Asham Curling Shoes - be careful what you buy

I bought these shoes last year before my competitive curling season and I have to honestly say I am really disappointed with this product. Asham is a name associated with curling that is known for its quality equipment but my experience with these shoes leads me to say that his product does not live up to Asham name.

I've only had these shoes for 16 months and they have already begun to break down. Since curling is a sport where your shoes are an important aspect, to have them fall apart after 16 months is very disappointing. The main problem with the shoe is that the outside of the toe has begun to crack and I have a gaping hole next to my big toe on both shoes. I've talked to other owners of the 'competitor' shoe and they have stated they have had the same problem. The problem seems to happen because most curling shoes are made of leather, these are made of imitation leather that is not as durable. Since they are not as durable they seem to break down really easily with consistent use.

The only really positive aspect of the shoe is that the disk design on the bottom allows for a crisper slide. Since the sliding plates are shaped as disks it allows for less friction on the ice and you are able to glide further. This is a nice feature to have on a curling shoe, but since most shoes are adopting the disk technology then I would be tempted to buy a different shoe.

While these shoes do have the disk technology which allowed for a more effective slide, the lack of durability makes this product a blunder. If you were a casual curler who only goes out once a week then these shoes may serve their purpose, but if you are a competitive curler who spends lots of time on the ice then I would recommend you buy a different shoe.