The Air Force 1, interestingly, wasn’t even Dropkin’s original go-to. “He had previously worn Nike SB models,” Nicko says. “In 2022, he moved to the AF1, largely driven by team uniform color coordination.” After that season he went back to SBs before reaching out last summer to refresh the AF1s. “He felt they were too good to retire.”

This isn’t just about vibes, though. Curling shoes are wildly specific bits of kit. They’re asymmetrical by design: one shoe grips the ice, the other has a near-frictionless Teflon slider so you can glide. The slider is usually a quarter-inch thick, split between the toe and the heel. The opposite shoe gets a soft rubber gripper attached with Velcro so it can be swapped out. There’s also a reinforced toe coat on the gripper shoe because it drags during delivery.

To convert an AF1, Nicko removes the original tread, levels out the outsole, preps the surface, then shapes and installs sliders, grippers, and Velcro by hand. Each stage requires curing time, so while active labor might only be a few hours, a finished pair takes about a week or so from start to ship. Every step happens in his Minnesota workshop, which is now staffed by five family members.

And yes, they’re fully regulation. There are no specific rules on design from USA Curling or the IOC, but World Curling Federation rule R11(a) prohibits equipment that damages the ice. “Within the bounds of protecting the ice surface, there are no restrictions on slider speed or gripper traction,” Nicko says. Translation: Look as good as you want, just don’t ruin the rink.

Which brings us to the bigger question: Why are curlers swapping traditional silhouettes for actual sneakers?

“Traditional curling footwear is limited in both fit and aesthetic,” Nicko explains. “Most manufacturers offer only a handful of models, typically in black or primary colors. By contrast, the global sneaker market offers thousands of silhouettes, fits, and colorways.” For athletes under broadcast lighting or just playing in their local club, shoes become a huge part of their ID.