Lost My Slide

[grumpter]

During one of my practice games tonight I went from zero issues with sliding to no slide. One frame was fine the next no slide at all. I checked the bottom of the shoe to see if it was wet and wiped it off with a clean/dry microfiber towel but that did nothing. I tried a little bit of baby powder but that didn't help either. Looking for a semi-permanent fix rather than glide powder or whatever they call it. My shoes are only about 75 games in but maybe that is the point at which some shoes start to lose their slide?

[RobLV1]

Many things can affect how we slide on the approach: humidity, something that was spilled earlier in the day, proximity to the snack bar, etc. One thing you should never, ever do is to put baby powder on your shoes. You may be sticking, but someone else could get killed! You may want to look into getting a slide sock to help you to slide when you start to stick, or you may want to consider getting shoes with changeable heels and soles.

[bubba809]

Lol..I literally watched half the guys in my league put baby powder on their shoes due to dampness from the walkways (snow tracked from outside). I see other leagues doing the same and mounds of powder for the ready. Just because you SHOULDN'T be doing something doesn't mean people will listen.

[grumpter]

When I say a little baby powder I mean very little. It was also the end of the night, so no-one would be using the lane after me, and I was bowling alone. This is also why I asked for a more semi-permanent solution as I don't want to be using a powder that might have an effect on other players.

Looking at the manufactures website the slide pads are microfiber. Anyone have any ideas on how to revitalize them for at least one league night tonight or preferably a longer period of time?

[Amyers]

When I say a little baby powder I mean very little. It was also the end of the night, so no-one would be using the lane after me, and I was bowling alone. This is also why I asked for a more semi-permanent solution as I don't want to be using a powder that might have an effect on other players.

Looking at the manufactures website the slide pads are microfiber. Anyone have any ideas on how to revitalize them for at least one league night tonight or preferably a longer period of time?

I've never heard of a need to revitalize soles under normal circumstances they last for years. I don't know what shoes you currently have but looking into ones with changeable soles may be a better answer. Wood approaches I have no issue with but the synthetic ones cause me issues. they are either too slick or sticky as all get out around here and they can change during the session. Changeable soles have helped me with that I have some teammates that swear by the slide sock that you can buy too.

[grumpter]

I have an email out to the shoe manufacturer and will see what they say but I am not sure I will get a response in time for league tonight. Given that they should last for years I am not ruling out the possibility that the shoe somehow got just wet enough to cause the friction but not so wet that it could be felt. The slide sock may be something I look into but won't be able to get that by tonight either. I guess I still have a few options for tonight.

1) Test the shoes early tonight and if still having issues buy a new pair tonight. I am not thrilled by that prospect.
2) Suffer through the no slide for 1 night and go to a 1 step approach. I had 2 games last night with no slide and was able to bowl pretty well, for me, with a 1 step approach. Spares seemed to be a little more challenging but the sample size is so small. Spares were down 20% from my other games but strikes were up by 15%.
3) Try some other stop gap measure to get me through the night. Perhaps a dress sock or pantyhose over the end of the shoe? IDK.
4) Find some other quick solution

[JasonNJ]

As a few other said, baby powder on your shoes is a no no and you can be disqualified for it. Even a little you can leave on the approach and I've seen people take bad spills because of it.

Are you still not sliding? Maybe it was just that one night. Also you can buy yourself a brush and brush out the soles see if that helps. Or get a slide sock, which goes on the front of the sliding shoe or a slide stone which rub onto your sole and sorta works like baby powder but won't leave a residue on the approach. Last option is to get shoes with interchangeable soles, and then you can swap to the different level of slide and replace worn soles.

[J Anderson]

I have an email out to the shoe manufacturer and will see what they say but I am not sure I will get a response in time for league tonight. Given that they should last for years I am not ruling out the possibility that the shoe somehow got just wet enough to cause the friction but not so wet that it could be felt. The slide sock may be something I look into but won't be able to get that by tonight either. I guess I still have a few options for tonight.

1) Test the shoes early tonight and if still having issues buy a new pair tonight. I am not thrilled by that prospect.
2) Suffer through the no slide for 1 night and go to a 1 step approach. I had 2 games last night with no slide and was able to bowl pretty well, for me, with a 1 step approach. Spares seemed to be a little more challenging but the sample size is so small. Spares were down 20% from my other games but strikes were up by 15%.
3) Try some other stop gap measure to get me through the night. Perhaps a dress sock or pantyhose over the end of the shoe? IDK.
4) Find some other quick solution

The old fix for a damp slide sole was cigarette ash. Not exactly a viable option with smoking bans inside most bowling alleys.
Most likely they have dried out by now. If they have not, and there is a pro shop at your center, you can buy a ‘slide sock’ that goes over the toe of your slide shoe and has a strap that goes around the heel. Much, much less than thecost of a new pair of shoes.
Generally speaking a slide sole can be adjusted with a wire brush. Brush from the toe toward the heel to increase the slide. Brush side to side to decrease the amount of slide.

[grumpter]

The old fix for a damp slide sole was cigarette ash. Not exactly a viable option with smoking bans inside most bowling alleys.
Most likely they have dried out by now. If they have not, and there is a pro shop at your center, you can buy a ‘slide sock’ that goes over the toe of your slide shoe and has a strap that goes around the heel. Much, much less than thecost of a new pair of shoes.
Generally speaking a slide sole can be adjusted with a wire brush. Brush from the toe toward the heel to increase the slide. Brush side to side to decrease the amount of slide.

Is it safe to use a wire brush with a microfiber sole? I saw the wire brush advice but couldn't find anything to specifically say it was Ok for a microfiber sole.

[Amyers]

Is it safe to use a wire brush with a microfiber sole? I saw the wire brush advice but couldn't find anything to specifically say it was Ok for a microfiber sole.

I don't think you see any leather soles hardly anymore and I've never seen any adverse effects from it