How to Improve Grip & Traction on Your Shoes for Basketball / Futsal

For more tips on improving your grip, see our article: www.5-a-side.co...
If you're playing any indoor sport, such as basketball or futsal, having enough grip can make all the difference to your game.
It's often after a game where you've been sliding about everwhere that a player will ask how to get more grip and traction on shoes (or sneakers).
This video shows a simple method of cleaning and the tools and materials that are involved in restoring the grip on the sole of your shoe.
This method is safe and can be used on any indoor shoe to get it looking its best. Don't forget that if you want to maximise the grip on your shoes then you should try to keep them as clean as possible between games and store them in a clean bag.

[@hristiangeorgiev8691]

If a shoe is squeaky it doesnt always mean the traction is good

[@5-a-side]

It usually does though. We're not just talking about any type of squeak - this is the one where the rubber is squeaking on the floor because it's gripping.

[@JacobossQ]

kyriediculous irving an example is the Jordan 31 super squeaky but traction sucks

[@5-a-side]

True, you've got a point there. But on many shoes it is the case that the squeak will tell you that you're gripping better than without a squeak.

[@Jordan-ku2zh]

JUSTIN HUTCHESON traction on the 1s is amazing u tweakin

[@denim_devil-YT]

I just need to know will this make my kitchen shoes have better grip

[@nibornnyw3185]

That's why I'm here too.

[@karlmariscal2333]

Question sir, Does putting coke in the soles of a replica shoe works? If it works, does it have negative effects like it changes color or what? Thank you.

[@141ghostlosvaqueros]

Is it okay if the water isn't warm? And is it okay to use and dish liquid?

[@linobovenzi4238]

thank you so much. I've had this problem with my shoe for a long time now and it really helped

[@calebcunningham6551]

thanks....it work for me and i have a basketball game tommorow so perfect

[@5-a-side]

Caleb Cunningham glad it helped

[@ScrimHyphen]

If its good youll hear them squek? As in, slide on the floor?

[@yosianderson4828]

Could you check out the video I posted on my Air Forces? The sole is in good condition but it slides a lot

[@andrewdescant4996]

What is it called when I accelerate and I almost do a burnout if u will Lol. Like I start to accelerate and my feet get no traction. Like a car burnout. What is the term for that?? Please respond.

[@5-a-side]

I don't know if there's a particular term. I'd just call that slipping. Or just not getting any traction.

[@smalfar5329]

Hey I have a question, can you use any sort of shoe for futsal or does it need to be a certain standard?

[@5-a-side]

You can use any non-marking shoe, but ideally you do want to get a special indoor football shoe.

[@zarrarkhan6079]

I have squash shoes with similar problem It only used for about six months and for some reason i quit playing squash After two year layoff I've started playing squash again and my shoes becomes a roller skaters Is their a way to fix them or should i replace them with new one,need advice

[@Gabriel-ut1we]

My jordan 11s lost traction cuz i was trying to ice em and the sun just did a number one em. They also stick to the floor whenever I walk, so it makes a squeaking sound

[@bluetooth7185]

Does this work even on non spiking or airmax 90?

[@caitlintillmanns5293]

Will this work on a volleyball shoe?

[@kasparaslazauskis5497]

Okay, so I bought some Shaqs and they were super slippy i did this method, they had more grip but painted everything black, why?

[@cesarreyes9921]

are these gonna work on replica shoes will.they squeeze ??

[@5-a-side]

Yeah, it should work. It certainly won't do any harm - you're just making them super clean so the sole can grip like it is supposed to. Like it did when it was fresh out the box.

[@jeaxygelo4751]

Cesar Reyes it work on mine

[@deeznutsgaming2895]

does it good for KD VII? ive use it 1 week ago, and i have to clean it...

[@5-a-side]

It should work on any shoe. It's just good old soap and water so shouldn't do any harm. The brush just allows you to get right into the crevasses.

[@simran6950]

What to do when the new bought shoes are slippery??

[@cjbedania6112]

Man pls help me my lebron 15 has no squeky sound and i clean it no improvements

[@5-a-side]

The squeak isn't everything - it's how they perform that count. If you're still not getting grip after cleaning them back, there's not much else that's going to work. Sure, you can put sticky substances on them, but these quickly gather more dust and dirt, losing grip again. Could be worth seeing how your teammates are getting on with the same court as you - are they finding it easier to grip?

[@jaydenthomas4871]

Does it work for high Jordan futures

[@5-a-side]

Yes, it should work for any shoe. It's just soap and water and a bit of scrubbing. If you're at all worried, go very gently with your scrubbing at first.

[@uniquetailorbangkok]

can you make how to make air jordan 1 to good grip

[@neymarfanjunior5238]

jordan 1s as grip idiot

[@ricnellemacalindong5677]

it can remove floorwax stain???

[@yamato9083]

For court shoes especially you need another method to improve grip. There are different reasons for slippery shoes. I have posted a video in my channel to talk about this. Take a look.

[@5-a-side]

What methods do you suggest?

[@elij.9801]

i can t watch your video

[@jineshpatel8320]

yamato908

[@IxPr0MaGiCzZ]

Helped a lot. Thanks!

[@5-a-side]

IxPr0MaGiCzZ Glad to help! Thanks for the comment.

[@weedster6793]

help me mine is still slippy!

[@weedster6793]

I brushed it for like 7 mins

[@5-a-side]

if you've done this and tour shoes aren't grippy, then it's probably the shoe. Maybe you'll need new ones - see what your teammates are wearing. are they getting more grip?

[@5-a-side]

you can try some other things, which are mentioned in the article I linked through to in the video description. but the best option might be to try different shoes.

[@weedster6793]

Thanks mate!

[@shentelmills398]

Boeing 747 put hair spray on the bottom of them and do not put them on the floor to dry leave the bottom of them facing up and then Waite about 5-10 mins then all ready to use I would use maximum hold hair spray

[@jadechoi919]

Really, 2K, you deserve 100K

[@manisingh3085]

Thanks a lot

[@uniquetailorbangkok]

it help me very much thank

[@anthonycoraggio296]

Laundry detergent works for gripping the shoes

[@anonymoustv6068]

Does this work for fake shoe

[@territorial5925]

Nah fam

[@ricnellemacalindong5677]

it cant remove but it makes my shoe clean

[@5-a-side]

That's a shame it doesn't remove the stain, but at least your grip is restored. Cheers

[@ricnellemacalindong5677]

ty

[@5-a-side]

np :)

[@kristinejherseyjamill5198]

my shoes is not griping ! I already remove the dirt ! and still not spiking .

[@5-a-side]

If you've cleaned them up and you're still not getting the grip you need then they just aren't going to get much better. Sure, you can use sticky products, but they don't work for very long. If other people are gripping and you're not - after you've done a full clean of them - then you're going to have to look at new shoes. Ask others how they feel their grip is and see which shoes they're wearing - that will help you know what to buy.

[@yamato9083]

there are different reasons for slippery shoes. I have posted a video in my channel to talk about this as well. you may want to take a look.

[@randomdude1540]

I have that same backpack

[@bertyalbert2603]

Does it work with yeezys? please reply

[@5-a-side]

yeah, it won't do any shoes any harm. Cleaning the bottom will make it more grippy on the court.

[@steampunk6962]

hey thanks bro it works

[@5-a-side]

Steam Punk Testify brother, testify! haha. Thanks for the comment. I echo this - it really does work, unless the grip on your shoes is just really bad, in which case you need to get new ones.

[@hellothere-lu5si]

can it make my fake shoes squeak?

[@redstonedancer2303]

Won't it get slippery again when you go outside

[@5-a-side]

Redstone Dancer - this is meant for indoor shoes. if you mean that they'll pick up dust and dirt by wearing them on the way to the court then yes, you're right. We'd suggest wearing a different pair to get to and from the game so you keep your court shoes as clean and as grippy as possible.

[@chanhkhuu2916]

It will remove dirt and stains easily

[@5-a-side]

yeah, this should get your shoes shiny and looking like new!

[@quurca9254]

Its really work

[@qnfxr2061]

Now my shoe has 0 grip at all

[@territorial5925]

Lol I have basketball tryouts in 1 hour I'm pretty good but my shoes aren't do you really have 0 grip or what

[@qnfxr2061]

bob brown this was last year fam gtfo😹😹 and my basketball shoe had no grip

[@xilliam8373]

what if my grip is completely lost in my shoe

[@5-a-side]

Then you're going to need to look at getting a new shoe. Cleaning will only bring back the grip that is there. Temporary fixes like spraying on substances or covering with things don't usually work - best long term solution is a new pair. Annoying if it costs a lot but make sure you buy a durable pair in future.

[@xilliam8373]

+5-a-side.com thanks so much!

[@icedtitain4206]

Nice vid

[@chanhkhuu2916]

Use Jason markk

[@jackietantono3070]

my shoes is still slippery

[@yamato9083]

there are different reasons for slippery shoes. I have posted a video in my channel to talk about this as well. you may want to take a look.

[@5-a-side]

At the end of the day, if it isn't gripping after you've fully cleaned the sole, then you need to check out two other things. 1) Are the shoes of your teammates gripping the court properly? If yes, then it's a problem with your shoe, and you'll probably need to look into getting new ones. 2) If everybody is slipping then it's a problem with the court, which can happen if it's not cleaned well enough and gets dusty - in this case ask your venue to clean it more regularly. Hope that helps.

[@mysteryman9049]

hahaha I bought a fake basketball shoe and I tried to make it grip but it doesn't work I tried putting some glue and now it grips

[@5-a-side]

mystery man that's good you found something that works for you. we've tried glue and also hairspray and, whilst they give you a very short boost in grip, they just quickly pick up extra dust and after a couple of minutes the grip is worse than without it.

[@vanesabarote1650]

sure?

[@chitung2277]

Try poring some acid on it and it will soften the compound and when you finish send the acid to the shop/seller that sold u the fakes LOL

[@neymarfanjunior5238]

it made my shoes squeak thanks a lot

[@c.nasunin]

Thanks ! Now I don't need new ones

[@5-a-side]

+SK8TERxBOY46 Glad it helped! Thanks for the comment.

[@kenneuman]

Dude, it is a freaking SHOE not a boot.

[@dallas4yfe]

Ken Neuman that’s a boot

[@thismans7110]

Depends on what country you're from. If you're from the U.S, they're called shoes. If you're from the U.K (maybe other countries in Europe), you'll more than likely call them boots

[@officialshooktshmurda]

Rinse the outsole with coke for 10 minutes and wipe them

[@5-a-side]

It's one way of cleaning, but if you don't rinse properly you're going to make them very sticky and that's not going to help. We'd avoid.

[@karlmariscal2333]

Does using coke also work for bb shoes?

[@karlmariscal2333]

@@5-a-side wdym by very sticky? well how do i rinse it properly?

[@5-a-side]

@@karlmariscal2333 Hi Karl, we can't recommend rinsing with coke. That's an idea that you'd have to do at your own risk and is not one we've experimented with. Can't see why it would help improve the grip more than a thorough clean with soap and water, anyway.

[@ricnellemacalindong5677]

haahaha thank you for help

[@FlameF1yer2037]

Just say clean the soles of the shoe dont make a fucking 3 minute video

[@KY.CG.]

Ik this comment is in 2018 but can u use a tooth brush???

[@5-a-side]

Yeah, of course. It will just take a lot, lot longer. We still recommend a nail brush.

[@ricnellemacalindong5677]

it can remove floorwax stain???

[@5-a-side]

It's a pretty thorough clean so it might. But I don't know for sure. Why don't you give it a go and let us know.

[@ricnellemacalindong5677]

haahaha thank you for help

[@ricnellemacalindong5677]

haahaha thank you for help

[@ricnellemacalindong5677]

haahaha thank you for help