Shoes Types to Wear for Track and Field Events

Most track and field athletes compete in spikes, which are lightweight shoes with small pins in the sole plate that grip the track.

The right pair depends on your event. Sprinters wear stiff, aggressive sprint spikes. Distance runners wear flexible spikes with more cushioning and fewer pins. Jumpers wear event-specific jump spikes. Shot put, discus, and hammer throwers wear flat-soled throwing shoes with no pins at all.

Track and field is many sports in one. Each discipline places different demands on the foot, from a sprinter's push off the blocks to a discus thrower's pivot, so a shoe built for one event can hold you back in another.

This guide covers how running shoes and spikes differ, which shoe suits each event, how to choose a pair, and the shoe rules to check before a meet.

Running Shoes Versus Track Spikes

Regular running shoes and trainers are built for training, from easy mileage to fast training sessions. Spikes are built for competition. Knowing which is which keeps you fast and legal.

Spikes get their name from the small steel or ceramic pins that screw into the sole plate. The pins dig into the track surface and give you more traction in sprinting and jumping events, where every bit of push counts.

Spikes are not allowed everywhere. Some indoor venues, especially gym and multi-use floors, ban pins. There, a racing flat with a full rubber sole gives you grip without damaging the surface.

Wear spikes on race day. Wear trainers for warm-ups, workouts, and venues that ban pins. Many runners carry both pairs in the same bag so they are covered either way.

Spikes to Wear for Each Event

Footwear in track and field is event-specific. Sprinters need lightweight, responsive spikes. Distance runners need more cushioning. Jumpers and throwers rely on specialized grip.

A useful rule of thumb: the longer the distance, the fewer pins in the plate. Sprint spikes typically carry six to eight pins, while distance spikes usually carry four to six.

Hurdling Events: Where Sprint Spikes Shine

Hurdling demands a firm forefoot platform and reliable traction, because every takeoff and landing is explosive and repeated. Short-hurdle athletes in the 100m and 110m hurdles usually wear sprint spikes. 

Long-hurdle athletes in the 300m and 400m hurdles sometimes choose a middle-distance spike, which adds a little flexibility and comfort over the longer race.

Jumping and Pole Vault Events

Jump spikes help you build maximum speed before you launch.

Long jump and triple jump spikes resemble sprint spikes because the approach is a sprint, but the plate is shaped to help you take off correctly. Triple jump spikes add heel cushioning to absorb the repeated impact of the hop, step, and jump.

High jump spikes have pins in the heel as well as the forefoot. The approach follows a curve, and the heel plants hard at takeoff, so you need traction under the whole foot. High jump is one of two events where World Athletics allows pins up to 12mm.

Pole vault spikes resemble sprint spikes, with a firm plate that supports a fast approach and a stable plant.

Throwing Events

Shot put, discus, and hammer throwers wear throwing shoes, not spikes. These shoes have wide, flat rubber soles with no pins, plus ankle support that keeps you stable while the rest of your body rotates. They come in two sole types:

Smooth soles let rotational throwers spin quickly across the circle.

Textured soles add friction, which suits glide shot putters and beginners who need more stability.

Javelin is the exception. Javelin throwers run down a runway before releasing, so javelin shoes carry pins in both the forefoot and heel. Like high jump, javelin allows pins up to 12mm.

How to Choose the Right Track and Field Shoes

Start with your event, then weigh your experience level and the surfaces you'll compete on.

• Match plate stiffness to distance. Stiff plates in sprint spikes maximize propulsion. Flexible plates in distance spikes allow natural foot movement. Middle-distance plates sit between the two.

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• Prioritize fit. Sprint spikes should fit close and snug, while middle- and long-distance models need a little more room. Most runners can start with their usual running shoe size. Try spikes on in race socks and check the heel as carefully as the toes.

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• Buy for your level. Beginners and multi-event athletes rarely need an elite model. An entry-level or versatile sprint spike with a flexible, rubberized heel works for sprints and the jumps, and it costs less to replace as you grow or change events. Our tips on how to get better at track cover the training side as you progress.

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• Check the surface and meet rules. The surface determines which pin length and type you can use, so confirm what your home track and meet venues allow before you buy. 

Track and Field Shoe Rules to Know

Confirm the rules before you compete. Many facilities and meets restrict pin type and length, and showing up with the wrong setup can sideline you.

Pin Type

The three most common pin types are pyramid, needle, and Christmas tree. Pyramid pins are the standard choice and are permitted at most tracks. 

Christmas tree pins are banned at many facilities over surface-damage concerns, and some indoor venues ban metal pins entirely, so check the facility rules before every meet.

Pin Length

Most U.S. tracks allow 3/16-inch (about 5mm) and 1/4-inch (about 6mm), and nearly every event uses one of these two lengths. Under World Athletics rules, pins may not exceed 9mm in most events, but the high jump and javelin allow longer pins up to 12mm.

Pin Count

World Athletics allows up to 11 spike pins per shoe.

Stack Height

From November 2024, World Athletics caps spike stack height at 20mm for all track events. Thicker road "super shoe" models are illegal on the oval, so know the spec before buying.

Design the Perfect Track and Field Gear With SGS

The right shoes help athletes perform, and the right uniforms help a team look the part. Sports Gear Swag offers customizable track and field apparel for youth leagues, schools, clubs, and elite programs.

Outfit your athletes with custom track singlets, track shorts, track hoodies and jackets, and track bundle packs. Add team colors, logos, athlete names, and numbers for practices and meets. With our online design platform, you can edit templates, get expert design help, and review digital proofs before production.

We also make ordering easier with custom team stores where athletes, parents, and fans can purchase official gear directly. Optional store markups can even help support team fundraising.