Festival season is fully upon us know, with some of our personal favorite festivals already behind us, and it’s time to make surer that your priorities are straight before hitting any more dance floors and mosh pits. That’s right, it’s talk we start giving a little bit more thought to our ground grippers.
Maybe it’s the fact that I’ve been going to festivals for decades or maybe it’s just because most of our team is pushing into our mid-30s, but we hit festivals like Movement and Coachella and see kids walking around in flat-souled Converse and worst! Festivals are all about the long game, and you’re feet and knees will certainly give out on you well before it’s time to hit the afterparties and renegade lot-DJ sets if you don’t treat them correctly.
So let’s change it up and feature five different shoe brands that should def be on your radar this festival season!
Lane Eight
Lane Eight (no, not that DJ) is a fresh new brand of kicks that, primarily being for activewear and workout sessions, can supercharge your shoe game for the next festival you’re hitting this season. They offer amazing ankle support and a supported-yet-cushioned heel, which is exactly what you need for long sessions dancing in the pit or for repeated walks back across the festival grounds back to the campsite.
They are made from a comfy and cozy blend of Eucalyptus and Cotton, which dries quickly and breathes easily, which can certainly be a godsend if you find yourself dancing under misters to cool off, only to find that you got a little too soaked (it’s happened to me a couple of times and the chaffing was a disaster at LiB). Plus the fact that they come in a range of fresh and bright colors means that they can easily match the loud and flashy festival attire you’re like to don.
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Kane
It might just be because I’ve been talking about these shoes to anyone who will listen lately, but overnight they seem to be everywhere in my newsfeed – and I’m all about it. I originally picked up a pair of Kanes because I thought they looked silly and were a bit of a gimmick but they have quickly become one of my go-to sneakers for cruising. I haven’t had a chance to bring them out to a festival yet, as they just arrived a couple of weeks ago, but I know they will be an essential part of my toolkit.
Why?
Because they are like Crocs for those who actually have a desire to be on the move, they have great support, a comfortable and grippy interior, dry fast AF, and come in a range of awesome colors. I know a ton of festivals are based around water sources like reservoirs and lakes and these shoes let you take a dip and hit the pit back-to-back without issue or problem.
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Etnies
Don’t let this one come out of left field; Etnies is making a hardcore comeback over the past decade, rebranding itself as more of an outdoor lifestyle brand instead of the conventional skater-boy aesthetic of the early 90s and 00s. They have a wealth of new lines, including a dope Winterized line of shoes we had a chance to check out last season, and tons more.
But the one you should know for this festival season is their Scout line, which is a lightweight and highly breathable activewear sneaker that toes the line between Nike Frees and Converse, letting you get the best of both worlds without looking like a Gigachad on the festival grounds.
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Deckers
If you’re looking for a lightweight and durable sneaker that holds up just as well on the trail as it does on the festival grounds, Decker’s X-SCAPE should undoubtedly be on your radar. Because we’ve been going to festivals for over a decade at this point and if we’ve taken away one thing, it’s that sneakers designed for trail use are the unsung heroes of festival season.
They are more durable than what you see most of the festival rookies wear, they’re better designed to prevent rolled ankles, and they pull double duty once festival season is over and you want to run to the hills to do some hiking!
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Lamo
Okay this one borders on being an honorable mention, just cause on the surface they might look a little goofier than the rest on this list. Still, I’ve been rocking Lamos as my go-to campground slippers all Spring and into summer and saying that they are ‘the move’ is an understatement. Because when you wake up in the middle of the night to use the facilities or simply need a quick-and-easy slip-on footwear but don’t trust the ultra-plush and cushy slippers you wear around the house, Lamo’s are the perfect middle ground.
They have a durable soul and are cushy inside, meaning they are comfy and cozy while still being safe and durable. I don’t think I would recommend them for an entire day of dancing and mosh-pitting though – there’s better alternatives for that on this list – but for casual hangs around the campsite when you’re giving your feet a posh break these are amazing.
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