[Smee]

Trainers when gigging and just socks for home practice......

[UPSTROKE]

Right on Smee--Thanx for jumping in. If 3 more guys tell us they wear sox--we'll form a committee & take over the world next Tuesday.

[Luke]

I'm going with upstroke on this topic, socks all the way! Being able to slide my foot on the pedal board quickly really helps for quick doubles or double bass triplets. Plus it's by far the most comfortable way to play IMO

[skinslapper]

I used to be dedicated to barefoot, but then found that with a cheap pair of trainers I could push alot harder plus the extra grip allows for more kicks at the base of the plate before the slide.

[mikelthedrummer]

For a long time until one and a half month ago i used to buy the addidas one with the light and thin sole, because I thought they where the best and most comfort for me when playing the drums!But now I realised that all is a matter of what you are used to!Because when i bought a different pair of shoes I couldn't play as I was playing whith the other pair for abought 2 or 3 days!But now for me it is the same!

[Paulo]

I like to wear fishing waders.

ok. I have actually been wearing my Clarks and they are great, plus they don't look like 'drummer shoes' so nobody knows my dirty little secret.

Clarks Megatron Oxfords - Shoes - Men's - Macy's

They are light as a feather and you can feel through the sole but they are comfortable to walk a distance in.

[dtxtremeiiispecial]

The more athletic your drumming, the more you need truly supportive footwear -- especially those folks out there with foot problems like severe overpronation, severe supination, etc.
I drum in Brooks Beasts (for severe overpronators) with custom made orthotics inside.

These shoes and orthotics help me walk right, and I need them to drum right.

[dragpyre]

I find that i can drum best in my Converse All Star Hi's. They really grip the pedal and i find it easy to do heel toe and slide in them too!

[FaroutDrummer]

I just use bare feet man, everywhere, gigs, practice, grilling, walkin', driving, you name it. I keep a pair of slip ons in my Car so I don't get arrested if I go into a store. haha. But seriously, I feel that bare feet gives you more "feel" because you can interact with the pedals and completely feel them. I use to use converse and then vans slip ons, and at one point elmo slippers. But all and all I have to say Bare feet is the way to go, atleast for me. plus I have size 13 feet so it's hard for me to do heel toe with shoes on.

[TheYuckyDuck]

I play in Nike SOCKS. I tried everything for 5 years. For the past 19-20yr, I've used Socks. Shoes don't allow the "pedal feel" I like. I can't play barefooted, once I sweat, the skin will peel off from pedal friction. Socks keep me "in-touch", give sensitivity and ease of sliding, but without chewing the skin off my feet. It's important to keep socks dry to avoid peeling/blistering. I'm so used to socks, that attempting it in shoes now is comical, with the subtlety of a Jackhammer. Over the years, I've developed a "Sock-Issue". I have this mental quirk/obsession for having clean/dry socks, at ALL times. If I don't, I get distraught and too uncomfortable to function properly. Dirty or unmatched socks make me irritable and hostile. I typically change socks 2-3 times during the day, then use 3-4 pairs during practice, (2pr for gigs), and a fresh pair after playing. It's common for me to wear 7-9prs a day, except on Sunday. As you may imagine, this adds up fast in the laundry. To make it easier on us (my girlfriend, who actually does laundry), I purchased 550 pairs of (identical) ankle-high Nike Socks, with blue "Nike"+"Swoosh" logo on the side. This is so laundry doesn't have to be done every day to have socks. I have a whole dresser just for them. They don't need sorting or folding, and my feet always feels exactly the same when drumming.