some times when you take up a new sport you've got to 'buy the shoes.' if you wanted to rock climb you wouldn't make it very far up the rock face with chunky old chacos on. You'd need those tight shoes with black grippy rubber covering the toes and heels. Ice skaters have to get boots with sharp blades on the bottom to glide around on. Scooting around on the ice with some old danskos wouldn't cut it.