Concept2 Forum

What does everyone wear when they erg? Running shoes, cross training shoes, barefoot?

There are already some threads about footwear.
On the rower consensus is more or less to have a hard sole for lossless power transfer. Some use weightlifting shows to have a bit heel support.
On the skierg it really doesn't matter, as you are ground all the time and don't transfer power through your feet.

In general I like to wear cross training shoes with flat, hard soles, like Nanos or something similar.

Used to wear Xero HFS shoes (extremely thin sole) but I was a bit disappointed by their wear-resistance both on the soles and sides. Switched to the Puma Speedcat, which I love.

Sakly wrote: ↑

December 26th, 2024, 1:19 pm

On the skierg it really doesn't matter, as you are ground all the time and don't transfer power through your feet.

In general I like to wear cross training shoes with flat, hard soles, like Nanos or something similar.

I'd have thought that a hard sole is important for skierg as well, isn't it? As you pull the handles, you're transferring power down to the floor, so if there's some resistance in the soles, energy will have to return back up the chain, to some extent, rather than dissipate into a soft sole. Just a thought, and zero scientific basis.

FWIW, I'm a fan of Nike Metcon 4s after lots of trial and error. The later Metcons just aren't quite as good, although I've only tried one or two other models. The 4s are probably quite hard to get hold of now, so don't fixate too much on them

Dangerscouse wrote: ↑

December 26th, 2024, 5:00 pm

Sakly wrote: ↑

December 26th, 2024, 1:19 pm

On the skierg it really doesn't matter, as you are ground all the time and don't transfer power through your feet.

In general I like to wear cross training shoes with flat, hard soles, like Nanos or something similar.

I'd have thought that a hard sole is important for skierg as well, isn't it? As you pull the handles, you're transferring power down to the floor, so if there's some resistance in the soles, energy will have to return back up the chain, to some extent, rather than dissipate into a soft sole. Just a thought, and zero scientific basis.

Pulling the handles of the skierg is mostly done by hip flexion and forward lean of your weight. So you are pulling the handles with momentum of your bodyweight shifting forward through the flexion. Legs/knees only bend slightly, using a light calf raise before stroke can help getting more momentum of your body into the stroke. But the feet themselves are not adding much to it or have to transfer forces like on the rower, so even high damping soles would be fine from my point of view. But they prevent a stable stand, so that could get a problem during a skierg training.

I use Metcon 9 both on rowerg and skierg.
I have done many sessions on altra torin on skierg but too much cushioning, after a while my feet goes numb.

Socks for me.

I’m a fan of minimalist shoes (i.e. Merrell Vapor) on the row and ski erg. On the bike erg, I swapped the pedals to MTB pedals and use MTB shoes

Dpoleit89 wrote: ↑

December 27th, 2024, 6:29 am

I use Metcon 9 both on rowerg and skierg.

+1. Twelve months now and still as good as new. I use them to lift in, too, so they've seen a lot of sweaty hours. I like the practicality of a "do it all" shoe and this ticks the box.

A pair of lowcut PF Flyers fitted with carbon fiber insoles for the erg. A pair of H2Row shoes OTW.

Socks only on the RowErg!