We’ll talk about pedals all day long, won’t we? Speed Cobras, Demon Drives, and all other sorts single or double pedals. But we never talk about what we wear when we hit those pedals. So let’s talk about footwear today.
I started out like most all students . . . playing with whatever happened to be on my feet when I sat down at my drums. As I got more experienced, I got more more finicky. That’s when I ditched tennis shoes for plain old socks. And that idea stuck with me for most of the rest of my drum set playing days. A look at other players found that some like Dave Weckl seemed to use dance shoes, others went barefoot, and Mike Portnoy looked like he was sporting wrestling shoes. But about 4 years ago I saw something that I’ve been using for my drumming footwear ever since: Vibram Five Fingers.
Okay, so they look pretty funky (and can smell that way too if you don’t wash ‘em regularly). But these shoes are the perfect balance of form and function. The design gives me a great feel on my pedals; just like wearing socks. But they also give just a tiny bit of cushioning and support. In fact, I like them so much that I’ve ditched tennis shoes altogether and wear my Vibrams all day long now!
Check ‘em out! And start thinking about what you wear on your feet when you play the drums!
