What does "non-marking" mean? Can I wear colored soles in the gym?
When looking for futsal shoes for a gymnasium,
you might come across the term
"non-marking sole."
"What exactly does 'non-marking' mean?"
"Do I have to use gum-colored soles for the gym?"
"Can I wear shoes with black, red, or marble-patterned soles?"
Since I am frequently asked these questions by customers,
I will explain those points in detail.
To give you the conclusion first:
Having a colored sole does not mean it cannot be worn in a gymnasium.
Black.
Red.
Blue.
White.
Clear.
Marble pattern.
The designs for the outsoles (bottom of the shoe) of modern indoor futsal shoes
have become quite stylish,
and their variety is increasing.
However, the actual thing you should look at is not the color of the outsole,
but whether it is a "non-marking" specification.
First of all,
it is important to check this.
What exactly is "non-marking"?
Simply put, non-marking refers to
soles made so that they do not leave marks on gymnasium floors.
It is easy to imagine that leaving a color on the floor is "marking" the floor.
Because these soles are made with paints that do not transfer color to the floor,
they are called "non-marking" shoes.
In futsal,
sudden stops,
sharp turns,
and sprints
are repeated many times
during a match.
Naturally,
this causes strong friction between the shoe sole and the floor every time.
Depending on the sole,
this friction can cause rubber to adhere to the floor,
leaving streak-like marks.
(Apparently, this actually happened quite a long time ago.)
Non-marking soles are designed to prevent that.
In other words,
non-marking does not mean "gum-colored."
It's not about what color the sole is,
but whether it is designed to not leave marks on the floor.
That is the key point.
Do gymnasium shoes have to be gum-colored?
When people hear "gymnasium shoes,"
many people think of gum-colored soles.
In fact,
gymnasium shoes have long traditionally used
gum or light brown soles.
Because that image is so strong,
there are many people who think,
"Shoes you can wear in a gym = gum-colored."
However,
the design variety for indoor futsal shoes
has actually increased significantly recently.
It is not just gum-colored.
Black or red.
White or blue.
Translucent clear soles.
Marble patterns with multiple colors mixed together.
Nowadays, there are plenty of indoor shoes with non-marking specifications that use such soles.
Therefore,
there is no need to decide that you cannot wear them in a gym just because they aren't gum-colored.
Can I wear colored soles in a gymnasium?
If the indoor shoe has non-marking specifications,
there are colored-sole models that can be used in gymnasiums.
For example, Joma indoor futsal shoes
also have outsoles other than gum-colored.
For those seeing the product for the first time,
there are colors that might make them think,
"Is it really okay to wear these in a gymnasium?"
However,
the issue is not that they have color.
What you want to confirm is:
Is the shoe for indoor gymnasium use, and is it non-marking?
It is important not to judge by looks alone.
(Photo: Indoor shoes made entirely with non-marking paint)
If the sole is black, will it leave black marks on the floor?
This is also
a point where there is a lot of misunderstanding.
For example, when seeing a black sole,
some people might think,
"It seems like it would leave black marks on the gym floor."
However,
just because the sole is black doesn't mean it leaves black marks.
Just because the sole is red doesn't mean it leaves red marks.
It is not such a simple matter.
The color of the sole itself and
whether it leaves marks on the gymnasium floor are separate things.
Therefore,
it is difficult to judge whether a shoe is gymnasium-safe or not just by the look of the sole.
If you are choosing futsal shoes for a gymnasium,
first see if they are for indoor use.
Then, confirm if they are non-marking.
It is easier to understand if you follow this order.
Some shoes have "non-marking" carefully engraved on the sole, but regarding Joma, all current models on sale—both those with the engraving and those without—are manufactured with non-marking specifications.
※Confirmed directly with the Joma manufacturing factory and Joma headquarters in 2024.
Incidentally, Japan is a rare country where gum-colored soles are so mainstream; since it has been a long time since non-marking became the global standard, some manufacturers have started omitting the "non-marking" engraving from the soles.
The Joma logo is colored; is that okay?
This is also a common question.
For Joma indoor shoes,
there are models with a "J" logo on the outsole.
Depending on the model,
only this logo is a different color.
Actually,
I am sometimes asked,
"Doesn't this colored logo leave marks on the gym floor?"
What I want you to know here is that
not every part you see on the outsole is in contact with the floor.
When you put on the shoes and stand or run,
the parts that actually touch the floor are called the "contact points."
And within the outsole,
there are parts that do not touch the floor.
For example,
Joma Top Flex.
Looking at the outsole,
there are models that have color in the Joma logo section.
With the Top Flex,
because this logo part is recessed compared to the surrounding sole,
the logo itself is designed not to touch the floor.
What actually touches the floor
is the sole part surrounding it.
(Top photo: Top Flex Rebound sole / Bottom photo: Top Flex sole)
However,
the logo is not deeply recessed in every Joma model.
Depending on the model,
the shape of the outsole varies.
Even in models where the recession is hard to see at first glance,
depending on the shape of the entire outsole,
there are cases where the logo section is designed not to touch the floor.
Therefore,
"because the logo isn't recessed, it will leave color on the floor"
is not necessarily true.
What is important is
not whether the logo is colored, but how the shoe is designed to make contact with the floor.
There is color on the outsole.
There is color on the logo.
Just because of that,
it doesn't mean that the color will come into direct contact with the gym floor.
Of course,
instead of just looking at the logo part,
it is important to confirm that the shoe itself is for indoor use and has non-marking specifications.
Also check the rules of the gymnasium you will use
There is one more thing
you should check before purchasing.
Even with non-marking indoor shoes,
there may be usage rules determined by the facility or the tournament.
Especially when:
Using a gymnasium for the first time.
Participating in a tournament for the first time.
Using shoes for an official match.
In cases like these,
it is safer to check in advance just in case.
Even shoes you use for regular practice without issues
might have different regulations from the venue or the tournament organizers.
Do not assume "because it's non-marking, it can definitely be used anywhere"; in the end, check the rules of the facility you will use.
Please make sure to remember this.
Choose indoor shoes for the gymnasium
Something to remember along with non-marking
is the difference between indoor and turf shoes.
Futsal shoes are broadly divided into:
Indoor shoes for gymnasiums.
Turf shoes (training shoes) for artificial grass.
Indoor shoes have
a relatively flat outsole.
On the other hand,
turf shoes have fine studs on the outsole
to grip artificial grass firmly.
Therefore,
if you are looking for shoes to wear in a gymnasium, choose indoor shoes.
I also explain the differences between indoor and turf shoes in detail
in another article.
→ Differences Between Indoor and Turf Futsal Shoes | How to Choose for Gyms and Artificial Turf
Summary: Check if they are non-marking, not just the sole color
When it comes to futsal shoes for indoor gym use,
some people may think,
"They have to have gum-colored soles."
However,
today's indoor shoes
come in a wide variety of soles.
Black.
Red.
Blue.
White.
Clear.
Marble patterns.
Just because they have color doesn't mean they can't be worn in a gym.
When choosing shoes, what I want you to check is:
Are they indoor shoes for gym use?
Are they non-marking?
First of all,
start with these two points.
On top of that,
it's a good idea to confirm the specific rules of the gym you'll be using for peace of mind.
Joma also offers
indoor shoes with color soles, clear soles,
and marble patterns, not just gum-colored ones.
Don't just give up based on the look, thinking,
"Maybe these aren't allowed in the gym because of the color."
Instead, please first check if that model is non-marking.
