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Anti-Gravel Tongue

The meaning of the term anti-gravel tongue is pretty self-explanatory, in that fact that the shoe tongue was constructed to prevent gravel from entering the shoe itself. The anti-gravel tongue was created by the Asics footwear company to better aid those athletes who train on gravel or clay surfaces. When running or playing on a clay or gravel surface, it becomes easy for particles to wind up inside the athletic shoe, which can be very uncomfortable for the wearer.

The Asics anti-gravel tongue is wide enough to ensure that rocks will not find their way into the shoe during movement. The tongue itself is padded and is wider than the usual shoe tongue so that it fits deep inside the sides of the shoe. The padding provides comfort for the top of the foot so the extra material is virtually unnoticeable.

It is likely that if a person runs on a gravel surface, some of the particles will eventually end up inside of the shoe if there isn't ample protection. The particles fly in the air with all the movement of the feet and get caught inside of the shoe. It may seem inconsequential, but having rocks in your shoe while you're running or playing sports is very uncomfortable and inconvenient. You cannot pause every minute from your activity to remove your shoe and shake out the gravel particles. The anti-gravel tongue is great because it prevents this from happening in the first place.

The anti-gravel tongue is an effective device for the following reasons:

  • Prevents annoying and potentially harmful rocks from entering the shoe
  • Maintains the comfort of the shoe
  • Makes the shoe more effective and reliable for sports

If you intend on using your shoes for an activity that requires you to be on a surface such as dirt, gravel or sand, it is a good idea to look for a shoe that will prevent the accumulation of such items within the shoe itself.