Drumming Shoes

Another Drumming Related Obsession

Although it is not quite on par with seeking that perfect ride cymbal or snare drum, finding the right shoes to play drums in can be an obsession for many drummers. The wrong shoes just make everything feel weird. Finding the right shoes is not unlike settling on the correct seat height (I change this all the time), cymbal stand height, or bass drum pedal (another drumming tool that I am frequently changing).

PUMA H-Street Running Drumming Shoes

So, let me tell you about my new favorites. These Pumas have been around for a while, but I think I became aware of them around 2005 or so. They meet all of my requirements for drumming shoes:

• very light-weight
  
• extremely flexible
  
• very thin and flexible soles
  
• look cool
  

In a pinch, I am OK with wearing Converse All Stars, but nothing beats these sneakers for overall comfort and lightness. I like to be able to “feel” the pedal beneath my feet and these shoes allow that. The body of the sneaker is made of mesh, which allows for complete freedom of movement and flexibility of one’s feet with no restrictions. If you can’t find these look for other light weight track style shoes, but these are highly recommended.

Plus, they come in a large variety of color combinations (I am partial to the black/silver version shown in the photo), and they just plain look cool.