Where do y'all buy shoes for paintball?

[Siress]

I used to know of a mom 'n pop shoe shop in north GA that had a selection 10x bigger than anything I've ever seen anywhere else. No clue how they did it, but I don't know of anyone that left there without finding the shoes they needed.

Now that I'm in central MA, I cannot seem to find a single shoe store that has a large selection and isn't outlet center garbage tier. This is complicated by the fact that I need wide shoes, which are not all that common even online. Online shopping has been really unsuccessful as every brand, sometimes every model line, has a different shoe "last" (shape) that doesn't work out well. For this reason, I've been relegated to tennis shoes that I have to cinch down tight, or spending weeks/months shopping around trying on shoes at shops along my commute until one fits well enough to tolerate. It sucks. Adding the niche needs of a paintball shoe (a mid height trail running shoe being my favorite description) makes it even more difficult. I stumbled over a pair of New Balance shoes 15-20 years ago that were perfect, but have had zero luck replicating that success ever since - and that model was discontinued.

So where do y'all go shoe shopping for paintball shoes?

[scottieb]

My feet are big. It seems the only option for me is basketball shoes. :ick: I like a lightweight shoe, low to the ground, and fitting like a glove. Indoor soccer shoes are the type I've worn since graduating high school.

For paintball, I wear cleated soccer shoes. NOT the big metal cleated ones. :ick: again.

I constantly search Ebay for shoes in size 15. They're hard to find.

[Jordan]

My son wears a size 21... I've only found them on Ebay, also only as basketball shoes.

[Milkstache]

REI/Solomon. I love my Speedcross trail running shoes. I have really wide feet so these being available in a wide version is amazing.

[Jonnydread]

I also have wide feet, and I generally prefer boots. The LL Bean outlet has treated me well, as has REI.

[Trbo323]

Ebay.

So I really like trail running shoes. I feel boots are too restrictive and cleats are like ice on rocks and logs (I'm also Pacific northwest so everything is damp a lot of the time) I came across the Solomon speedcross shoes a while ago, they are basically rubber cleats. Super aggressive trail running shoes but it's not a hard plastic bottom. In my searches for a pair found them on eBay for like $25.

Now that's all I do. If the current one Solomon has is the speedcross 5, I just go find the 4 and it's like a minimum of half price.

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[caylegeorge]

Yep they are amazing!

Beware of Chinese knockoffs on ebay

[Roger7pball]

I went to Dunham’s sports for some $12 clearance lacrosse cleats. Not sure if you have those out there.

[autococker04]

Same boat, Dunham’s clearance rack almost a decade ago. I got some soccer cleats (actually for use in lacrosse) and have been using them for lacrosse/adult league kickball/paintball ever since.

[Toestr]

I wear boots since I play mostly woodsball, so milsurp stores. They might have a wider selection of sizes since the military has to equip a wide variety of people.

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[Carp]

Yep, to the boots, for ankle supports..If I got the cash, I've forked out for some nice Rocky boots.😉

[caylegeorge]

These are amazing for paintball if you have the budget to spend a little - Salomon Speedcross :

https://www.amazon.com/Salomon-Speedcross-Trail-Running-PHANTOM/dp/B07MKVQR2L/ref=sr_1_5?crid=2VTJO4Q04FGXP&dchild=1&keywords=salomon+speedcross+5&qid=1629771432&sprefix=salomon+sp%2Caps%2C239&sr=8-5

I used to always use football cleats, once I used these it was night/day better.

[Siress]

Alright, alright... I'll get the Salomon Speedcross'... ...chill.



Thank you all for the recommendations.

[iamthelazerviking]

Vivobarefoot. Specifically the discontinued Trail Freak II's. Starting to finally get a bit worn out. Also wear casual Vivos, my feet can't stand anything else.

[Arthur]

So most of my research and buying online. I use under armour boots and pants.

[BrickHaus]

I got a pair of On cloudrock hiking boots. They are ankle high, waterproof, WIDE, and lightweight. They are super coushy to walk on, yet they grip extremely well. I even wore them on a 15 mile hike up Eagle Mountian and my feet didnt hurt at all afterwards.

Now, I know you dont wanna support the box stores, but I happened to find my boots in clearance at sheels. Supposed to be $230, and they were $90 in my size, 12 wide. And now that Ive worn em, Id buy another pair for $230

Now, the Brick in my screen name stems from an old nickname "Brick Shoes" my friends called me all of the time. This cuz my feet were so big in highschool. So I know the need for wide shoes. Lol

[Siress]

Those do look awesome. About how many miles do you think you got out of them?

[BrickHaus]

In the grand scheme of things, not many. Maybe 40 ish miles including the hikes Ive done in them so far. Hard to say, a few hikes, and about 10 days of paintball including a big game which is essentially a hike.

Id say my pair are still considered newer, so a durability report is hard to give, but so far there arent any excessive wear spots or tears in them.

Ive ran a 2 mile trail run in them just to see how they felt. And i have had a few sticks try to puncture them as I dove into cover on the field. Still no real marks on em ( just dirt)


In studying google reviews the shoes in general had good reviews. The few less than great reviews I saw were all people complaining about the waterproofing failing after some walking. The 2 reviews I recall stated that the seam of the outsole to the insole is where the shoes started to leak after time. They otherwise had nothing but good stuff to say about them. Those were far and few between, and mine still seem to keep water out, but I also dont stomp in puddles just to prove it. So they may leak if I put them to an acid test.

All in all, I can give a better opinion later this year, but that doesnt help you out now.

[Euphie]

I have new balance cleats with the plastic spikes, not the metal bladed ones and I bought them on eBay for $18, in new but “returned” condition. I see a lot of this on eBay too, new shoes at prices that make me wonder if they are stolen or something.

the specific model I wear is the WF7534 but, I assume most people on here will want a men’s shoe, I assume they have a men’s version though I do t know.

[Hellion360]

I have been wearing Merrel lightweight hiking boots in medium height.

They have been really great for woodsball/scenario, especially with the wet year here.

I bought them at the outlet mall.

[Grendel]

Go to for me has also been Merrel lightweight hiking boots, some of the boots come in wide but stock is usually pretty low for wide. I adopted long ago when I find shoes of any type that fit my feet correctly I go ahead an buy multiples so I have replacements.

[Ecapnation]

Nike outlet in the fall.... Generally I get their boots or trail shoes