Best Outdoor Cheer Shoes in 2021
The goal of this guide is to define what outdoor cheer shoes are, to explain what’s the difference between outdoor and indoor cheerleading shoes, offer tips on how to choose the best outdoor cheer shoes and give you performance shoes recommendations. Let’s dive in!
What are outdoor cheer shoes?
Outdoor cheer shoes are suitable for school/sideline cheerleading that can be worn outside on the sidelines or turf or on the court at indoor sports. They are durable cheer shoes, often constructed with sturdy mesh or leather materials. Outdoor cheer shoes are often white with slight variations to the design and can be found in mid or high top options as well as a regular sneaker style.
Outdoor cheerleading shoes are different from a typical workout or running shoe. It is important to do your research and invest in a durable pair of outdoor cheer shoes that will hold up for the season and support the athlete’s feet and ankles during the skills they perform at outdoor events.
What’s the difference between outdoor and indoor cheer shoes?
Outdoor cheer shoes often have a thicker sole than indoor cheer shoes, with more cushioning on the interior to make up for the impact/landings on harder ground than a typical cheer mat. School cheerleading teams often practice inside on a basketball court or on a mat (not a spring floor that all-star cheerleaders use) and perform on the football field.
Since skills are executed on surfaces with much less bounce and absorption than all-star cheerleading, it is important that outdoor cheer shoes contain enough shock absorption and heel/ankle support to make up for the cushioning the mat is not providing.
Cheerleaders can wear the same shoes indoors and outdoors if they purchase the proper shoe. It is unusual for a cheerleader to switch shoes for different events, but this article can help you choose a shoe that you can wear for outdoor cheerleading as well as indoors.
How to choose the best outdoor cheer shoes?
You should choose an outdoor cheerleading shoe that can also be worn indoors when needed. A white cheer shoe is definitely the most practical and versatile choice, which is often the required color. Purchase a shoe that has durability as a key feature, also including heel cushioning, a shock-absorbing insole, and construction suitable for both bases and flyers.
Outdoor cheerleading shoes for flyers should include finger grooves and a sole suitable for bases to easily grip. The shoe should be lightweight and have enough flex to easily point your toes and execute body positions in the air. Read more about how to choose the perfect shoes for flyers.
Base and tumbler cheer shoes for outdoors should have enough stability for tumbling and impact absorption, making a foam midsole a good choice. A spin pad is also a major plus to assist with turning and durability.
If you choose the right shoes, you only need one pair of cheer shoes for everything, but it is not common for athlete’s who do both School and All-Star cheerleading to have a different pair for each.
#1 Best Outdoor Cheer Shoes: Rebel Rise
Rebel Athletic’s Rebel Rise outdoor cheerleading shoe was specifically designed for sideline cheerleaders to provide them with the most durability possible, while keeping a classic, contemporary design.
Prominent features:
Foam midsole for featherlight feel and cushioning
Synthetic leather upper with mesh for breathability
Forefront spin pad for easier turning
Designed for balance
The Rebel Rise is a white cheer shoe, considered the best outdoor cheer shoe out there. However, one of the following options might be a better choice if you are interested in wearing it for competitive cheerleading as well.
#2 Best Outdoor Cheer Shoes: Rebel Ruthless
The Rebel Ruthless multi-layer mesh shoe is a great outdoor cheer shoe because of these key features:
Exo-skeleton Heat Sealed Bands for enhanced support and durability
Cushion Cup to cradle and protect heel.
Unique weight-distribution technology for feather-light feel
Multi-Layer Mesh for ventilation that flexes with you
Responsive Cushioning for customized shock absorption
The Rebel Ruthless also comes in black version and it’s called Rebel Ruthless Blackout.
#3 Best Outdoor Cheer Shoes: Rebel Revolution
The Rebel Revolution mid-rise performance shoe is durable and supportive enough for outdoor cheerleading. It is a great all-around shoe for all types of cheerleading. It features:
Ventilation Air Holes
Ankle Cushions
Exoskeleton for extra support
Cross Flex Tunnel - Allows increased flexing of foot when pointing toes
Shock cushioning and cushioned insole
The Rebel Revolution also comes in black and it is called Rebel Revolution Blackout.
Bonus Outdoor Cheerleading Shoes: Rebel Revolt
Similar to the Rebel Revolution, the Rebel Revolt features many of the same components, but in a low top style if the mid-rise fit isn’t for you.
What shoes are the Champions wearing Outdoors
I wear Rebel Revolt shoes when I’m cheering outdoors because I like how they fit to my foot better than other shoes and are extremely comfortable! I wear them for everything, even all-star cheer because I like how I can slip them on easily and they were really easy to break in.
-Shannon Woolsey, Texas Tech Cheerleader
I wear the Ruthless Rebel for both All-Star and school cheer. I love the thick sole the bottom of the shoe has! For school cheer they don’t hurt my feet or ankles when I tumble and perform skills on the court or sidelines for football/basketball games. I also wear them for all-star because it makes it super easy to tumble on the mat!
Ella Durbin, Barbe High School Cheerleader and Louisiana Powerhouse