Five Tips On Taking Care Of Your Basketball Shoes

It may seem awkward, but one of the things that you should really be meticulous about when it comes to basketball gear is your pair of shoes. Shoes are items that take the most beating on the court.

As a basketball player, you will be running around, jumping, taking skids, and sometimes even falling over your own footing; the point is that your shoes will always bear the brunt of all these actions.

It is therefore important that you keep your shoes in top condition so that at your next game, you won't have any problems with them. Of course, if these are too old, you will need to replace them. But if you have a good pair that you like, here are ways to take care of them.

• Condition them – Some basketball shoes have little leather in them. There are others that are made entirely of leather and this is a good and sturdy material. But if not taken care of, these can get damaged easily. To take care of the leather parts of your basketball shoe make sure that you condition them with the right shoe conditioner. Otherwise, the leather parts will crack and these will also fall apart.

• Weatherproof – The biggest problem that your shoe has is that it is exposed to the elements. This means that it can get damaged from water, heat, and pretty much anything under the sun. So what you can do is buy a weatherproofing spray and make sure that you apply it generously on your shoes after you have used them or before you put them on. Apply this weatherproofing spray every so often so that your shoes will be protected always.

• Wax them – Again, some leather shoes will start to crack if these are not taken care of. When this happens, the leather or the leather parts also tend to harden and therefore you won't have a great performance shoe.

To soften the leather, you can use a little wax on it. Do not leave the polish on the shoe, but make sure that you clean it all off. This will keep the shoes soft and comfortable always.

• Let them breathe – Once you are done with a game, don't throw your shoes in the closet or in a shoebox. You need to air them out. Make sure that you allow your shoes to breathe by putting them out on the porch or even by a window where these can be aired out. This will not only keep away odors from forming in your shoes; the stuff that damages your shoes can also be aired out before you clean your shoes and put them away in storage.

• Flex them – Much like you flex and warm up your muscles before a game, you should also flex your shoes buy putting your hands in them and pushing them against a wall or floor. This is like exercising the rubber parts so that these don't harden and crack. Make sure that you “exercise” your shoes before putting them on. This will ensure comfort and top performance on and off of the court.