The moonwalk is a dance move that was made famous by Michael Jackson. It involves lifting one leg and sliding forward, then lifting the other leg and sliding back, while moving sideways to the beat of music. The moonwalk has become popular in streetwear, where it’s often performed as part of a dance routine or as part of a choreographed dance number.

Moonwalking requires footwear designed for comfort and flexibility. Here are some of the best shoes for moonwalking:

Vans Old Skool – These shoes are designed with a canvas upper and vulcanized rubber sole. They’re great for dancing because they’re lightweight, comfortable and have excellent traction on hard surfaces like concrete or asphalt. They also have extra padding on the tongue so they won’t rub against your ankle when you’re performing moves like the moonwalk.

Nike Air Force 1 Mid – These shoes are extremely comfortable and versatile so they can be worn with just about anything from jeans to joggers to track pants. They come in many different colors so you can choose the ones that match your wardrobe best. They also have side vents for increased breathability and ventilation so your feet won’t sweat too much while performing complicated moves like the moonwalk in them

Best Shoes For Moonwalking

Finding the best shoes for moonwalking is tricky when you want a high-quality shoe that won’t cost a fortune. The wearing of ordinary shoes during moonwalking can result in serious injury to the wearer if they don’t feature certain features for moonwalking like stiff and flat sole, secure fit and optimum comfort.

After spending 30+ hours searching for the most practical shoes for moonwalking on relevant forums and crawling through hundreds of reviews by users, I’ve put together a shortlist of the most comfortable and special shoes for moonwalking. I’ve detailed unbiased reviews of each shoe pair with their pros and cons based on the testing and experience of the customers.

So without any further delay, let’s dive in and discuss the features and reviews of the best shoes for the famous moonwalk on dance floors and outdoor.

Features for the Best Shoes for Moonwalking

Here’s the list of features that I considered while reviewing the cool looking shoes for moonwalking.

  • Flat Sole – The bottom of moonwalking shoes should be flat and low profile to maintaining stability and allow you to stand on your toes without falling. Furthermore, the friction for shoes should be less so that you can smoothly glide on the floor during an actual moonwalk.
  • Stiff Sole – The sole of shoes should be stiff enough so that you can show a floating illusion while performing a moonwalk. The soft rubber-like skate shoes would stick with the floor and would not allow you to switch your positions in moonwalking.
  • Lightweight – Moonwalking shoes have to be lightweight so that you don’t have to drag your foot.
  • Padded Tongue – The tongue of the moonwalking shoe should be fully padded, soft and flexible, specially if you’re a beginner or amateur. When you switch your position to stand on your toes, the shoes bend and the tongue of the shoes can irritate your foot if it is not padded.
  • Fit – Moonwalking shoes should have a lacing closure for a secure fit. They shouldn’t allow your feet to slip inside the shoes.

Best Shoes for Moonwalking Reviews

Here are my recommendations for the best shoes for moonwalking.

1. Skechers Men’s Classic-Fit Delson – Comfortable Shoes for Moonwalking

Skechers Men's Classic-Fit Delson – Comfortable Shoes for Moonwalking

According to the customer reviews, Skechers Men’s Classic-Fit is one of the best shoes for moonwalking designed for men to moonwalk on hard floor tiles.

Let’s talk about all the features that make these Skechers perfect for moonwalking.

Firstly,Skechers Classic Fit features a stretchy mesh fabric with synthetic overlays for a supportive fit while moonwalking. Leather overlays help securely lock your feet so that they don’t slip in the shoes. Due to the mesh, these shoes are pretty featherweight so that you don’t find it hard to drag your feet while moonwalking.

Next, the shoes feature a memory foam midsole that tried to mold your foot’s shape so that you can smoothly glide on the surface without losing your balance. If you look at these Skechers shoes’ structure, memory foam midsole extends to a portion of the toe box so that when you stand on the toes leg while moonwalking, the floor doesn’t put pressure on your toes.

Lastly, these Skechers Delson shoes have a rubber outsole with a well-designed pattern so that the shoes do not offer slip-resistance to the floor while allowing certain flexibility for a smooth transition to stand on the toes. I would not recommend wearing these shoes on wooden surfaces as the soles make squeaking noises.

The major downside of these Skechers is that they don’t have sufficient arch support, and insoles are not removable. So, if you want to place your custom orthotic inserts, I’d suggest you buy half a bigger size so that sufficient space is available in your shoes to place insole.

Here’s what am ethusiastic customer review on amazon shows about the moonwalking feasbility in these Skechers Classic Fit Delson shoes.

What I Liked

  • Comfortable and lightweight
  • Supportive fit
  • Easy to put on
  • Nice cushioning for a smooth moonwalk on concrete surfaces

What I didn’t Like

  • Insole is not removable
  • Suitable for people with low arches

2. New Balance 577 V1 – Supportive Shoes for Moonwalk

New Balance 577 V1 – Supportive Shoes for Moonwalk

These New Balance shoes are designed for both men and women. If you’re an expert in the moonwalk, you should surely think about buying these New Balance 577 walking shoes. Wearing these New Balance shoes, you can perform moonwalks on concrete surfaces or wooden floors.

Here are the reasons why I recommend these New Balance shoes for moonwalking.

Firstly, the upper of shoes is made of 100% durable leather upper to prevent creases appearing on the shoes when they bend while standing on the toes. Furthermore, the leather upper helps keep your feet securely in their place and prevents them from slipping in the shoes. In this way, you can efficiently maintain your balance while performing a moonwalk.

Furthermore, the midsole of these shoes is made of Polyurethane material that has great compression-resistant properties to maintain your walking posture. Compared to memory foam midsole, PU midsole is a bit heavy, but it provides great support to your feet while performing a professional moonwalk due to its high resilience.

Lastly, the outsole of these New Balance shoes is flat with flex grooves in the forefoot and heel region to allow a smooth transition while taking steps in a moonwalk. Furthermore, there’s a guidance path in the center of the sole, extending along the full length of the shoes, which ensures that your body weight shifts uniformly as you transition from standing on your toes in a moonwalk.

What I Liked

  • Durable leather upper
  • Excellent support
  • Stable platform

What I didn’t Like

  • According to some users, the tongue irritates the foot
  • Arch support is not good; you can make it better by placing your custom orthotic inserts
  • Available in only black and white color

3. Bruno Marc Men’s Oxford Dress Shoes for Moonwalk

Bruno Marc Men's Oxford Dress Shoes for Moonwalk

If you’re a die-hard fan of Michael Jackson, you might have observed he used to wear dress shoes while dancing, gliding, or moonwalking. So, after searching on different forums and asking several people, I’ve found these Bruno dress shoes suitable for moonwalking. However, if you’re practicing out for a moonwalk, I’d not recommend you buy these shoes as these are only made for professionals in gliding and moonwalking.The upper is made of a patented synthetic leather that makes these dress shoes pretty cool to wear in a moonwalking competition held at parties or weddings. Since synthetic leather is cheaper than real full-grain, you can buy these Bruno dress shoes for under $50.

 Although many users praise the synthetic leather quality, if you regularly perform moonwalks in these shoes, then after some time, creases start appearing on the front foot region of the shoes’ upper. That’s why I’m not recommending these shoes for the plasticizing moonwalk. Once you become an expert, you can outperform others in moonwalking competition by wearing these dress shoes. So, keep these moonwalking dress shoes for only special occasions.

Lastly, these Bruno dress shoes feature TPR (thermoplastic urethane) outsole that is flexible like traditional leather sole in some dress shoes and durable like a rubber sole. Furthermore, according to research, TPR is the slippery outsole that is one of the ideal features of moonwalking shoes. There are also flex grooves aligned along the curvature of the forefoot region of these dress shoes to improve the flexibility and allow you to maintain balance on your toes while performing moonwalking.

Here’s a review of a user on Amazon about Bruno dress shoes for moonwalking.

What I Liked

  • Good quality synthetic leather upper
  • Inner real and soft leather lining for comfort
  • Durable outsole

What I didn’t Like

  • Lacing is too long and thin
  • Less arch support

4. Adidas Stansmith – Lightweight Shoes for Moonwalking

Adidas Stansmith – Lightweight Shoes for Moonwalking

These Adidas shoes are available for both men and women. If you’re practicing moonwalking in dance studios or at home, you can consider buying this iconic style Adidas Stansmith shoe pair. A long time ago, Adidas used to make ROD LAVERA. But, after verifying with their customer support agent, they don’t make this model now. They suggested the ROD LAVER alternative i.e., Adidias Stansmith.

You can check out the video below and observe how that guy is dancing and taking quick steps while maintaining his balance by wearing these Adidas Stansmith shoes.

Firstly, these Adidas shoes feature a flexible original leather upper to lock your feet securely. In addition, the tongue of these shoes is fully padded and gives a plush feel to your feet. The padded tongue is important because when you stand on your toes while moonwalking, your shoes bend, and if the tongue of the shoes is not fully padded, it may start irritating your feet. So, these Adidas shoes offer an advantage here to consider them for the moonwalk.

Also, the inside of the shoes has some synthetic leather lining that feels comparatively softer than the leather on the outside. The heel counter of these shoes is a heavily padded area most likely designed to offer Achilles tendon protection to the wearers.

Moreover, these Adidas Stansmith shoes feature a full-length Boost cushioning technology that is very responsive and allows energy to be returned as you step off the ground. It’s famous for its bouncy properties, much like the feeling of walking on clouds.Lastly, the shoes feature a rubber sole with uneven small rubber nubs that allows you to glide on the floor while ensuring a sufficient grip to balance your moonwalking gait. If you look at their outsole, there are little round boost windows between these nubs so the boost material can expand and contract for better compression results.

What I Liked

  • Lightweight
  • Iconic design
  • Boost cushioning technology
  • Padded tongue and heel collar

What I didn’t Like

  • Leather upper creases quickly

Summary of the Best Shoes for Moonwalking

ShoesFeaturePrice
Skechers Men’s Classic Fit-delson-Camden SneakerMesh UpperMemory foam midsoleClassic fitLow-bootie constructionCheck Best Price 
New Balance 577 V1100% durable leather upperPolyurethane midsoleABZORB crashpads in heelFlex grooves in outsoleCheck Best Price 
Bruno Marc Men’s Oxford Dress ShoesPatented synthetic leatherTPR soleCheck Best Price 
Adidas Originals StansmithBoot cushioningButtery leather liningFully-padded tongueCheck Best Price 

What are the Easy Steps for Moonwalking?

Here are steps you can follow to moonwalk as a beginner.

  1. Stand straight with your feet together. You will look like an ice skater in this position. This is the hardest part of the whole process; if you were born with the reflexes of a drunken sloth, you may still be able to discover your inner moonwalker by trying this for several minutes. If you are unable to stand with your feet together, don’t worry—no one’s judging. Your legs just aren’t used to walking the way you want, so you’ll have to work a little harder.
  2. Plant your feet as firmly as possible and assume a tight stance, spreading your arms out in front of you. If you place your hands on your hips, your posture will be more or less correct. This is how most people walk after all!
  3. When your left foot finishes its turn and you want to switch to your right foot again, transfer the weight smoothly from your left leg that is straight in front of your right leg. The easiest way to do this without falling over or looking silly, is drop down to one knee on the side of where your weight just shifted. From there, jump back up while bringing your other leg around a little bit outside your hip before transferring all weight off it so it can then become the next step.
  4. Also, make sure to keep your one foot completely flat when you’re shifting your weight to seond foot.
  5. As soon as you get comfortable with doing regular moonwalking steps, it’s time to start moving around more. Now that you’ve got a good rhythm going, pay attention to how your body moves with the music. If you run your hands all over the place, you’ll mess up the rhythm. Wait until the music is pumping and then let go!
  6. When you practice moonwalking, try to keep your eyes on where you’re going. If you look down too much, your movement will start to slow down. Keep a straight line from your head to the floor and then back up again. (You don’t have to look at the floor.) You can also try exaggerating that feeling of floating by looking at things far away when you’re doing different kinds of moves.

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