The Best Cheer Shoes in the UK: A Parent's Buying Guide
Buying cheer shoes is one of the first confusing purchases every cheer parent faces. Trainers will not do, the brand names are unfamiliar, and the right answer depends on what your athlete actually does in their routine. This guide keeps it simple.
Why normal trainers do not work
Cheer shoes are deliberately different from running trainers. They are extremely light, often under 150 grams, with thin flexible soles for tumbling, reinforced grip points so bases can hold them securely in stunts, and a snug fit that will not slip mid routine. A chunky trainer makes stunting harder and tumbling clumsier, which is why coaches ask for proper cheer shoes so early.
Match the shoe to the role
Flyers need the lightest shoe available with a narrow profile that bases can grip. The Nfinity Vengeance is the classic flyer choice, around 110 grams, and the Nfinity Flyte is another popular lightweight option that is soft, flexible and comes with a hard shell carry case.
Bases and backspots want more structure and cushioning, since they absorb the landings. The Nfinity Evolution offers a more supportive build with better ankle stability, and Rebel Athletic's Ruthless and Rise are well regarded for the same job.
Tumblers sit in the middle: light enough for passes, cushioned enough for repeated landings. The Vengeance and the Rebel Ruthless both work well here.
Beginners do not need a top of the range shoe. A starter shoe such as the Kaepa Cheerful does the job for a first season at a friendlier price, and you can upgrade once your athlete knows their role.
Sizing: the rule that saves a return
Cheer shoes run small and are meant to fit snugly. UK stockists commonly advise ordering around half a size up from your normal street shoe size. Feet also swell during long training sessions, so if your athlete is between sizes, go up rather than down.
Buying in the UK
The big cheer shoe brands are American, but UK stockists carry the main styles with UK delivery, and buying from a UK retailer avoids surprise customs charges on returns. Expect to pay a premium for the elite styles and meaningfully less for starter shoes.
When to replace them
Most athletes training twice a week get about a season from a pair. Replace them when the sole grip wears smooth, the upper stretches enough that the foot moves inside the shoe, or the cushioning has flattened. Competition day is not the day to break in a new pair; give any new shoe at least a couple of weeks of training first.
Look after them
Cheer shoes are indoor shoes. Carry them to training and change at the door, wipe rather than machine wash them, and let them air dry away from radiators. White shoes stay white far longer this way.
Complete the practice outfit
Shoes sorted, the rest of the practice bag is where we come in. Our cheer crop tops and skorts are built for exactly this: four way stretch, built in compression shorts, and hand set rhinestones for the athletes who like to stand out at training too. Sized YXS to A3XL.
Not sure which size to order? Our size guide covers every fit from YXS to A3XL, and you can browse the full range in the shop.