Favorite Footwear That You Wear To Play Steel

[Roger Crawford]

It used to be deck shoes, but now Hey Dude is my go to.

[Frank Freniere]

[Douglas Schuch]

Converse Chuck Taylor Allstars, low top. The color is chosen to match whatever western shirt I'm wearing if it's a gig!

[Brian Fox]

Ive yet to find a boot or shoe I can play in comfortably or really feel the pedals so I play in "colorful" socks. I just own it and make do. Usually some kind of art or pictures on them. My kids typically pick them out, Somedays they are duck socks, sometimes guitars, sharks or yettis and sometimes they are pickle socks. My feet get cold though and most stage floors are not the cleanest. So looking for a good shoe.....

[Kevin Fix]

I played with no shoes for over 40 years. Just wore socks.

[Robert Simms]

Hey Dudes

[Bill C. Buntin]

Played in boots for so long, I just always use boots. But I can also play in twisted x leather shoes as well. Little adjustment on the volume pedal right foot. When switching. Never been a problem.

[Jerry Overstreet]

Boots, dress shoes...anything with a hard sole feels more positive to me.

I like to look like a professional even if I don't necessarily play like one. I wear whatever matches up with the rest of my outfit. No problems with any of them. Never one to have to rely on a specific shoe, thank God.

[Joe A. Roberts]

Never one to have to rely on a specific shoe, thank God.

Good thing Cinderella never picked up pedal steel

[Jerry Overstreet]

Maybe not Cinderella, but I've seen Sarah Jory play in heels and some other females. My point is that one should never have to rely on superstition or specific items. IMO, that just stifles the user when something is not present.

Players need to have the ability to work in all situations and environments.

[Joe Bill Moad]

There are real handmade boots built in Washington called “Whites Packers”. The most comfortable boot ever put on. They have a rider heel underslung on them that jacks that heel up and can move easily up and down the pedals easy. Levers are no problem either. In my opinion nothing worse than a guy playing steel in a Honky Tonk that dresses like a drugstore style wanna be. Watch Mooney he was a true Cowboy that wore the boots to prove it. I guess barefoot would work also, just my opinion.

Jbm
Oklahoma

[Larry Dering]

To elaborate on Jerry's statement, last year I seen Sarah Jory 2 different days. She was wearing high heels first day and tennis shoes the second day. I ask her about it and she said depends on the day and the mood. Her playing was spectacular both days.

[D Schubert]

Merrell Jungle Mocs work for me, various colors in suede and black leather, wear them for work and play and stage 90% of the time.

[Roger Rettig]

I used to wear dress shoes (I'd win the fight about cowboy boots, so dress shoes were my compromise) but, since retiring, I play in just socks.

If I awaken to test a thought that comes in a dream (they really do) and if I'm committed enough, I'll try it out in bare feet (or turn over, go back to sleep and forget the Eureka moment).

If I were to take a pro job now, I'd do what others here have done: play in socks. These days, even my carpet slippers catch the adjacent pedals.

[Thornton Lewis]

What Jack Hanson said. Minnetonka moccasins are my go to. The very type pictured.

[Jim Pitman]

Very flexible shoes. If I forget to bring them to the gig, stocking feet, which is bad because under that circumstance I have not got the pedals to their fullest excursion consistently.

[Jimmy Moreland]

Played my first ever gig on steel a few weeks back, and showed up in my ropers, never having played in them before. Imagine my surprise when my big dumb legs wouldn't fit under the guitar, even with the low-profile Goodrich volume pedal. Luckily the gig was close to home and I was able to run back for my daily-wear skate shoes. Lesson learned

[Bob Carlucci]

dirty socks....

[Fred Treece]

Played my first ever gig on steel a few weeks back, and showed up in my ropers, never having played in them before. Imagine my surprise when my big dumb legs wouldn't fit under the guitar, even with the low-profile Goodrich volume pedal. Luckily the gig was close to home and I was able to run back for my daily-wear skate shoes. Lesson learned

You can always raise up the back legs of the steel if you need more room. I always wear boots on stage, and even with a 2” lift kit for the front legs I still tilt up the back a little bit.

[Audie Shields]

I wear John Lobb or Edward Green Dress Shoes.

[Joseph Lazo]

Interesting to see how many here like soft soled shoes and even slippers. Maybe because I'm still pretty new to this, but any shoe that flexes too readily just seems to make it harder to control the pedals, especially when rocking the A and B pedals side to side. I like shoes with a firmer sole. I tried playing once or twice in just socks, after I read that here. I dunno how you guys can do that!

[Terry Wood]

New Balance 608s, Tennis shoes comfortable. If its dress up, I wear SAS black soft shoes. Used to wear Boots. Heck anything goes anymore. LOl

[David Wisson]

Hi All I started with Boots because they were cool went to moccasins on my Emmons. Then on my home build just socks used to be bare feet but they get cold real quick now it's a dream to play Dave

[Les Grames]

I prefer a cowboy type boots because of the heal. Don’t like putting them on or taking them off. Found these, I believe Stacy Adam’s, that have a zipper that makes them easier for pulling them on and off. And if the feeling is right you can put some flamingo music on, grab some castanets and stomp across the floor in them.

IMG_2876.jpeg

IMG_2877.jpeg

[Richard Sinkler]

I wore cowboy boots for probably 45 years until a few years ago when neuropathy hit my feet.