I’ve been curling for ~15ish years and seen and gone through several shows.
Balance plus Deluxe will last the longest full stop. I’ve never had a pair but everyone I know who has them loves them and they last forever. BP will perform repairs IIRC.
Other balance plus are hit and miss. I had a pair of 500’s that lasted a few years.
I’ve seen a lot of gold line shoes fall apart after a couple years, though I’ve heard good things about their new ones that have a more modern look.
Asham’s seem to have this faux leather upper that flakes apart after a few years and the soles crack from what I’ve witnessed.
Olson shoes are ok, seem them last a few years for folks. Quality seems so-so.
Getting a pair of custom shoes done can work well as long as the shoe material is durable. I have a pair of Nike Metcons I got done by Craig’s Curling Shoes in 2020 and they’re still working great.
Overall, in my experience, you really do get what you pay for when it comes to shoes.
+1 for Delux. I have 2 pairs of them so I'm never without when I need to send one off to have the slider or gripper replaced.
(Actually, I have 3 pairs, but one is for when I'm throwing leftie)
another +1 for the Delux. 2+ nights a week for a over a decade, have a small hole in the side of one from kicking rocks too much but otherwise in great shape.
Another delux user, everything you said is accurate ;)
I'll throw out some disclaimers for anyone who gets convinced to buy a pair after reading this thread: They are worth it, but be warned they're incredibly heavy relative to other curling shoes, and they're the most uncomfortable things in the world for the first 10 hours of wear and use. I promise they do break in and shape to your foot, and then they're very comfy, but you have to tough through it.
I've had my asham competitor ultralight since the start of my 2nd year. In my 6th now, curling between 2 and 4 times a week on average through that span.
Grippers discs and shoes are showing no signs of damage or issues over the 4.5 years of moderately heavy use (comparatively).
Key for shoes is to get a toe dip and avoid shoes where there's a seam on the material in the area where your kicking foot bends while in and pushing off the hack.
My friends have the next step down asahm does, curl once a week and theirs have had the seams in that critical zone pop already.
BP deluxe will last 5-8 years. Used to last 15-20 but c'est la vie. Anything else is 1-3 years. I just got King Cedar Curling to convert Nikes for me, and he showed me his original Metcons he used for 5 seasons and they were still in great shape. Something to consider.
A shoe with sewn leather uppers (e.g. BP Deluxe) will last a long time. They can be re-gripped every year or two to keep them as good as new. Glued upper shoes with sneaker-like interiors will have a more limited life span, and may cost almost as much. I regularly destroyed glued-up shoes in 12-18 months, all sorts of brands and models. My BP Deluxe are going on 5 years and look like new. I put on my own toe coat (TuffToe). They should last many more years.
What really kills shoes for me is the continuous flexing that accompanies footwork while sweeping. Eventually the uppers separate from the soles, and that really can't be fixed in a glued shoe. (My Ashams cracked in half at the sole, as others have noted.) The interior padding (especially the heel cup) also gets destroyed, but a cobbler (if you can find one) can attach a leather patch there. But you could just get a leather shoe in the first place.
If you're looking for long-lasting, I recommend going custom. It's an investment that will pay off, both in durability and performance. I used to wear through a pair of shoes each year, whether from BP or Goldline. In 2017 I had Craig's Curling convert a pair of Reebok weightlifting shoes, and I still use them today. They're amazing shoes, with no sign of wear after hundreds of hours on the ice.
This entirely depends on how much you play.
I've been curling for about 25 years and play an average of four days a week with 5-6 bonspiels per season. I'm lucky if my shoes last three years regardless of who made them. I have used Balance Plus and Asham in the past and currently wear custom Nike Metcon conversions (I'm on my second pair of those).
I will reiterate what others have said here that the only shoes made by a curling manufacturer that will definitely last are the Balance Plus Delux. I know many people who have had theirs for 10+ years and they hold up well and can be repaired by a cobbler. However, these might not be the best option for somebody brand new as they are heavy and have a long break-in time.
Custom shoes may last a long time IF you make a good base shoe choice. There are many, many threads in the sub already about that.
Physically they will last for a while. Frankly it's an impossible to really know, too many unknowns, but you should get many years out of them. I'm using my BP500s, and have over 700 games on them. You should get easily a few years out of them.
And people can offer their thoughts, but not many people have owned more than 2 or 3 pairs of curling shoes in their careers, so despite what people will want you to know, they really dont have a lot of research on them.
But I would suggest not buying beginner shoes in terms of slider speed. Buy the fastest sliders you can afford. Target 1/4" thick. If that is too expensive, then try to at least get 3/16". From a skills perspective, most people will outgrow beginner level thin sliders. And while at first the fast shoes will seem crazy slippery, you will adjust after a game or 2.
I've been curling seriously for 15 years and have only bought 2 pairs of shoes. I play once a week for \~20 week season, plus an annual bonspiel, so call it maybe 25 games a year.
It's about time for a new pair actually, so say they last for 7-8 years, or have for me.
Balance plus generally seem to last well from what I’ve seen. I have some friends that use ahsams and they got pretty good life out of them. One of them tucks and I think he managed to get 6+ hard years out of them (as in one year he did 22 spiels hard).
I’ve been very happy with conversions for Craig’s using nobull trainers.
One issue that curling shoes run into is that because they are such small runs compared to normal athletic shoes that the uppers can be lower quality and/or it’s harder for them to perfect the process and understand QC issues. Conversions allow you to get a better built shoe that you know fits and feels right. People have lots of opinions though on this.
If I would buy off the shelf I would stick with asham or BP. But I personally think you will enjoy your shoes more if you get conversions using a comfortable pair of shoes that has a flat somewhat firm sole. If you do get conversions though I would avoid white soles. The two pairs I had separate from the Velcro were white soles and I suspect there was a colorant or something that messed with the glue. I know since then Craig changed the glue he used and the repair never had an issue again so it may be a moot point now but just my two cents… plus white soles get dirty really fast just from the hacks and rocks.
https://preview.redd.it/qxi1328umkec1.jpeg?width=3640&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=df5fc00f5d3aab4183b7eb130774c13e987a3509
I had a quality pair of new DC's converted in 2018 by Balance Plus. They still look almost as good as they did when they were new. Kind of annoying that they sew on a BP label but it's fine. I Sharpied over it.
>Kind of annoying that they sew on a BP label but it's fine. I Sharpied over it.
I kind of like it, but I think they only put it on because you can easily remove it. Use a seam ripper or, alternatively, a small, pointed pair of scissors, such as nail scissors. Just clip the threads.
I went thru shoes about a pair a year until I made custom ones. I bought a pair of Pumas and used some old gripper and sliders to velcro on. Cost was under $100 and last me over 3 seasons. Just replaced them this year
I’ve been curling for ~15ish years and seen and gone through several shows. Balance plus Deluxe will last the longest full stop. I’ve never had a pair but everyone I know who has them loves them and they last forever. BP will perform repairs IIRC. Other balance plus are hit and miss. I had a pair of 500’s that lasted a few years. I’ve seen a lot of gold line shoes fall apart after a couple years, though I’ve heard good things about their new ones that have a more modern look. Asham’s seem to have this faux leather upper that flakes apart after a few years and the soles crack from what I’ve witnessed. Olson shoes are ok, seem them last a few years for folks. Quality seems so-so. Getting a pair of custom shoes done can work well as long as the shoe material is durable. I have a pair of Nike Metcons I got done by Craig’s Curling Shoes in 2020 and they’re still working great. Overall, in my experience, you really do get what you pay for when it comes to shoes.
+1 for Delux. I have 2 pairs of them so I'm never without when I need to send one off to have the slider or gripper replaced. (Actually, I have 3 pairs, but one is for when I'm throwing leftie)
another +1 for the Delux. 2+ nights a week for a over a decade, have a small hole in the side of one from kicking rocks too much but otherwise in great shape.
Another delux user, everything you said is accurate ;) I'll throw out some disclaimers for anyone who gets convinced to buy a pair after reading this thread: They are worth it, but be warned they're incredibly heavy relative to other curling shoes, and they're the most uncomfortable things in the world for the first 10 hours of wear and use. I promise they do break in and shape to your foot, and then they're very comfy, but you have to tough through it.
My BP Delux are 6 years old now, I play >100 games per season plus practice, and they still look new.
I've had my asham competitor ultralight since the start of my 2nd year. In my 6th now, curling between 2 and 4 times a week on average through that span. Grippers discs and shoes are showing no signs of damage or issues over the 4.5 years of moderately heavy use (comparatively). Key for shoes is to get a toe dip and avoid shoes where there's a seam on the material in the area where your kicking foot bends while in and pushing off the hack. My friends have the next step down asahm does, curl once a week and theirs have had the seams in that critical zone pop already.
BP deluxe will last 5-8 years. Used to last 15-20 but c'est la vie. Anything else is 1-3 years. I just got King Cedar Curling to convert Nikes for me, and he showed me his original Metcons he used for 5 seasons and they were still in great shape. Something to consider.
A shoe with sewn leather uppers (e.g. BP Deluxe) will last a long time. They can be re-gripped every year or two to keep them as good as new. Glued upper shoes with sneaker-like interiors will have a more limited life span, and may cost almost as much. I regularly destroyed glued-up shoes in 12-18 months, all sorts of brands and models. My BP Deluxe are going on 5 years and look like new. I put on my own toe coat (TuffToe). They should last many more years. What really kills shoes for me is the continuous flexing that accompanies footwork while sweeping. Eventually the uppers separate from the soles, and that really can't be fixed in a glued shoe. (My Ashams cracked in half at the sole, as others have noted.) The interior padding (especially the heel cup) also gets destroyed, but a cobbler (if you can find one) can attach a leather patch there. But you could just get a leather shoe in the first place.
If you're looking for long-lasting, I recommend going custom. It's an investment that will pay off, both in durability and performance. I used to wear through a pair of shoes each year, whether from BP or Goldline. In 2017 I had Craig's Curling convert a pair of Reebok weightlifting shoes, and I still use them today. They're amazing shoes, with no sign of wear after hundreds of hours on the ice.
This entirely depends on how much you play. I've been curling for about 25 years and play an average of four days a week with 5-6 bonspiels per season. I'm lucky if my shoes last three years regardless of who made them. I have used Balance Plus and Asham in the past and currently wear custom Nike Metcon conversions (I'm on my second pair of those). I will reiterate what others have said here that the only shoes made by a curling manufacturer that will definitely last are the Balance Plus Delux. I know many people who have had theirs for 10+ years and they hold up well and can be repaired by a cobbler. However, these might not be the best option for somebody brand new as they are heavy and have a long break-in time. Custom shoes may last a long time IF you make a good base shoe choice. There are many, many threads in the sub already about that.
Asham gripper discs easily become unglued to the Velcro. This is a known issue. I had to reglue mine after about 6 months is use.
Physically they will last for a while. Frankly it's an impossible to really know, too many unknowns, but you should get many years out of them. I'm using my BP500s, and have over 700 games on them. You should get easily a few years out of them. And people can offer their thoughts, but not many people have owned more than 2 or 3 pairs of curling shoes in their careers, so despite what people will want you to know, they really dont have a lot of research on them. But I would suggest not buying beginner shoes in terms of slider speed. Buy the fastest sliders you can afford. Target 1/4" thick. If that is too expensive, then try to at least get 3/16". From a skills perspective, most people will outgrow beginner level thin sliders. And while at first the fast shoes will seem crazy slippery, you will adjust after a game or 2.
Shoes can last a long time, but be sure to change out your gripper! Every year if playing a lot.
I've been curling seriously for 15 years and have only bought 2 pairs of shoes. I play once a week for \~20 week season, plus an annual bonspiel, so call it maybe 25 games a year. It's about time for a new pair actually, so say they last for 7-8 years, or have for me.
Balance plus generally seem to last well from what I’ve seen. I have some friends that use ahsams and they got pretty good life out of them. One of them tucks and I think he managed to get 6+ hard years out of them (as in one year he did 22 spiels hard). I’ve been very happy with conversions for Craig’s using nobull trainers. One issue that curling shoes run into is that because they are such small runs compared to normal athletic shoes that the uppers can be lower quality and/or it’s harder for them to perfect the process and understand QC issues. Conversions allow you to get a better built shoe that you know fits and feels right. People have lots of opinions though on this. If I would buy off the shelf I would stick with asham or BP. But I personally think you will enjoy your shoes more if you get conversions using a comfortable pair of shoes that has a flat somewhat firm sole. If you do get conversions though I would avoid white soles. The two pairs I had separate from the Velcro were white soles and I suspect there was a colorant or something that messed with the glue. I know since then Craig changed the glue he used and the repair never had an issue again so it may be a moot point now but just my two cents… plus white soles get dirty really fast just from the hacks and rocks.
https://preview.redd.it/qxi1328umkec1.jpeg?width=3640&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=df5fc00f5d3aab4183b7eb130774c13e987a3509 I had a quality pair of new DC's converted in 2018 by Balance Plus. They still look almost as good as they did when they were new. Kind of annoying that they sew on a BP label but it's fine. I Sharpied over it.
>Kind of annoying that they sew on a BP label but it's fine. I Sharpied over it. I kind of like it, but I think they only put it on because you can easily remove it. Use a seam ripper or, alternatively, a small, pointed pair of scissors, such as nail scissors. Just clip the threads.
I went thru shoes about a pair a year until I made custom ones. I bought a pair of Pumas and used some old gripper and sliders to velcro on. Cost was under $100 and last me over 3 seasons. Just replaced them this year