Talk:Athletic shoe

Americans also call them 'tennis shoes'!
Trust me on this one. The majority of Americans call them 'tennis shoes' at least half the time. 'Sneakers' seems to be gaining in popularity, though - I attributed that to the British English/Continental Europeans-using-English influence via the 'net. (Given stuff like British bands titled 'Sneaker Pimps,' Europeans on Second Life talking about 'sneaks,' etc.) Maybe it's partially some 'old school' African-American influence? I dunno. But I grew up in the '80s and '00s in a handful of US states, pretty much all regions of the country, and NO ONE called them anything but 'tennis shoes' (or athletic shoes/gym shoes, if they were being more technical.) 'Sneakers' would have seemed incredibly dated to me at the time - like something Wally and the Beav (from the iconic 1950s American sit-com 'Leave it to Beaver') would have talked about. Obviously, not too many Americans have looked at/edited this article if 'tennis shoes' is parenthetically described as being limited to British and Australian use. :\

Here be message subject
I'd politely suggest to anyone who happens to come along that instead of just reverting my recent addition, they either delete that whole section as it was or find a source for these drug dealing shoe throwers. I noticed that that particular section has been in the history for far too long.

No offence to User:Master_of_Ninja who originally added it, he'd pretty much saved the article from being a stub 72.74.21.232 20:16, 29 April 2006 (UTC)

The Sneaker (footwear) seems to cover a lot of the same material as this article. If that articles can be differentiated then the merge notice should be removed, otherwise, they should be merged. Park3r 15:45, 13 August 2006 (UTC)
 * I have completed this merge. There may still be formatting issues. especially with the images. I also think the section about "fair trade sneakers" should be removed, but I have left it in for now. Park3r 09:16, 19 August 2006 (UTC)

The article doesn't seem to be in a Neutral Point Of View and writen in the wrong tense, i suggest the article be rewittern.

Sneakers?
For me, sneakers aren't athletic shoes. Athletic shoes are the ones that basketball or football players use, with futuristic designs and soles that are molded after the feet. Sneakers usually have a flat sole, inspired by skateshoes and have a more basic cut.

I think this article is misleading and not accurate. Guest Account 14:48, 15 December 2006 (UTC)


 * I agree, this article is very inaccurate. There are distinc difference between Tennis Shoes, Sneakers, and Running shoes, which this article makes it seem as if all are one. Tennis shoes are for tennis. They don't have a large arch, and can be made for being able to turn quickly, and fast foot work. Running shoes have a large arch, meant for sprinting on the toes. Sneakers are the casual footwear, that doesn't necassrily specilize in any one thing.--Shawdow 12:13, 25 April 2007 (UTC)


 * I disagree and think the problem is mainly down to your own interpretation of what constitutes as athleticism. Converse All-Stars for example are probably no longer associated with athletics, and definitely don't fall under your "futuristic" criteria, yet they were designed specifically for sports.  You also believe that what you qualify as sneakers are inspired by skate shoes, although this is  contentious, skate shoes themselves would qualify as a variation of athletic shoes anyway, seeing as skateboarding is a sport.


 * Maybe some rewording is needed to clarify the differences between the shoes designed specifically for actual usage in sports and athletics, and shoes that are designed for casual wear whilst still being sports inspired, but I wouldn't label the article as misleading or inaccurate at all. --81.179.105.210 21:42, 19 May 2007 (UTC)


 * Whether they're designed for a specific sport, even the old-fashioned "sneakers" were still intended for active use - made to take abuse, rubber sole to grip surfaces like a basketball court, etc. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 74.239.239.82 (talk) 23:48, 2 November 2008 (UTC)

This could be a language barrier issue. In the American Northeast, we call athletic shoes sneakers. In such case we should probably merge the two articles 50.12.175.75 (talk) 01:19, 19 September 2013 (UTC)

Main picture
The sneakers in the first picture aren't particularly athletic. They're more of a casual wear style. I suggest changing it --Energman 21:15, 13 January 2007 (UTC)


 * Depends on what's meant by athletic. Sneaker redirects here and describes a largely casual style of footwear which shares aesthetic qualities with athletic footwear.  The article could do with being split into sections describing the variants in footwear by activity (running shoes, basketball shoes, sneakers/casual wear, etc). --81.179.105.210 21:48, 19 May 2007 (UTC)

History of Athletic shoes/sneakers
Wouldn't the history of athletic shoes/sneakers add to this article? Runt (talk) 16:30, 26 September 2008 (UTC)

Merge suggestgion
Sneaker collecting#History has nothing to do with sneaker colleting, it is merely an unreferenced (although looking plausible) essay on sneaker history. Laudak (talk) 00:36, 18 February 2009 (UTC)

Sneakers boots: athletic shoes?
Sneaker boots are listed as a type of athletic shoe. On the sneaker boot article, however, it says that they are useless except as a dress shoe.

It seems that the two are in direct contradiction. One must be true and the other not true: either they are a kind of athletic shoe, or they are no a type of athletic shoe. Any ideas as to which? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 67.40.193.20 (talk) 19:46, 2 May 2009 (UTC)

Slip-on as a type
The list of athletic shoe types is missing slip-on shoes. While many are casual, several skater shoes include the slip-on type. Slip-on should be one of the types. --Bmoshier (talk) 19:10, 19 May 2010 (UTC)

Torkies?
I'm not sure about this, I've heard "tackies" or "takkies", and "tekkies" (Afrikaans equivalent?) but not "torkies". Only Google results I'm getting is for "Toy Fox Terrier Yorkies"! --Zilog Jones (talk) 01:19, 20 May 2010 (UTC)

Australian English
IN Australia they are referred to as runners never heard them called anything else. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 125.168.13.168 (talk) 03:45, 24 March 2012 (UTC)

Move discussion in progress
There is a move discussion in progress on Talk:Sneakers which affects this page. Please participate on that page and not in this talk page section. Thank you. —RMCD bot 18:01, 11 February 2023 (UTC)