How to Make Basketball Shoes More Grippy - 4 Ways to Improve Traction

For basketball players, dribbling and attacking skills might be the most required things; however, performance may be adversely affected if the grip of the player’s shoes is weaker over the floor. To perform multidirectional moves and remain a step ahead of your opponents, it is inevitable for players to have a strong grip over the court. So, here I am going to tell you about the quick ways that will certainly help you get rid of the problems of slippery shoes, and of course, you will also find the answer to your question of how to make basketball shoes more grippy.

As far as my personal experience is concerned, I firmly believe that there is a direct relation between your performance in the game and the quality of your shoes. If your shoes are good enough, you will better play; otherwise, you will certainly compromise on your performance. Weaker shoes wear down sooner and result in lower friction that ultimately leads the player to a weaker grip over the floor.

Meanwhile, there is a number of factors that add to the chances of the weaker grip of shoes, such as extra wax on courts, trapping of dust in the grooves of your boots and etc. Don’t worry; based on my personal experience, here I will discuss the quick ways to improve the grip of your basketball shoes on basketball courts.

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How to Make Basketball Shoes More Grippy – Restore Grip & Make Shoes Less Slippery

You can no longer stay on the basketball court with slippery shoes. Following are the ways that I believe to be the most straightforward and easiest to enhance the grip of your shoes on the basketball courts:

1. Clean the Sole of Shoe

One of the leading factors of reduced grip is the dirty sole of the shoe. Dust gets trapped in the grooves of shoes resulting in reduced friction and, therefore, traction. So, it is earnestly suggested to keep the sole of your shoe clean to maintain the grip. Following are two ways to clean the sole of your shoe:

Use Bristle Brush Or Electric Brush

Whenever you come back home after playing, do not forget to clean the sole of your shoe using Bristle Brush. Gently apply the brush to the sole of the shoe, and dirt will easily come out of the grooves. For further convenience, you can also use an electric brush to wipe out all the dust from the sole of your shoe.

Wet Towel

When you feel slippery, you can simply apply a wet towel to the sole of your shoes and get the trapped dust out of the grooves of your shoes. To avoid inconvenience during the game, it is recommended to keep the towel in your sports gear.

Related Post: Why do Basketball Players Wipe Their Shoes?

2. Grip Enhancer Spray

Shoe grip-enhancing spray is a significant method to add to the grip of the shoe, especially when the sole of the shoe starts losing traction due to its wearing down. You only need to clean the dust from the sole of the shoe – then you can apply to spray on the sole. Wait for a few minutes before wearing shoes after spraying Grip Enhancing Spray on the sole. Later on, you will feel an adequate grip of the sole on the floor.

3. Traction Mat

A traction mat is another useful way to improve the grip of your shoes. These mats are usually made of rubber material to provide maximum friction. As soon as you stand on it, the uneven surface of the traction mat will extract all the dust from the grooves of your shoes. In addition to it, the traction mat also adds the adhesive property of the rubber sole, which results in the form of a better grip on the floor.

4. Replace the Sole ( Permanent Solution to Problem )

If you have applied all the aforementioned methods but still fail to achieve a good grip, I would suggest you get the sole of your shoe replaced. Make sure you are happy with the rest of the condition of your shoe, and then you may ask the cobbler to change the sole and replace it with a new and durable rubber sole. This is a cheaper solution to your problem than buying a newer pair of shoes.

Therefore, this is a detailed answer to the question of how to make basketball shoes more grippy.

Looking for new basketball shoes in affordable budget? Check out detailed review on best affordable basketball shoes.

Tips to Keep Your Basketball Shoes’ Grip Good

Being a basketball enthusiast, you will be well-convinced about the importance of grip of your shoes while playing. With the good grip of your shoe’s sole, you can easily perform multidirectional maneuverers and execute your attacking skills in a better way. Considering the importance of grip for a basketball player, here I am going to give you some tips to maintain a basketball shoe grip:

Whenever you return home after playing your game, do not forget to clean the sole of your shoes. Make sure that you get rid of all the dirt trapped in the grooves of your shoes.
Do not wear the same shoes in every match or practice session. Persistent use of the same shoes will speed up the wearing down of shoes’ soles. Manage some other pairs too to be used in alternate matches and practice sessions.
Never use indoor basketball shoes on outdoor courts. The concrete material or asphalt surface will harm the sole of the shoe.
Keep a towel in your sports gear, and apply it on the sole of the shoe whenever you feel a loose grip on shoes.
Do not wait to apply grip enhancer spray when you feel a reduced grip. Ignoring the problem might aggravate it.
Keep a traction mat in your sports gear, and clean your shoe after every play.
You might have seen some NBA Players spitting on the sole of their shoe – it also provides rubber sole with a timely frictional force.

Applying these tips will help you make basketball shoes more grippy.

Conclusion

Every basketball player understands the importance of a good grip on shoes while playing the game. With reduced grip, you will neither be able to defend nor attack – so make sure that your shoes are in the best condition and offer enough grip. Do follow the aforementioned methods to add to the grip of your shoes.

Frequently Asked Questions ( FAQs )

Q1. What are the top five ways to fix slippery shoes?

Do you have a slippery shoe? Here are top five ways to fix slippery shoes:

Clean the sole of shoe
Use traction mat
Apply grip enhancing spray
Reduce the amount of wax on court
Get the sole replaced

Q2. What Basketball Shoes Have the Best Grip?

Following are the best basketball shoes in terms of grip:

Q3. Can hairspray make your shoes grippy?

Yes, you can apply hair spray to add in its grip. However, this is a temporary solution of permanent problem. It will give a timely friction and necessary traction, but its effect will vanish after sometime.