For B-Boys, By B-Boys

While it’s no surprise that different b-boys will prefer different shoes for dancing, the idea of having shoes designed specifically for b-boying is exciting an idea as it ever was. Even more exciting is the idea of b-boys having their own signature shoes, giving them rare recognition that is usually reserved for celebrity athletes.

Image from Africasgateway.com

One such shoe to make such a splash relatively recently was the Rock Steady sneaker by Fila, which hit stores in April 2004. Though they were carried in many mainstream shoe stores at the time, the shoe has become increasingly more difficult to find in recent years.

Essentially, the Rock Steady paid tribute to the old school b-boys of New York with a sleek, simple design. The shoe featured folds instead of stitching for a clean look as well as the words “Rock Steady Crew 77” stitched on the heel counter in the gothic lettering of old school b-boy t-shirts. The Rock Steady was available in two colorways: white/white/ash for a clean look and white/royal blue/Diablo red to pay tribute to the Puerto Rican flag.

Less low-key but equally inspired are the BBoy Factory Zulu Gremlin shoes available at CypherStyles.com.

Zulu Gremlin teamed up with Kashi Kicks to design his signature shoe with a gold tag and “superior” padding for comfortable dancing. With a flashy red and gold colorway and a design that seems to be inspired by Air Force 1’s, these shoes would be sure to turn heads in a cypher – especially for those who know.

The most prevalent shoes from b-boys seem to be the Saucony Courageous Floorlords. I remember meeting a Kansas City b-boy who made a point not to remove the dangling keychain logo from his pair so that nobody would doubt their authenticity.

Lino from the Floorlords and Ivan the Urban Action Figure helped design the shoes specifically for b-boys so the shoes would have a light, flexible fit as well as good traction and shock absorption. The Floorlords come in a variety of colorways to complement the athletic design of the shoe.

Image from TribalGear.com

And though they not be specifically for b-boys, it’s worth pointing out that Tribal Gear has its own line of shoes as well.