Curling - Shoes

The game of Curling is a game full of skill, suspense, and excitement! For example; have you ever wondered how the curler sweeps with the same speed as the curl stone moves? How is this possible? Is it the shoe or the floor? What is it? The speed that we see the curler synchronizes with the Curling Stone is only possible because of the specially designed Curling Shoes.

How are Curling Shoes different from athletic shoes?

Every pair of athletic shoes has the same sole, but in the case of Curling Shoes, it is different. A pair of Curling Shoes usually consists of two different soles - a Slider Sole and a Gripper Sole.

Parts of a Curling Shoe:

1. Material: The material used to prepare the Curling Shoe is synthetic or leather.


2. Slider Sole: It is a piece of flat material, commonly Teflon, that covers the whole bottom of the sliding shoe and allows the curler to slide easily. 


3. Gripper Sole: This sole is made of soft rubber with a wave-type pattern over it. It is attached to the bottom of the shoe to provide adhesion and accuracy on the ice.


4. Insole: It is the inner sole or footbed that fits under the foot and provides support.


5. Lace: It is a long woven band with an aglet that tightens the shoe.


6. Toe Box: The Curling Shoes have a hard-toe box in the front of the shoe to protect the toes.


7. Toe Coat: The primary purpose of the toe coat/ toe-dip is to protect the toe from abrasion and provide a surface on the dragging toe.


8. Shoe Heel: The shoe heel is attached to the rear end of the sole. It elevates the rear part of the foot to provide support.

Differences between a Slider Sole and a Gripper Sole:

Slider Sole:

The Slider Sole is flat and can be made from various materials, but the most common material used is Teflon or Stainless Steel. Teflon / Stainless Steel is preferred over other materials due to their non-stick nature and low coefficient of friction.  (Coefficient of Friction is the ratio of the force required to make two surfaces slide over each other).

Lesser the Coefficient; better the sliding.

The layout of a Slider Sole in Curling Shoes:

• Full-Length Slider:  This type of Slider covers the whole sole of the shoe, due to which they add weight to the shoes and provide less mobility.


• Disc Slider: Nowadays, Disc Sliders have taken over full-length Sliders. This Slider is placed in the forefoot and rear foot parts, making them lighter and functional while performing a tuck slide.

Gripper Sole:

Gripper sole consists of grips which help in reducing friction. This is made from a soft rubber that gives adhesion on the ice and offers an increased accuracy in turning and throwing the stone.  It is comfortable and features a low-key look from all angles.

There are different textures of rubber gripper soles.  The two most common ones are:

• Slip-on Rubber Gripper: This type of Gripper is easily detachable and is available with an abrasive pattern which provides excellent adhesion and grip when you wear them.


• Gripper Disc Pods: This type of Gripper needs to be glued to the bottom of the shoes and is usually made of a high traction rubber. They add some extra friction and do not extend across the whole bottom.  They are placed strategically in different ways over the shoe.

Double Gripper:

Now you may be wondering what are double Grippers and who uses them?  Other than the players, the Curling House consists of coaches, ice technicians, stick-curlers, etc. This soft tire-like rubber gripper on the Curling Shoe provides the best adhesion to walk on the ice with confidence.

Which Slider to choose?

The Curling performance is directly proportional to the thickness of a Slider.

• If the Slider is thick, it offers less friction and is less flexible, due to which the ride becomes unstable as the foot moves away from the ice surface but when the thickness increases the speed also increases which is a special feature for an experienced curler.


• If the Slider is thin, it is more flexible and creates more friction, due to which you are closer to the surface but provides less speed and are stable on your feet.

Therefore, it is recommended that if you are new to Curling, you should prefer the thin Slider, and if you are an experienced curler, then it is good to go for a thick Slider.

How to select a Curling Shoe?

The Curling Shoe plays a very vital role in Curling. So, to determine which shoe to go for, you need to keep these points in mind:

1. Insulation: As we know, the Curling takes place on the ice, which can make your feet go numb. So, to avoid this situation, you need shoes with insulation. This not only improves your performance but also lets you curl for a long time.


2. Lateral Stability: As mentioned earlier, Curling requires stability for shot accuracy and a safety measure because if the shoe lacks enough lateral stability, you may have more chances of getting your ankle twisted.


3. Fit & Comfort: A Curling Shoe should provide an athletic and supportive fit to help the players maintain their balance form while sliding the stone or sweeping with the Curling broom.

One more thing that many people are confused about is which sole to fit in which foot?

So, the answer to this question is simple.

• Right-Handed: If you deliver the rock with your right hand, you need to slide your left foot, which means you need to wear a Slider on the left and a gripper on the right.


• Left-Handed: If you deliver the rock with your left hand, you need to slide your right foot, which makes it clear that you should wear a Slider in the right and a Gripper on the left.