You don't need to have a lot of equipment to be a competitive bowler, but for the few pieces of gear that you do use, it's vital to choose them carefully.
First is the most obvious tool, the bowling ball. Getting a ball made with the right coverstock material and custom drilled to your hand is a must if you want to bowl consistently and successfully.
The other essential piece of equipment is a pair of bowling shoes, a purchase that allows you to save significant money in the long run. (And also avoid wearing a pair of shoes that has been worn by hundreds of others!)
Traditionally, bowling shoes weren't thought of as being very stylish, but these days things have changed and there are some great designs that are attractive as well as functional.
Take care to look at the type of sliding sole and heels that a particular pair has, as that affects the length of the slide.
Since the approach is such a vital part of the success of your bowling shots, having the right pair of shoes for you is vital. This article will go over the best bowling shoes for men and women so you know what to look for when you are ready to buy.
Best Brands of Bowling Shoes
For bowling shoes, some of the same brands that you'll see making the best bowling balls and other eqiupment will once again pop up, such as Brunswick.
Other favorites are trusted makers of all types of shoes, such as Dexter, which has an extensive bowling line.
Another smaller name that you'll see for both men's and women's shoes that are extremely popular is BSI, which also makes bowling bags and other equipment.
These are the top names for bowling shoes in our minds, but a couple others you might encounter are Etonic, Linds, Pyramid, Storm and 3G.
Next, let's take a look at the 5 best options for entry level bowling shoes.
Top 5 Bowling Shoes for Men and Women
1. Brunswick Men's Flyer
The Brunswick Men's Flyer is one shoe model that's a candidate for the most popular among bowlers. It has an attractive look--no matter if you choose black or white--and is also chock full of features to give you the utmost comfort and performance on the lanes.
These include Komfort-Fit construction and a nice Microfiber slide pad that has FlexSlide technology. To hear from hundreds of bowlers who use and trust the Men's Flyer, just take a look at the Amazon reviews.
We mentioned that the previous product was among the most popular. It doesn't earn the title outright because the Dexter Ricky III gives it a serious run for its money.
These shoes have a soft, durable man made upper and are fully lined with padded tongue and collar. The black option comes with a red stripe pattern and the white is complemented by black.
The BSI Basic #521 shoe is another good option: it's a sneaker type model with a lightweight durable rubber outside, an action leather upper and an extra plush insole lining. This all adds up to a shoe that's comfortable but high performing, all at a very low price.
For female bowlers, the BSI #651 has consistently been the best seller. And with good reason. It has a lightweight EVA midsole, sport leather uppers, and a stitched and glued slide sole. One note about sizing: for many women, the sizes run a bit bigger than you might expect with another brand of shoe.
Functionally, the Dexter Jack shoe is right up there with the other top models as far as performance. Aesthetically, it's a little different, as it has a nice black look with several white stripes running along it. If you like something a little more stylin' than a solid white or black color, you might give this brand a look. The defined Horseshoe heel S8 microfiber slide soles work well with the non-marking rubber outsole.
All in all, getting your own pair of bowling shoes is a great investment, and you will only need to bowl a few games before it officially pays off and begins saving you money.
So even if you only make it to the alley a handful of times a year, the math still favors buying your own pair (and your feet will probably thank you too!)
There are very reasonably priced options out there that look great and get the job done, so you can take your pick based on what you personally find the most attractive.
Product images sourced from Amazon
Nice Selection, probably these are the best bowling shoes with affordable price and best value. However SST9 and TPU X are my personal favorite.
I have a pair of Dexter slide-rite shoes but than grab more than slide, what can I do to get them to slide more.
Wow! This is a great article
Now, I can choose the best bowling shoes for myself. It’s Dexter Jack.
Thank you so much!