One of the factors that determine the success or failure of your bowling endeavors is your bowling shoes; they generally affect your performance at the bowling alley, and it is necessary that you have a good pair on whenever you want to bowl. Usually, many people choose to rent bowling shoes at the alley whenever they want to bowl, renting bowling shoes is, however, not the best if you bowl regularly; to save money in the long run, you should buy your personal bowling shoes.
Tips: Choosing the best bowling ball for yourself is the perfect combination with bowling shoes to improve your level.
To help you out in picking a good pair of bowling shoes, we have reviewed some of the best bowling shoes on the market; putting into consideration the comfort they afford, the style, the quality, and a lot of other essential features. After a careful review, we have come up with the best bowling shoes you can trust for the ultimate bowling experience.
Top 7 Bowling Shoes
BSI Women’s #651 Bowling Shoes
The BSI Women’s #651 bowling shoes come at an affordable price; if you consider how much you will spend on renting bowling shoes, you will discover that buying your personal bowling shoes is the best thing to do. This shoe comes universal soles which makes it suitable for both right-handed and left-handed players, it has a stitched and glued slide sole, and it also comes with a lightweight EVA midsole that ensures comfort for your legs when you play for extended periods.
The leather uppers further ensure durability, and the pink color will definitely make you stand out among other players. If you are a lady and you are looking for attractive and durable bowling shoes, you can never go wrong with the BSI Women’s #651 Bowling Shoes.
Pros:
- The leather upper makes it more durable
- A wide range of size options
- Lightweight
- Stitched and glued slide sole
Cons:
- The sizes run big and to get the right fit you will have to buy a smaller size
Dexter Jack Bowling Shoes
Dexter is a well-known brand in the world of bowling, and just like a lot of their other shoes, the Dexter Jack bowling shoes have been made to give you the comfort you need to bowl for extensive periods. This bowling shoe is lined on the interior with fabric to protect and keep your feet comfortable; the soft fabric upper comes with a lace-to-toe pattern that ensures exceptional fit. Also, the shoe is made more comfortable by the padded collar and tongue.
There are some necessary features in any good bowling shoes that have not been exempted in the design of the Dexter Jack; one of these is the slide. The slide is one of the most essential things in bowling as it will affect how accurate your attempts will be. While the shoes offer a good slide, it also comes with a feature that will make it easy for you to stop the slide before you reach the foul line. If you are looking for bowling shoes that will assist you in getting the best out of your bowling endeavor, the Dexter Jack will serve you well.
Pros:
- The inner sole is lined with fabric
- It comes with a lace to toe pattern for a perfect fit
- Durable
- Great fit
Cons:
- The shoe is a little narrow
Brunswick Men’s Flyer Bowling Shoes
If you bowl regularly, it is only reasonable that you get to a point where you will need to buy your personal bowling shoes. With the Brunswick Men’s Flyer, you have the option to get a very functional, durable and affordable bowling shoes. This shoe is made from a soft and durable material; it is textile lined with padded tongue and collar, the Comfort-Fit design ensures good support and comfort even when you bowl for a more extended period. Additionally, this shoe comes with a universal sole, which means it is perfect for both right-handed and left-handed players. The shoe also ensures a smooth release of the ball, and it helps you bowl more accurately because of the slide.
Although it has a perfect slide, it also offers good traction that will help you stop easily so that you don’t cross the foul line whenever you bowl. If you are a man and you bowl regularly, the Brunswick Men’s Flyer is a perfect bowling shoe to own, and it doesn’t cost much to get.
Pros:
- It comes with a universal sole
- It is not expensive
- Full textile lining
- Lace-up closure
Cons:
- It is a little narrow
Dexter Men’s Ricky III Bowling Shoes
There’s hardly any review of bowling shoes that will not be dominated by Dexter bowling shoes; they have so many good models for both men and women. The Dexter Men’s Ricky III Bowling Shoes has a very stylish and comfortable design. It has a soft fabric upper with a fully lined fabric inner sole, and padded tongue and collar. All these features combine to make the shoe durable and really comfortable. Additionally, this Dexter shoes has S8 microfiber slide soles on both shoes. Thus, it is suitable for both right-handed and left-handed players.
The non-marking soles give you just the right support and traction to break your slide and not cross the foul line when you bowl. Given all these functional features, this shoe is also beautiful. This bowling shoe will surely serve you well if you need one that is durable, stylish and affordable.
Pros:
- It is affordable
- Two color option
- Fully fabric lined
- Several size options
Cons:
- The felt gets dirty easily
Dexter Vicky Bowling Shoes for Women
Dexter is arguably one of the best brands making bowling shoes around the world; this is because they pay attention to performance, style, durability and a lot of other essential design principles. The Dexter Vicky bowling shoes are one of the more attractive bowling shoes on the market. While being stylish and comfortable, the shoe gives you just the perfect slide to bowl accurately. Additionally, the shoe has soft uppers with fabric-lined inner and padded tongue and collar; all these features work together to give you the perfect fit, support, and comfort regardless of your bowling duration.
The Dexter Vicky has rubber outsoles that will ensure balance and stability when you stop your slide before the foul line. It also comes with a universal sole that makes it suitable for both right-handed and left-handed players. The Dexter Vicky Bowling Shoes is genuinely one of the best bowling shoes for women, plus it comes at an affordable price.
Pros:
- Universal Microfiber sole
- Padded tongue and collar
- Retro vibes
- Multiple color options
Cons:
- They may not fit perfectly if you have wide feet
Storm Gust Bowling Shoes
This comfortable canvas bowling shoe comes with a contemporary design that is stylish and functional on the lanes. It is made from lightweight cotton canvas, it comes with universal soles that make it suitable for both left-handed and right-handed players, it is fabric-lined with padded collar, and it generally has a nice fit.
Once you begin to bowl regularly, it becomes necessary to buy a personal pair of bowling shoes to cut cost that you will incur by always renting shoes. The Storm Gust is made for men, and it is quite affordable. Unlike some shoes that will only have one slide sole, thereby making them suitable for just a right-handed player or a left-handed player, this has slide soles on both shoes. The only problem with these bowling shoes is that some customers have complained about the durability.
Pros:
- Universal Soles
- Has great fit
Cons:
- Some people have complained about the durability
- Not made for daily wear
Dexter Men’s SST 8 Bowling Shoes
When we talk about the best bowling shoes on the market, Dexter shoes must be in the discussion. The Dexter Men’s SST 8 is arguably one of the best bowling shoes you can get around. It comes with the standard features that most bowling shoes have and it has some additional features that are quite amazing. With this bowling shoe, you can customize the level of slide and traction you want, that’s right, it comes with an interchangeable sole and heel construction that gives you the option to adjust the slide to whatever you want. The sole structure is also in a way that it suits both left-handed and right-handed players because you can move the slide to a selected foot.
The side walls of the shoe are made with non-marking rubber that protects the soles and also the sides of the midsole. When you bowl intensively, it is possible that the slide on the shoe will peel back; this is prevented by the drag protector. If what you need is a luxurious, functional, and comfortable bowling shoe, the Dexter Men’s SST 8 is a suitable one.
Pros:
- Adjustable slide
- It is very comfortable
- Leather toe drag
Cons:
- It is a little expensive
What You Need to Know Before Buying Bowling Shoes
It is highly essential that you have comfortable and good quality shoes whenever you bowl. However, a significant factor is how regular your bowl. If you are the type of person who visits the bowling alley like once a year, it might not be imperative to buy personal bowling shoes, but if you bowl regularly, you will need to purchase personal bowling shoes to cut cost and also to be able to personalize your bowling experience. There are some things you should know before you go ahead to purchase any bowling shoes and some of these things are:
The Sole
There are different ways that the soles of bowling shoes are designed. Usually, they are designed in such a way that one of the soles will aid sliding while the other will be designed with traction to help break the slide and stop movement easily. If you are buying these bowling shoes, you have to carefully examine the side that has the slide and the one that has the traction because they will affect how you bowl depending on which hand you use to bowl. Some bowling shoes are designed for both left-handed and right-handed players. You should check all these things before you purchase any bowling shoe.
Fit
If you will have a good bowling experience, then your shoes have to fit you well. Apart from the usual sizing standards, some bowling shoes are wider than others; this is why it is usually good to go to a store and try a bowling shoe on before you purchase. With sufficient reviews, however, you can still buy a bowling shoe online that will have a good fit.
Price
This is something to consider when you want to purchase virtually anything. Bowling shoes are not so expensive in general; it pays to buy than to rent in the long run. However, some are more expensive than others. The price of bowling shoes is usually determined by the features they have and sometimes by the brand that makes them. For instance, there are bowling shoes that have adjustable slides and tractions; these bowling shoes cost more than those that do not have these features.
