u/ConnorFromNidrogen

Connor here. I design wrestling shoes for Nidrogen and Funky Flickr Boyz and spend most of my time thinking about things like grip, weight, durability, fit, traction, materials, flexibility, etc.

Figured this could be interesting since wrestling shoes are one of the most important pieces of gear in the sport but there honestly isn’t a lot of discussion around how they’re actually designed.

Ask me anything!

I design wrestling shoes for Nidrogen and Funky Flickr Boyz, and one thing I see all the time is people unintentionally shortening the life of their shoes. A lot of what gets labeled as “normal wear” like grip fading, the fit loosening up, or materials breaking down early usually comes from day to day habits, not just the shoe itself. We spend a lot of time building in durability with reinforced stitching, support in high stress areas, and materials meant to hold up through a full season, which is why our shoes are backed by a full season guarantee. But even with that, how you take care of them plays a huge role in how long they actually perform at a high level.

A few simple things that make a big difference:

•	Keep them off pavement and rough surfaces

•	Take them out of your bag after practice and let them fully air dry

•	Loosen the laces and avoid stepping on the heel when taking them off

•	Wipe the outsole occasionally to keep traction consistent

•	If you train a lot, rotating between two pairs helps more than people think

If you’ve got any questions about shoe care or wrestling shoes in general, feel free to message me.