Abstract: A shoe press belt for use between a press roll and a shoe for pressing water from a wet sheet, formed with one or more grooves on the surface thereof for draining water, wherein the groove defines a plurality of laterally spaced channels, the channels having outwardly curved side walls and may include a rounded bottom. The shoe press belt has an improved groove configuration which retains water drainage capacity under nip pressure, while at the same time being resistant to crack formation, thereby enabling a satisfactory service life and avoiding the formation of ‘groove-marks’ on the pressed sheet. The press belt is simple in design and thus inexpensive to manufacture.