Mid top boxing shoes
Mid top boxing shoes: 10 models, EU 35 to 47, half sizes and non-marking soles
The essentials: 10 mid top boxing shoes — the upper clears the ankle bone by a few centimetres and leaves the Achilles tendon free. Laces only, laces plus a hook-and-loop strap, or an elastic collar. Flat soles with no lugs, including one non-marking and one gum rubber. EU 35 to 47 (about US men's 4 to 13.5), with three half sizes on three models. Free standard shipping.
🥊 Find your model in one line
Ten models, one deciding factor at a time. The table starts from your constraint, not from the product.
| Your constraint | The model | Why |
|---|---|---|
| My gym requires a light sole | Non-marking | NON MARKING moulded on the heel |
| My foot falls between two sizes | Burgundy or three stripes | Three half sizes: EU 38.5 · 40.5 · 42.5 |
| I take an EU 35 or an EU 47 | Black and gold | 13 consecutive sizes, the widest grid on the site |
| I want to retighten mid-session | Printed | Strap pulled one-handed, wraps still on |
| I want a measured height, not a label | 18 cm upper | Height measured floor to top of the collar |
| I throw kicks | Sting Viper | Smooth rounded toe, no ridge or exposed seam |
| I train mostly on ring canvas | Red and gold | Gum sole, lightly compounded natural rubber |
📏 What « mid top » actually means
No standard fixes the line between a mid cut and a high cut. The market talks about three families — low at the ankle bone, mid a few centimetres above it, high up to the calf — yet two shoes sold under the same label can differ by four centimetres.
Which is why a measurement helps. In this collection, one model states its upper height at 18 cm, floor to the top edge of the collar. A tape measure run up the heel of the pair you already own gives you the comparison in ten seconds.
What the mid cut gives you in practice: the ankle is held laterally through pivots, the rear scoop leaves the Achilles tendon free, and rising onto the ball of the foot stays possible. It is the most common format in the gym. For a fully free pivot, see the low tops; for a full lock-in, the high tops.
👟 The 10 models
By colour. Red and gold in three colourways with BOXING lettering, black and gold with a hook-and-loop strap, burgundy and grey in a suede look, black and white with three stripes, navy, white and red in the colours of the two ring corners.
By finish. All-over marbled print in three colourways, gold scale pattern with metal eyelets, black and gold boot with long lacing, Sting Viper with gold or iridescent purple blades.
By sole. Grey non-marking rubber with the wording moulded at the heel, gum rubber in natural latex, spiral pivot disc moulded under the forefoot, honeycomb white rubber.
⚖️ What the rules say, discipline by discipline
Savate — French boxing — is the only striking sport where footwear is compulsory and regulated. Article 13.3.3 of the FFSBFDA refereeing rules covers the shoe: smooth sole with rounded edges, so it cannot cut on a high kick, and laces protected or taped in competition. For an official bout, check the federation approval with your club.
In English boxing no upper height is imposed: the choice is free. USA Boxing and England Boxing rulebooks likewise regulate gloves, wraps and headgear rather than shoe height. In kickboxing and K-1 the shoe is generally not worn in the bout but remains the norm in training. In MMA, fighters compete barefoot.
🔍 Three things to check before buying
The drop. A boxing shoe is flat: no raised heel, unlike a running shoe with its 8 to 12 mm of heel-to-toe offset. A boxer lives on the ball of the foot, and every millimetre added under the heel moves the centre of gravity back.
The tread. The market reference is 2 to 5 mm at the forefoot, flat and lug-free. Aggressive tread grips the canvas instead of letting it turn and blocks the pivot at the wrong moment. The patterns used here are circular, ribbed, honeycombed or in fine chevrons.
The closure. Lacing sets the volume along the whole length of the foot. A hook-and-loop strap presses the instep against the heel counter and can be pulled one-handed between rounds. An elastic collar closes the top of the upper with no adjustment. Three different logics, all present in the collection.
❓ Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between mid top and high top boxing shoes?
Upper height. A mid top clears the ankle bone by a few centimetres and leaves the Achilles tendon free: the ankle is held laterally, rising onto the toes stays free. A high top runs up to the calf and locks the joint, with longer lacing. Low tops stop at the ankle bone.
What size boxing shoes should I get?
Measure your foot in centimetres, standing, in the evening, heel against a wall. A 26 cm foot is an EU 41, around a US men's 8.5; a 28 cm foot is an EU 44, around a US men's 11. The full EU / US / UK size chart, all 13 rows, is published on the low top page. This collection runs EU 35 to 47 depending on the model.
Do boxing shoes come in half sizes?
Yes, on three models in this collection: EU 38.5, 40.5 and 42.5. A whole European size is 6.7 mm of foot length, a half size 3.3 mm — the exact margin that decides whether the foot slides forward during a pivot.
What are non-marking shoes and why does my gym ask for them?
Rubber compounded with little carbon black, the additive that leaves dark streaks on sealed hardwood or light vinyl flooring. Those marks need a rotary scrubber to lift, which is why most municipal and school halls ban dark soles. One model in the collection carries NON MARKING moulded on the heel.
Can you box in running shoes?
A street or running sole is thick and raised at the heel by 8 to 12 mm: it moves the centre of gravity back, delays the push-off and grabs the canvas in rotation. A boxing shoe works the other way — flat, thin, smooth, with an upper that holds the foot with no play.
Which shoes for savate French boxing?
Article 13.3.3 of the FFSBFDA refereeing rules calls for a smooth sole with rounded edges and laces protected or taped in competition, since the foot strikes to the head. It is the only striking discipline where the shoe itself is regulated. For an official bout, check the required approval with your club.
Are boxing shoes unisex?
Yes. The last is unisex and the scale is in European sizes, so someone who wears an EU 39 in the street takes an EU 39 here — a US women's 8. The collection runs EU 35 to 47 depending on the model.
How do you clean boxing shoes?
A damp cloth over upper and sole after every session, laces washed separately by hand, air-drying. Never on a radiator: direct heat stiffens the construction adhesives. Suede-look uppers are brushed dry; printed uppers are cleaned without solvent or a stiff brush.
To go further, the complete boxing shoe guide covers the choice by discipline, from English boxing to savate and MMA.
🥋 The Esprit Boxe world
Shoes finish the kit. The rest is here: boxing gloves, hand wraps, mouthguards, shorts, t-shirts and headgear. For footwork at home: skipping ropes, punching bags and mats.