After all this bullshit, I kind of felt like supporting Lakai.
Funnily enough, I ended up buying a pair of MJ XLK's as they looked fairly stylish and had a reasonably unoffensive design. The money still goes to Lakai I figured.
Turns out the jokes on me. The shoes are narrow, the soles too hard and they are generally uncomfortable.
These are the third pair of Lakais I have bought in my 15 years as a skateboarder (I would say almost exactly one pair every 5 years). All have been a letdown. Guess I won't make that mistake a fourth time... or will I?