There are two basic sole types available for Broomball. Indoor and outdoor, either sole type offers good performance on our ice, with the indoor having the clear edge. There are now several broomball shoe manufacturers, D-Gel and Forest Ice and Acacia. D-Gel continue to produce their "Gripper" and "Tractor" soled shoes and has added the Rek label, whilst Forest Ice sells the Forest Ice shoes under the Spider and Traction banners. Acacia has a couple under Cruzr, Trio and Spider labels. The durability of these shoes is perhaps the major problem, it's not a weakness, but the nature of the materials used in the soles of the shoes (of all brands). Their effective life is about 12 months (of weekly play), during which their effectiveness will gradually decrease (as the sole is eroded from wear and tear) although this will depend on how well you look after them, and how good your ice is. Don't wear them in the car park! Dunlop volleys (an Australian, canvas tennis shoe), offer a cheaper (at $25 a pair) option to broomball shoes, and are effective (60%???), but Broomball shoes do offer better traction on the ice, (which are unquestionably better on very wet ice). Broomball shoe sizes are US sizes, but are comparable to our own Australian sizes, so just order the size shoe that you (men's shoe sizes only) require (there are NO half sizes, so choose the larger size). You may want to consider going up a shoes size and wearing thicker socks, as this will give more surface area on the ice and therefore better traction.

- D-Gel have produced a new shoe. Keeping the same sole styles as before with the Tractor and Gripper. The new shoes sport a wider traction area than before and a new spongier rubber. A special 1/4 inch (0.64cm) foam now entirely covers the shoe (sandwiched between the durable covering) which offers a better level of protection than previous models. A nylon toe cap adds additional protection for the toes. The sole is stiffer, which has the effect of keeping more of the foot on the ice surface, thereby enhancing traction and is overall a step up from the D-Gel shoes of old.

The Forest Ice Spider is a canvas upper shoe, that offers superior grip and traction based on the sole, but suffers severely from the lack of durability with the canvas upper, and to be honest, a less stiff sole. The durability of the shoes is perhaps their downfall. A change in colour and a variation in the ankle protection really has not improved these since their last model release.

(Australian Canvas Tennis Shoe) - Volleys offer fair performance, and are excellent value for money. They do not however offer any protection to the toes, ankles or feet. They offer far better traction on wet ice as they do not 'soak' and become water logged (except that your sox and the canvas upper will!). It's possible that they offer better traction on surfaces covered with drifting snow (but I have not tried them, too damn cold), as they don't clog the same as broomball shoes. They are a great alternative if you are playing in a league that does not permit broomball shoes (some intramural teams) (About AUS$20 - similar size to US/Canadian). These as far as I know are only available in Australia, similar shoes in the USA and Canada are canvas deck shoes.

- Sole with anti-clogging cups for better traction on outdoor rinks. Designed for surfaces often covered with drifting snow. Offer ankle and toe protection (hard rubber cap for the toes, rubber pad for the ankles). There is some difference on heavily snowed surfaces over the Radial, as they do offer a minor performance improvement. However if you play indoors, even on slightly snowy or scraped surfaces, the Radial is by far the best choice