Shoes

Curling shoes are similar to ordinary athletic shoes except that they have dissimilar soles; the slider shoe (usually known as a slider) is designed for the sliding foot and the gripper shoe (usually known as a gripper) for the hack foot.The slider is designed to slide and typically has a Teflon sole. It is worn by the thrower during delivery from the hack and by sweepers or the skip to glide down the ice when sweeping or otherwise traveling down the sheet quickly. Stainless steel was once common for slider soles, and red brick sliders with lateral blocks of PVC on the sole are also available. Most shoes have a full sole sliding surface, but some shoes have a sliding surface covering only the outline of the shoe and other enhancements with the full sole slider. Some shoes have small disc sliders covering the front and heel portions or only the front portion of the foot, which allow more flexibility in the sliding foot for curlers playing with tuck deliveries. When a player is not throwing, the players slider shoe can be temporarily rendered non slippery by using a slip on gripper. Ordinary athletic shoes may be converted to sliders by using a step on or slip on Teflon slider or by applying electrical or gaffer tape directly to the sole or over a piece of cardboard. This arrangement often suits casual or beginning players.