Hyped this thread exists, finding decent vegan skate shoes has always been a hassle for me, esp since I prefer a shoe with a bit more substance than standard vans authentics (need a decent collar & tongue).
previous shoes I've tried out recently.adidas matchcourt lows: (destroyed these way too quick, no collar or tongue padding killed the tops of my feet. Too expensive for how short they last. Don't believe the hype (unless you get a super deal or for free)
AV Rapidweld Pro Lite: Build quality is really amazing, but at $90 retail they're not cheap. Upper will outlast the outsole & midsole taping,many of the colors are god-awful (grab the black / whites & you're good). Noticed the upper lost it's grip/flick after a while of skating, making these harder to skate as they wear down, def noticed an instant improvement when I switched to new shoes. Keep the shoe goo handy to keep the upper grippy.
Es Sesla:Got these on deck, they're a bit too techy looking for my taste & have quite a pointy toe. Hyped es is making an all synthetic model, again not inexpensive, but I'll give them a shot. Reminds me of the e's quattro's that I had back in the late 90's, those were dope.
Something to be aware of: I've read online that DC's "Super Suede" was actually a treated synthethic suede, however after speaking w/ something who works at DC they confirmed that it is indeed real treated suede, so don't believe what you hear about "Super Suede" being synthetic, because it's NOT.
With Vans revamping the pro classics, it would be amazing if they offered at least one vegan option of their staple models (era, old skool, half cab) w/ the duracap underlay, double-wrapped foxing, & ultracush insole. They currently only offer authentics & those have not collar or tongue padding : / ....
My next pair I've got on deck. Huf Soto rubber toe: Canvas, & synthetic nubuck w/ rubber toe (all textile based):