Ringstar Sparring Shoes

[masherdong]

Ok, I just received my sparring shoes from Ringstar. They are the Super Maxx sparring shoes. When I tried them on, they fit perfectly however, I look like I am wearing clown shoes! lol When I look at myself in the mirror, they just look big on me! I guess it is all of the extra padding that they have on the inside that makes them look bulky on me. lol

Anyone else have the same feeling as I do??

[Oso]

sorry, no offense but they look ghey as hell in the pics.

why wear them at all?

[masherdong]

why wear them at all?

Well with the shin/instep guards I have, they dont cover the toes. As of late, I have been injuring my toes.

[TenTigers]

wear them with gi pants. It won't shpow as much. Don't wear shorts, and for God's sake, don't wear one of those
"Game of Death/Last Dragon/Kill Bill" track suits.:eek:

-unless you have a bodacious bod.
Did Uma Thurman have big feet? Nobody noticed.

[Oso]

um, busted toes come with the territory same as busted fingers. you do have muscular control over your toes, get them in position so as not to be hurt and send the ghey shoes back and buy a roll of electrical tape. :)



Uma does have kinda big feet and slightly gnarly toes...which I would gladly...well, I'll just let you run with that one on your own.

What else can you say about a woman considerate enough to have a name so easy to pronounce while you're making your 'O' face?

[TenTigers]

well, besides risking a roasting by Joan Rivers when you step onto the red carpet, how do they feel?
How do they work as compared to other sparring gear?
How is the grip on the sole,
how is the padding,
the weight,
are they durable for everyday workouts, or should they be left in the gym bag just for sparring?
Do you reccommend them?

[masherdong]

um, busted toes come with the territory same as busted fingers. you do have muscular control over your toes, get them in position so as not to be hurt and send the ghey shoes back and buy a roll of electrical tape.

Yes, I am aware that they come with the territory. I do have them in position but when the other person tries to block, I somehow hit their elbows. I guess their elbow looked at me funny so I thought I would teach it a lesson, bad idea! lol

[Pork Chop]

At least from what I've seen in gyms on the east coast, it was not uncommon for folks to work around toe injuries with american kickboxing booties. Out here in Texas I haven't seen it yet, but at my gym out here they'll spar with 10ounce aerobics or bag gloves (not much accounting for safety).

I've wondered about those shoes - for kicks that hit with the bottom surface- do they cause the same surface damage (cuts, etc) that even wrestling shoes cause? How about the toe? does that end up being even as stiff as a wrestling shoe? I would think those shoes would lead to more cuts & welts than their foam-dipped counterparts.

[masherdong]

how do they feel?
How do they work as compared to other sparring gear?
How is the grip on the sole,
how is the padding,
the weight,
are they durable for everyday workouts, or should they be left in the gym bag just for sparring?
Do you reccommend them?

Well, I will spar in them tonight for the first time so, I will have to get back with you.

The other day, I was doing some forms and they felt pretty good. They did slide some but not too much. They do feel light but just look like clown shoe on me because I am a thin person and they just stick out. Padding seems adequate but wont know until I try them out tonight.

[GeneChing]

...or so I'm told. I do see some people wearing them for training, even for street shoes :eek:, which I agree, does look a little odd. You wouldn't wear Legend Kicks (http://www.martialartsmart.net/10-650.html) as street shoes, but who am I to judge martial fashion? Now that would look like wearing clown shoes. Appropriate attire is reliant on the setting.

Ringstar shoes are available at MartialArtsMart.com (http://www.martialartsmart.net/Ringstar.html).

[masherdong]

I also have their Flexx Trainer and those felt good doing forms and all but wearing them out on the street, HURT!! Walking on concrete with those was like going bare foot on the pavement.

[Oso]

sorry, they still look ****ed silly. but, I hope you like them :)


like going bare foot on the pavement.

worse since you were depending on the shoes for support they didn't give. when you walk, or fight, barefoot, you learn to control the foot better, imho.

[masherdong]

Sparred in these clown looking shoes last night. lol

They felt pretty good. Hit some elbows last night and no problems. They did feel much lighter than my other shin/instep guards. Gripping on the mats was ok, still had some slippage but other than that it was fine.

[冠木侍]

I'm sure they are a bit more comfortable to wear than your standard foot gear. Those shoes were specifically made for sparring and I think the Flexx could be used as a shoes for the dojo/floor.

I have a pair that I haven't used yet. I keep forgetting to ask if I can use them for sparring but that is why they are so padded dude. They may look like clown shoes but they will protect your foot and provide some padding for the face that comes in contact with said shoes. I like the Velcro secure and the laces (Flexx only has velcro it seems) but they are comfortable, which is important to your training. I would not use them as sneakers though. I don't think they are durable enough to be walking around in all day. Plus, I don't think that is what they were intended for. Get some sneakers or flip flops if you feel like walking around.

Masherdog...you must have quite a bit of extra money to throw around if you have two out of three pairs of the Ringstars. Buying that one pair set me back quite a bit and I am probably going to wait.

But the sale at Martial Arts Mart is still going strong so I think that I may reconsider. Gene will be happy about that.

Ten Tigers brings up a lot of good points about the shoes.

I would just use them for sparring and get a couple of pairs of martial art shoes for working out and forms. Or you could just rotate them and that should make them last. You seem like you could afford a bunch of new shoes so, you probably have back up pairs on the way.

[冠木侍]

I also have their Flexx Trainer and those felt good doing forms and all but wearing them out on the street, HURT!! Walking on concrete with those was like going bare foot on the pavement.

I would not recommend going on the pavement. They were conceived of for sparring I believe and to be used indoors (as are most martial art shoes). Plus, when you use 'em outside and wear them on the mats, wood floor or whatever surface you train on, you will track in rocks and whatever crap you stepped on outside.

[冠木侍]

sorry, they still look ****ed silly. but, I hope you like them :)



worse since you were depending on the shoes for support they didn't give. when you walk, or fight, barefoot, you learn to control the foot better, imho.

His mistake was that he tried to use them as sneakers. Of course they were like walking barefoot. They weren't meant for that. I'm not in the habit of walking outdoors barefoot too often. I don't know what your habits are OsO :p

Mangled toes and such are a part of training, shoes or not. I got sweeped from the back once and my toe was bent beyond it's limit. It is still healing now even though it happened 9 mos ago...I can almost flex it all the way but the tendon or muscle on the joint is still tight. Before that, I didn't wear shoes to workout but just got accustomed to it. Depends on the martial art I guess.

It makes sense what you say (about having more control) but then again, sparring gear is widely used for martial arts. Punching with bare knuckles insteaad of gloves, using your logic, would be the way to go then, right? I think that the purpose is just safety. More control and stability yes, but a bare foot can do a lot of damage. Plus, if i see a bare foot, there is a possibility of stepping of them ;)

[masherdong]

His mistake was that he tried to use them as sneakers. Of course they were like walking barefoot. They weren't meant for that.

I didnt use them as sneakers. One day I had to run down to my car to get something and I had the Flexx Trainers on. It was like ouch! This hurts!


Masherdog...you must have quite a bit of extra money to throw around if you have two out of three pairs of the Ringstars. Buying that one pair set me back quite a bit and I am probably going to wait.

Well, considering all the overtime that I have been working the last month or so, you can say that I have some extra cash. Actually, there are 4 styles: Supermaxx, Maxx, SSS, and the Flex trainer. So, I have 2 of the 4. :D

[冠木侍]

I believe I stand corrected...By George, there are four styles! :eek:

Actually, I knew there were four but regarding the SuperMaxx, I thought pink was the only color available and didn't count it when I last posted. I figured, why would this dude even consider buying a pair of pink shoes. Just found out there is black as well. :D

Well, when you acquire all four pairs, let us know how they fair.

Take care.

[Oso]

His mistake was that he tried to use them as sneakers. Of course they were like walking barefoot. They weren't meant for that. I'm not in the habit of walking outdoors barefoot too often. I don't know what your habits are OsO :p

Well, some kung fu brothers of mine once called me Huck Finn if that gives you any idea.

Mangled toes and such are a part of training, shoes or not. I got sweeped from the back once and my toe was bent beyond it's limit. It is still healing now even though it happened 9 mos ago...I can almost flex it all the way but the tendon or muscle on the joint is still tight. Before that, I didn't wear shoes to workout but just got accustomed to it. Depends on the martial art I guess.

I've been back and forth. For 7 years it was 90% outdoor training with no shoes. Then mostly indoor for 13 years with now shoes. Hell, the first time I ever busted a toe was indoors, barefoot on puzzle mats about 4 years ago.

It makes sense what you say (about having more control) but then again, sparring gear is widely used for martial arts. Punching with bare knuckles insteaad of gloves, using your logic, would be the way to go then, right? I think that the purpose is just safety. More control and stability yes, but a bare foot can do a lot of damage. Plus, if i see a bare foot, there is a possibility of stepping of them ;)



I know. But, still, these types of shoes are just silly looking.

[masherdong]

I know. But, still, these types of shoes are just silly looking.

Well, with the black kung fu pants and black top, they at least blend in more but they still look like clown shoes on me. lol

[冠木侍]

I know. But, still, these types of shoes are just silly looking.

It seems my friend that you focus on appearances when functionality might be a better focal point. When going out with friends or just going out (to non-formal functions) I prefer white sneakers. I just like how they feel and look. The Ringstar shoes remind me of sneakers but they also have padding that protect it's wearer and the person being attacked.

Like Masherdong wrote, with black gi pants (make sure they are a little baggy), it looks blended. The black pants with the white shoes look kinda stylish cosmetically as well (right up your alley OsO!! :) ) This is, they cost so d***ed much that I don't wear them that often (yeah defeats the purpose).

Masherdong's clown shoes look normal on big guys. I have this dude in my class who is well over six feet tall and is solid (think he is in law enforcement) and he started wearing them. The shoes looked ok to me.

What is silly looking is the standard sparring gear that is used. The foot gear is big and clunky(some common ones like those from Pro Force or Macho...etc). But whatever, they still protect, although sometimes my toes receive impact (gear is supposed to prevent that). It's all part of the game.

Up until I had my sprain (9 mos ago), I was shoe-less for most of my martial arts career. I started on hardwood floors (the place doubled as a dance studio) and did mats for other stuff. My toes are forever callussed but I didn't mind that.

If you had a good friend named Tom Saywer and knew a girl named Becky Sue, then you would be Huck Finn. :p But I don't see the correlation. Probably just people talking stupid. I joke around with my training brothers and sisters all the time but we all have our own style.

Still though, you preference is your own. Just stop the HATING! Big shoes can't help it if they're big. It's not their fault they were born into a world that discriminates. :D

Take care everyone.

[冠木侍]

This is on Gene's behalf:

Martial Arts Mart is still having their shoe sale on Ringstar sparring shoes. Not a bad deal when you consider how much they cost MSRP.

**Adidas shoes as well. No way, no way!!

[Pork Chop]

I was thinking today, Crocs might actually make good sparring shoes.
If your crocs are loose, just wear extra socks until they're snug.
I think they'd hold up, but i'm pretty sure that they wouldn't cause cuts - tried smacking one against my leg from different angles and it didn't feel like anything.