Stepping in dog poop is a universal nightmare for skaters. It can ruin a good session and leave you with a stinky, disgusting mess. In urban environments, where dog poop is an unfortunate reality, finding skate shoes that are easy to clean after an accidental encounter is crucial. We decided to put five popular skate shoes to the ultimate test, using fresh piles courtesy of two lovely pit bulls, Lola and Pete. This isn’t your typical skate shoe review; this is a deep dive into the world of dog poop and skate shoe performance.
A close-up of a pair of skate shoes stepping directly into a pile of dog poop.
Nike SB Nyjah Free 2
SHIT FEEL: Surprisingly, these shoes offer minimal ground feel when stepping in poop. You might not even realize what you’ve done until the smell hits you.
TREAD DEPTH: The aggressive tread pattern, while great for skating, acts like a magnet for dog poop, with the poop getting immediately trapped in the deep grooves. It’s like Nike engineered these with a secret poop-attracting technology.
APPEARANCE: The narrow design of the shoe allows the poop to easily creep up the sides, even reaching the swoosh logo.
CLEANUP: Cleaning was remarkably easy. A quick blast from a hose sent all the poop flying off. These shoes get a high score just for cleanup, despite being white and narrow.
RATING: 💩💩💩💩. A near-perfect score for cleanup ease, docked only for the color and shape, which are prone to visible soiling.
A close-up of the Nike SB Nyjah Free 2 skate shoe with dog poop smeared on the sole and side.
A close-up of the Nike SB Nyjah Free 2 skate shoe being cleaned with a hose, showing the poop being washed away.
DC x Utmost Lynx OG
SHIT FEEL: These shoes offer so much cushioning that you hardly feel stepping in poop. You likely wouldn’t know it happened until you got home and noticed the smell.
TREAD DEPTH: The primary issue isn’t the tread, but rather the deep crevices around the DC logo on the sole, which trap large chunks of poop.
APPEARANCE: The thick sole and high clearance prevent the poop from reaching the upper of the shoe unless it’s an extremely large deposit.
CLEANUP: Cleaning was unexpectedly simple with just a hose; no extra tools or scrubbing required to remove the waste.
RATING: 💩💩💩 The shoe is easy to clean and prevents side smearing but the color combination with the poop wasn’t appealing.
A close-up of the DC x Utmost Lynx OG skate shoe with dog poop stuck to the sole, particularly in the logo's crevices.
A close-up of the DC x Utmost Lynx OG skate shoe being cleaned with a hose, demonstrating the ease of removing the dog poop.
Vans Slip-On Pro
SHIT FEEL: These thin-soled shoes provide maximum sensation. You’ll feel every detail, including the heat and texture of the poop.
TREAD DEPTH: The classic waffle sole is not designed for this situation. Poop becomes deeply embedded in the waffle pattern.
APPEARANCE: These shoes are not ideal for stepping in dog poop. The vulcanized sole and suede are particularly vulnerable to getting soiled.
CLEANUP: Cleaning these shoes is a difficult and unpleasant task. A hose won’t be sufficient; you’ll likely need a stick or other tool to dislodge the poop from the waffle pattern.
RATING: 💩 These slip-ons are great for everything except dog poop encounters. Not recommended for areas with lots of dogs.
A close-up of the Vans Slip-On Pro skate shoe with dog poop deeply embedded in the waffle sole.
A close-up of the Vans Slip-On Pro skate shoe being cleaned with a hose, with the poop remaining stuck in the waffle pattern.
Adidas Jason Dill Samba
SHIT FEEL: The durable Adidas sole hides the feel of stepping in poop. You’d hardly know you stepped in it based on feel alone.
TREAD DEPTH: The unique ridges on the bottom of the sole effectively resist poop. It requires effort to get the poop to stick.
APPEARANCE: The grey snakeskin design doesn’t pair well with poop. The poop easily smears up the side of the shoe and onto the shoelaces.
CLEANUP: The cleanup was challenging. High-pressure water is needed. However, no tools are required to get the snakeskin looking new.
RATING: 💩💩💩 The laces and snakeskin appearance with poop are a major turnoff, but the sole design is surprisingly effective at preventing poop from sticking.
A close-up of the Adidas Jason Dill Samba skate shoe with dog poop smeared on the sole, side, and shoelaces.
A close-up of the Adidas Jason Dill Samba skate shoe being cleaned with high-pressure water, showing the poop being washed away.
Converse x Jenkem Jack Purcell Pro
SHIT FEEL: Stepping in poop with these feels akin to stepping on hot sand at the beach.
TREAD DEPTH: The skinny treads trap the poop, making cleanup difficult.
APPEARANCE: The all-white soles make it easy to hide any poop stains, but the smell will give it away eventually.
CLEANUP: A hose isn’t enough. You’ll need a thin tool to dig the poop out of the grooves. Be prepared to spend a lot of time with poop-filled grooves.
RATING: 💩💩 While the poop doesn’t form a clump on the bottom, the cleanup process is long and gross.
A close-up of the Converse x Jenkem Jack Purcell Pro skate shoe with dog poop stuck in the thin treads of the sole.
A close-up of the Converse x Jenkem Jack Purcell Pro skate shoe being cleaned, requiring a thin tool to remove the dog poop from the grooves.
Conclusion
Our experiment demonstrates the varying degrees of poop-resistance in skate shoes. The Nike SB Nyjah Free 2 and DC x Utmost Lynx OG were standouts for ease of cleaning. The Vans Slip-On Pro and Converse x Jenkem Jack Purcell Pro, however, should be avoided in dog-frequented areas. The Adidas Jason Dill Samba offers some protection but is a pain to clean. While this test only scratched the surface, it’s a reminder that not all skate shoes are created equal when it comes to dealing with canine mishaps. We’ll continue to explore the world of skate shoes and their ability to deal with dog poop.
This article was created with the help of the following contributors:
- Words: Larry Lanza
- Photos: Matt Dardano
- Poops: Lola and Pete
