08/29/2019
Helpful info from the good folks over at Blue Ox!
When should I replace my shoes and why don’t my new shoes have great grip? Here are a few answers to these frequently asked questions:
#1 The best grip usually occurs when a shoe is about halfway through its life. This is because one of the factors that determines the amount of grip on smooth clean ice is the number of tiny open pores in the outer layer of the sole’s foam. When new, these pores are often covered up and must get some wear to be exposed.
#2 Indoor grip doesn't rely on the tread blocks, those are primarily there to shed snow if the ice isn’t clean. A shoe can still have great grip on clean ice long after many tread blocks are missing.
#3 The main factor in grip reduction is the changing of properties of rubber due to aging and use. For peak performance, replace your shoes when you notice a reduction in grip.
Both Blue Ox shoes in this photo have about the same grip even though one looks trashed and the other almost new. The one on the right has only 2 games on it so it is still breaking in. The one on the left is past its prime at almost 3 years old and about 150 games with its grip starting to reduce. Both have OK grip, but neither is as good as a shoe in it’s prime.
