What informs shoe preference?

[nutsass]

I'm interested in how shoe preference during formative years influences later shoe preference and what factors contribute to shoe preference homology between individuals.

Here are my favorite shoes from when I first started skating, my overall favorite and least favorite shoes, and some defining characteristics of my feet.

Favorite shoes during formative skate years:
Emerica Laced
Lakai Manchester
Emerica Herman

Overall favorites:
Adidas Lucas 1
Lakai MJ
Emerica Provost Slim
DC Mikemo
Gravis Dylan Mid

Hated:
Adidas Matchcourt (w/toe cap)
Nike Janoskis
Emerica Hsu Mid

My feet characteristics:
Wide-ish, medium arches, longer toes, hairy big toe

Just so it's clear, all listed shoes have been skated till death (i.e. outsole hole formation) and each shoe was ostensibly free of manufacturer defects.

I'm curious what others like and if we observe any non-obvious patterns between people.

[woodinbrine]

My favorite shoes in formative years were éS Accel.
I think my favorite right now is the Supra Bandit.
Worst shoes I’ve skated were Janoskis.
I have small dainty footsies, sorta high arches.

[SneakySecrets]

.Here are my favorite shoes from when I first started skating, my overall favorite and least favorite shoes, and some defining characteristics of my feet.

You know, I was really hoping that you’d describe your feet in minute detail.  Guess Christmas came early for me.

Adidas Matchcourt (w/toe cap)

I don’t know how anyone can skate in those.  It’s like having a giant tumor on your foot.

[burn_to_live]

I have a narrow foot, and have a medium to flat arch, and wear 9.5/10s.
My Favorites:
Adidas Superstar(sorry!)
Adidas Matchcourt(sorry!)
Vans Half Cab Pro
Adidas Adi-Ease
Vans Sk8-Hi Pro
My Least Favorites:
Nike Janoski
Vans Authentics(pro and standard)
Vans Eras

[Gray Imp Sausage Metal]

GOAT Shoes:
Ed Templeton 1s
Silas 1s
OG Rowley 1s
Rowley Shams
Rowley XLTs
OG Dukes

Current fav is Ryan Lay's shoe w/ an insole change

Worst shoes I've ver worn:
Adidas stan smith vulc "skate" version

[cosmicgypsies]

i like vans because i know theyll fit me well and hold up somewhat decently, half cabs are up there with all time favorites. janoskis are a good fit for me too though i do tend to try and find older releases on ebay. states im skating atm are pretty nice too.

worst ones i've skated this year would probably be tnt sgs or adi ease premieres. contrary to what i read about tnts they felt like shit, couldnt flip in them properly and they fell apart. adi eases fit real fuckin slim.

[Paco Supreme]

I skated era pros for a real long time, while reason was they were predictable and I knew what I liked about the silhouette. Once vulcs we’re not an option, finding another shoe with the same characteristics but cup was all the added preference I needed to skate Emerica laced

[Lurk or die]

In my formative years all i skates were vans and emerica.

Vans because they were cheap and predicatable. I went through many pairs of Rowley pro's.

Now that I can buy my own shit I still get vans because I know what I'm getting myself into. And emerica because the team has always been amazing in my eyes, and it makes me feel super nostalgic.

I've tried other brands but I never like them. Adidas either feel skinny or heavy, I'm probably trying the wrong models.

But for some reason circa al202 have always stuck out in my head. I think those were my absolute favorite shoe when I was a kid, now I think it's the half cab, so comfy. I actually like the classic without the ultracush. I'm not jumping down anything so I enjoy the boardfeel.

[Francis Xavier]

Born in Vans,die in Vans.

Had some fucked double tongue dad Vans as my first skate shoes, a grip of authentics and eras and old skools,then Chet's Globes,then my favorites:

e'S Accels black, white laces..you know the ones. Classic.
  These are skate shoes,puffy(but not too puffy)tongue, simple and were cushioned like my pillow.

Sal 23's
  These felt bulky but that little rubber insert dealio was sick,especially when all I would do is 180s and heavy foot kickflips

Geoff Rowley Vans
  Felt like my era's and authentics,but lasted longer without shoe goo being a necessity. Plus wearing them made me feel gnarly.

I hated these bulky moon boot Mark G Adidas,had a pair of hooks ups fall apart, Rowley solos gave me corns and bunions and shit, I touched a Janoski and threw it on the floor, chucks look like clown shoes on me, Emerica Marc 3s were so sick at first and then sucked as they broke in.

I only skate Vans authentics now,with a little shoe goo ollie pad. At one point in the last ten years I've tried Lakais(for a second time), vox, and dc's but they sucked (except for the Lynx)

[nopes]

the shoes i remember being the best for me growing up were the sal23s, koston1s, and mjs

the worst were alan petersons and cardiels first vans shoes.

[76CTA]

🎵🎶“Those were the young years”🎶🎵
Dunlop volleys
Vision street wear hi top suedes


Now I can’t go past Reynolds G6’s or his vulcs depending on my feet/knee ache.

[ZEBRA]

I hated vulc shoes when I was younger. My favorite shoe in those years were Accel’s. Had like 7 pairs. Also like the DC Lynx 2. Missed the OG Lynx train somehow. Those are the only 2 shoes I had multiples of.

Now, my all time favorite shoes Vans Slip-On Pro and Vans AV Classics. I have 7 pairs of the AVE shoe. All will not be skated.

Currently going back and forth between my all black Slip-On Pros and Black with white outsole Slip-On Pros.

I wear a 10.5, and my feet are really wide.

[Heywoodfloyd]

Grew up skating Es Accels and alot of different simple cup sole models(DC, Vox, 88, Dvs etc)

Got into Vans in my mid to late teens, and later Adidas Campus Vulcs and Seeleys before i stopped skating in my early twenties.

I recentley got back into skating after a 5-6 year hiatus.

I like slim, thin shoes, love adidas matchcourts and cons all star pros, but i cant justify buying new shoes every other week.

I skate mostly Half cab pros because they feel ok and holds up alright, they don't feel as nice as i remember the classic Half cabs from my teens thought.

[Heywoodfloyd]

I find that i don't care about skate shoes nearly as much as a did when i was younger.

Now days i only wear them while skating, i never wear skate shoes or sneakers when i'm of the board.

So aesthetics aren't as importent any more.

[Crap]

Weird feet description:
Wide forefoot/toes
Thick/high volume foot
I now wear custom orthotics for plantar fasciitis, so any shoes must have a thick-ish removable insole, and/or be a mid or high top

Formative shoes:
Adidas Samba (the regular, non-skate ones)
Vans Era Pro (when they still had the good insoles)

Overall favourites:
Vans Old Skool Pro (when they still had the all suede upper)
Cons One Star Pro Mid
Huf Hupper 2 Lo

Hated:
Huf Soto
Vans Rowley Pro (the ~2014 reissue - never had the originals)
Vans Chima Pro 2
Vans Half Cab Pro (the originals are fine - I don't like the shape of the pro ones)
Vans Slip On Pro (after they changed the insoles, and made them fit all stupid)

Want to try:
Nike Dunk hi
Cons Pro Leather
State Salem
Proper Cinex

[nooky]

loved:

vans sk8 hi
lakai griffins xlt
chuck taylors
vans slip on pros
emerica indicator hi
diamond boo j slip on

hated:
emerica reynolds g6 (the cupsole version, too heavy and felt like they had zero board feel)
janoski mids (same thing as the G6, zero board feel)

want to try:
proper cinex (i know its a cupsole but I'm hoping they'll be flexy enough)
state keys
lakai bristol


i think I just hate supportive cup soles. Rather have my arches ache then not be able to feel where I'm flicking. i have high arches and relatively narrow feet.

[RossDailey]

Born in Vans,die in Vans.

Had some fucked double tongue dad Vans as my first skate shoes, a grip of authentics and eras and old skools,then Chet's Globes,then my favorites:

e'S Accels black, white laces..you know the ones. Classic.
  These are skate shoes,puffy(but not too puffy)tongue, simple and were cushioned like my pillow.

Sal 23's
  These felt bulky but that little rubber insert dealio was sick,especially when all I would do is 180s and heavy foot kickflips

Geoff Rowley Vans
  Felt like my era's and authentics,but lasted longer without shoe goo being a necessity. Plus wearing them made me feel gnarly.

I hated these bulky moon boot Mark G Adidas,had a pair of hooks ups fall apart, Rowley solos gave me corns and bunions and shit, I touched a Janoski and threw it on the floor, chucks look like clown shoes on me, Emerica Marc 3s were so sick at first and then sucked as they broke in.

I only skate Vans authentics now,with a little shoe goo ollie pad. At one point in the last ten years I've tried Lakais(for a second time), vox, and dc's but they sucked (except for the Lynx)

MJ had only 2 shoes on Emerica

[Francis Xavier]

Expand Quote

Born in Vans,die in Vans.

Had some fucked double tongue dad Vans as my first skate shoes, a grip of authentics and eras and old skools,then Chet's Globes,then my favorites:

e'S Accels black, white laces..you know the ones. Classic.
  These are skate shoes,puffy(but not too puffy)tongue, simple and were cushioned like my pillow.

Sal 23's
  These felt bulky but that little rubber insert dealio was sick,especially when all I would do is 180s and heavy foot kickflips

Geoff Rowley Vans
  Felt like my era's and authentics,but lasted longer without shoe goo being a necessity. Plus wearing them made me feel gnarly.

I hated these bulky moon boot Mark G Adidas,had a pair of hooks ups fall apart, Rowley solos gave me corns and bunions and shit, I touched a Janoski and threw it on the floor, chucks look like clown shoes on me, Emerica Marc 3s were so sick at first and then sucked as they broke in.

I only skate Vans authentics now,with a little shoe goo ollie pad. At one point in the last ten years I've tried Lakais(for a second time), vox, and dc's but they sucked (except for the Lynx)

[close]

MJ had only 2 shoes on Emerica

You're right, had to look back. I had the shit brown leather ones, I stand corrected.

[RossDailey]

This is by no means an exhaustive list, but this should show my overall preference in shoes.

I've tended to skate vulc's over the past 23/24 years of skating & preferably shoes w/ a solid (1 piece) toe / forefoot area.

Also, really favored Sole Tech in my early years... now, not so much. NB# & Vans seem to be making the best these days.

Semi-Comprehensive Lists As Follows:

Favorite Shoes Growing Up:
Emerica Reynolds 1's (Original Release)
Emerica Templeton 1's
Emerica Jamie Thomas (3rd Skate Shoe)
eS Sal 23 (2nd Skate Shoe)
eS Creager

Overall Favorites:
Emerica - Reynolds 3 (Original Release)
Emerica - Leo 1
Emerica - Bevel (early Emerica vulc team shoe)
Emerica - MJ 1's
Emerica - Francis (Vulc Mid Top)
NB# - 255
Vans - Chima 1
Vans - Rowley (Original Release)
Lakai - Any of the "Select" vulc shoes from years ago (Howard / Koston / MJ)
eS - Bobby Worrest Pro Model's (both the First Blood & Edgar... his 2nd short lived shoe the Edgar was Fucking Awesome)

Current Favorites:
NB# 255 (I'm on my 5th pair, 7th if you count it's predecessor the 254)
Vans Chima 1
NB# 345 & 344


Hated:
Nike - Janoski (Garbage Quality, & it's like standing on a platform & I simply do not understand why people skate it)***Absolutely Hate the Janoski & Nike***

Emerica - Reynolds 3 ReRelease (Fucking Garbage Quality)

DVS - Sean Sheffey 1 (So bad they nearly ruined skateboarding for me early on, like platform shoe thick midsole)

[cosmicgypsies]

@people who dislike the janoski, when/what pair did you skate? i've heard of quality drops over the years, i skated a pair in 2013 and then another pair from that year or 2012 recently and they were great. cant speak for current ones but they do look fairly worse material wise.

[RossDailey]

@people who dislike the janoski, when/what pair did you skate? i've heard of quality drops over the years, i skated a pair in 2013 and then another pair from that year or 2012 recently and they were great. cant speak for current ones but they do look fairly worse material wise.

Nice Try Nike Quality Control Goon


As stated prior, they are like standing on a platform... which is the antithesis of what a vulc should feel like.

The materials separate easily (I've seen this on multiple pairs (approx. 20+/- from multiple people)


They are simply garbage, and if you like them... you're probably garbage too, garbage corporate minion.

[Tally810]

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@people who dislike the janoski, when/what pair did you skate? i've heard of quality drops over the years, i skated a pair in 2013 and then another pair from that year or 2012 recently and they were great. cant speak for current ones but they do look fairly worse material wise.

[close]

Nice Try Nike Quality Control Goon


As stated prior, they are like standing on a platform... which is the antithesis of what a vulc should feel like.

The materials separate easily (I've seen this on multiple pairs (approx. 20+/- from multiple people)


They are simply garbage, and if you like them... you're probably garbage too, garbage corporate minion.

That's a little harsh seeing that the guy just stated his experience in the shoes

[botefdunn]

I see Lakai mj on op list. MJ 1 LE is my all-time fav

I feel like 2019 rerelease would be exactly the right move for Lakai and MJ, oh wait...

but seriously, they should put it back out anyway, if it does well it'll only make it sweeter for them. They could rename it "the contract" or something dumb like that. Other name's I like for a rerelease include "the KY," " and "the curmudgeon" (have to share royalties with Bobby on that one).low fruit, I know

 

[RossDailey]

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@people who dislike the janoski, when/what pair did you skate? i've heard of quality drops over the years, i skated a pair in 2013 and then another pair from that year or 2012 recently and they were great. cant speak for current ones but they do look fairly worse material wise.

[close]

Nice Try Nike Quality Control Goon


As stated prior, they are like standing on a platform... which is the antithesis of what a vulc should feel like.

The materials separate easily (I've seen this on multiple pairs (approx. 20+/- from multiple people)


They are simply garbage, and if you like them... you're probably garbage too, garbage corporate minion.

[close]

That's a little harsh seeing that the guy just stated his experience in the shoes

Hardly, considering it's Garbage (like what Nike puts out) that is killing established skate shoe companies.

[Tally810]

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@people who dislike the janoski, when/what pair did you skate? i've heard of quality drops over the years, i skated a pair in 2013 and then another pair from that year or 2012 recently and they were great. cant speak for current ones but they do look fairly worse material wise.

[close]

Nice Try Nike Quality Control Goon


As stated prior, they are like standing on a platform... which is the antithesis of what a vulc should feel like.

The materials separate easily (I've seen this on multiple pairs (approx. 20+/- from multiple people)


They are simply garbage, and if you like them... you're probably garbage too, garbage corporate minion.

[close]

That's a little harsh seeing that the guy just stated his experience in the shoes

[close]

Hardly, considering it's Garbage (like what Nike puts out) that is killing established skate shoe companies.

While I'm not a fan of the janoskis there are Nike shoes that I like to skate.  Also most "core brands" are corporate backed and ran so that high horse you are on is pretty lame.

[RossDailey]

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@people who dislike the janoski, when/what pair did you skate? i've heard of quality drops over the years, i skated a pair in 2013 and then another pair from that year or 2012 recently and they were great. cant speak for current ones but they do look fairly worse material wise.

[close]

Nice Try Nike Quality Control Goon


As stated prior, they are like standing on a platform... which is the antithesis of what a vulc should feel like.

The materials separate easily (I've seen this on multiple pairs (approx. 20+/- from multiple people)


They are simply garbage, and if you like them... you're probably garbage too, garbage corporate minion.

[close]

That's a little harsh seeing that the guy just stated his experience in the shoes

[close]

Hardly, considering it's Garbage (like what Nike puts out) that is killing established skate shoe companies.

[close]

While I'm not a fan of the janoskis there are Nike shoes that I like to skate.  Also most "core brands" are corporate backed and ran so that high horse you are on is pretty lame.

It's only partially about the corporate backing (funding from outside sources is an essential part of financing a business... duh), it's the predatory practices that Nike (and more recently Adidas) has used to bully shops into taking subpar product & 10k+ minimum orders of said product.

Nike & Adidas flood the market & drown out companies like Lakai / Huf etc.

So, I refuse to purchase either of those brands... so, back to the point of the thread.

Being a shitty predatory mega corp (like Nike) excludes the brand from my list of potential purchases.

For being a large / non-skate corp, New Balance has done it the right way. Letting NB# essentially operate as a seperate wing of the company. Vans, being owned by VF corp still manages to maintain it's identity as a core brand & has operated well w/in it's confines.

But then there's shit deals like the one HUF finds itself in right now... whose corpo backers are pushing for the closure of footwear portion of the brand... essentially destroying the company as it's known.

[Tally810]

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@people who dislike the janoski, when/what pair did you skate? i've heard of quality drops over the years, i skated a pair in 2013 and then another pair from that year or 2012 recently and they were great. cant speak for current ones but they do look fairly worse material wise.

[close]

Nice Try Nike Quality Control Goon


As stated prior, they are like standing on a platform... which is the antithesis of what a vulc should feel like.

The materials separate easily (I've seen this on multiple pairs (approx. 20+/- from multiple people)


They are simply garbage, and if you like them... you're probably garbage too, garbage corporate minion.

[close]

That's a little harsh seeing that the guy just stated his experience in the shoes

[close]

Hardly, considering it's Garbage (like what Nike puts out) that is killing established skate shoe companies.

[close]

While I'm not a fan of the janoskis there are Nike shoes that I like to skate.  Also most "core brands" are corporate backed and ran so that high horse you are on is pretty lame.

[close]

It's only partially about the corporate backing (funding from outside sources is an essential part of financing a business... duh), it's the predatory practices that Nike (and more recently Adidas) has used to bully shops into taking subpar product & 10k+ minimum orders of said product.

Nike & Adidas flood the market & drown out companies like Lakai / Huf etc.

So, I refuse to purchase either of those brands... so, back to the point of the thread.

Being a shitty predatory mega corp (like Nike) excludes the brand from my list of potential purchases.

For being a large / non-skate corp, New Balance has done it the right way. Letting NB# essentially operate as a seperate wing of the company. Vans, being owned by VF corp still manages to maintain it's identity as a core brand & has operated well w/in it's confines.

But then there's shit deals like the one HUF finds itself in right now... whose corpo backers are pushing for the closure of footwear portion of the brand... essentially destroying the company as it's known.

K

[SneakySecrets]

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@people who dislike the janoski, when/what pair did you skate? i've heard of quality drops over the years, i skated a pair in 2013 and then another pair from that year or 2012 recently and they were great. cant speak for current ones but they do look fairly worse material wise.

[close]

Nice Try Nike Quality Control Goon


As stated prior, they are like standing on a platform... which is the antithesis of what a vulc should feel like.

The materials separate easily (I've seen this on multiple pairs (approx. 20+/- from multiple people)


They are simply garbage, and if you like them... you're probably garbage too, garbage corporate minion.

[close]

That's a little harsh seeing that the guy just stated his experience in the shoes

[close]

Hardly, considering it's Garbage (like what Nike puts out) that is killing established skate shoe companies.

[close]

While I'm not a fan of the janoskis there are Nike shoes that I like to skate.  Also most "core brands" are corporate backed and ran so that high horse you are on is pretty lame.

[close]

It's only partially about the corporate backing (funding from outside sources is an essential part of financing a business... duh), it's the predatory practices that Nike (and more recently Adidas) has used to bully shops into taking subpar product & 10k+ minimum orders of said product.

Nike & Adidas flood the market & drown out companies like Lakai / Huf etc.

So, I refuse to purchase either of those brands... so, back to the point of the thread.

Being a shitty predatory mega corp (like Nike) excludes the brand from my list of potential purchases.

For being a large / non-skate corp, New Balance has done it the right way. Letting NB# essentially operate as a seperate wing of the company. Vans, being owned by VF corp still manages to maintain it's identity as a core brand & has operated well w/in it's confines.

But then there's shit deals like the one HUF finds itself in right now... whose corpo backers are pushing for the closure of footwear portion of the brand... essentially destroying the company as it's known.

[nosneb]

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@people who dislike the janoski, when/what pair did you skate? i've heard of quality drops over the years, i skated a pair in 2013 and then another pair from that year or 2012 recently and they were great. cant speak for current ones but they do look fairly worse material wise.

[close]

Nice Try Nike Quality Control Goon


As stated prior, they are like standing on a platform... which is the antithesis of what a vulc should feel like.

The materials separate easily (I've seen this on multiple pairs (approx. 20+/- from multiple people)


They are simply garbage, and if you like them... you're probably garbage too, garbage corporate minion.

[close]

That's a little harsh seeing that the guy just stated his experience in the shoes

[close]

Hardly, considering it's Garbage (like what Nike puts out) that is killing established skate shoe companies.

[close]

While I'm not a fan of the janoskis there are Nike shoes that I like to skate.  Also most "core brands" are corporate backed and ran so that high horse you are on is pretty lame.

[close]

It's only partially about the corporate backing (funding from outside sources is an essential part of financing a business... duh), it's the predatory practices that Nike (and more recently Adidas) has used to bully shops into taking subpar product & 10k+ minimum orders of said product.

Nike & Adidas flood the market & drown out companies like Lakai / Huf etc.

So, I refuse to purchase either of those brands... so, back to the point of the thread.

Being a shitty predatory mega corp (like Nike) excludes the brand from my list of potential purchases.

For being a large / non-skate corp, New Balance has done it the right way. Letting NB# essentially operate as a seperate wing of the company. Vans, being owned by VF corp still manages to maintain it's identity as a core brand & has operated well w/in it's confines.

But then there's shit deals like the one HUF finds itself in right now... whose corpo backers are pushing for the closure of footwear portion of the brand... essentially destroying the company as it's known.

[close]

[RossDailey]

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@people who dislike the janoski, when/what pair did you skate? i've heard of quality drops over the years, i skated a pair in 2013 and then another pair from that year or 2012 recently and they were great. cant speak for current ones but they do look fairly worse material wise.

[close]

Nice Try Nike Quality Control Goon


As stated prior, they are like standing on a platform... which is the antithesis of what a vulc should feel like.

The materials separate easily (I've seen this on multiple pairs (approx. 20+/- from multiple people)


They are simply garbage, and if you like them... you're probably garbage too, garbage corporate minion.

[close]

That's a little harsh seeing that the guy just stated his experience in the shoes

[close]

Hardly, considering it's Garbage (like what Nike puts out) that is killing established skate shoe companies.

[close]

While I'm not a fan of the janoskis there are Nike shoes that I like to skate.  Also most "core brands" are corporate backed and ran so that high horse you are on is pretty lame.

[close]

It's only partially about the corporate backing (funding from outside sources is an essential part of financing a business... duh), it's the predatory practices that Nike (and more recently Adidas) has used to bully shops into taking subpar product & 10k+ minimum orders of said product.

Nike & Adidas flood the market & drown out companies like Lakai / Huf etc.

So, I refuse to purchase either of those brands... so, back to the point of the thread.

Being a shitty predatory mega corp (like Nike) excludes the brand from my list of potential purchases.

For being a large / non-skate corp, New Balance has done it the right way. Letting NB# essentially operate as a seperate wing of the company. Vans, being owned by VF corp still manages to maintain it's identity as a core brand & has operated well w/in it's confines.

But then there's shit deals like the one HUF finds itself in right now... whose corpo backers are pushing for the closure of footwear portion of the brand... essentially destroying the company as it's known.

[close]

[close]

I do write code for a living & Twin Peaks was probably one of the best shows ever on television.

Great job