom line: on the ice, curlers wear one sliding shoe and one gripping shoe specifically designed for curling; off the ice, they switch back to regular, warm, non‑slip footwear.

TL;DR: Curlers don’t wear skates; they wear curling shoes —a matched pair where one shoe has a smooth Teflon or steel slider sole for gliding and the other has a rubber gripper sole for traction, often built into insulated, leather‑style shoes tailored for the cold and the unique movements of the sport.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.