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Men's and women's athletic shoes and special function shoes often have less difference between the sexes than in dress shoes. In many cases these shoes can be worn by either sex. Emphasis tends to be more on function than style.

    * sneakers/trainers (also called gym shoes or tennis shoes) - general purpose athletic shoes; made out of rubber, cloth, and/or plastic to be lightweight, flexible, and have good traction. Special varieties available for basketball or tennis.
    * running shoes - very similar to above
    * boating shoes - also similar to above. They have soft soles/heels to avoid marring or scratching a boat deck.
    * track shoes - lightweight; often with plastic or metal cleats
    * football shoes - with plastic or metal cleats
    * golf shoes - with "spikes" for better grip in grass and wet ground. Originally the spikes or "cleats" were made of metal but replacable "soft spikes" made of synthetic plastic-like materials with prongs distributed radially around the edge of each spike are much more common today (and are required on many golf courses since they cause less damage to the greens)
    * bowling shoes - intermediate style between ordinary dress shoes and athletic shoes. They have harder rubber soles/heels so as not to damage bowling alley floors. They are often rented or loaned at bowling alleys.
    * hiking shoes or boots
    * walking shoes - have a more flexible sole than the running shoe, lighter in weight than the hiking boot, may have air holes, may not be water proof.
    * climbing shoes
    * orthopedic shoes - specially designed for people with foot problems.
    * skating shoes - typically called skates. They have various attachments for skating on the bottom of the shoe portion.
          o ice skates
          o roller skates
          o inline skates
    * ski boot - a large, thick plastic boot, that is very hard to walk in, specially designed for attachment to the ski.
    * skateboarding shoes- used for skateboarding but also worn by teenagers for fashion
    * cycling shoes are equipped with a metal cleat to interface with clipless pedals, as well as a stiff sole to maximize power transfer and support the foot.
    * sneaker boot and sneaker pump - a shoe that looks like an athletic shoe, but is equipped with a heel, making it a kind of novelty dress shoe