Why do skateboarders shoes wear out so fast?

Essay by Anonymous UserHigh School, 10th gradeA+, January 1996

download word file, 7 pages 3.6 1 reviews

This is a good science fair project could have handed parts earlier

LITERATURE OF REVIEW

WHY DO SKATEBOARDERS SHOES WEAR OUT SO FAST?

Through out skateboarding history a sand paper material known as grip tape has been glued to skateboard decks. This material made for gripping onto boards also destroys sneaker soles. Grip tape causes friction between sneakers and itself, while making a grip and facilitating control of the board. Pedaling wears out sneakers like walking, but at more accelerated rates; much higher than walking. Becoming more circwnspect, there is the factor of increased movement on the board such as turning your lead foot (generally for most people the left foot, unless they skate goofy foot) back and forth in between pedaling. With the grip tape being very granular and necessary for skateboarding, it constantly and easily scrapes away at rubber soles, making sneakers wear out faster than in any other sports or hobbies.

With this problem of sneakers wearing out fast and being discarded, the skateboarder with limited financial resources suffers additionally from the losses.

WHY IS GRIP TAPE NECESSARY

The grip tape is needed for a skater to maintain control over the board by the means and the uses of friction, Unforttmately grip tape helps wear at the ollie area (an area of the shoe that is just behind a person's smallest toe on the outer side of the foot) and the sole rapidly. Grip tape is necessary for street skating tricks (examples: ollies, kick flips, nose grinds and nollies) and ramp skating. If there was no grip tape vert skaters (skateboaders who skate on ramps) would lose control over their board easily, there by raising the risk of danger and serious accidents. Vert skating is already rather risky. Who needs more broken bones? Street skaters depend on...