SOTY (Shoe Of The Year)

[chihuahuadad2000]

NB# 440 high is a great shoe.

[gsosa]

Didn't really come out this year but skated these most of this year and they are one of the best shoes I've ever skated.

[Dante Bichette]

Andrew Allen's Authentic Hi's have been great for me. They're a lot more comfortable than I thought they'd be. Some people think it's kind of corny but the little ollie patch rubber thing is pretty durable. My only gripe with them is the side stitching rips super easy, heelflips will destroy them. They're also Vans' best shoe aesthetically of the year to me.

[SharkJohnson]

Iron Fist Footwear's Dunane Peters pro model

[Taint Paint]

I'll second the AA Authentic Hi, they're sweet looking in my opinion. 
Holding up pretty well once you get a little goo on that heel flip spot.
Surprisingly comfy for a vulc, you do have to untie them to take them off and on,
but that's all good I know how to tie my shoes.

[whale]

I like the Swift 1.5 a lot too, but sole gets way too soft and sloppy too soon. Right out of the box they were so good to skate in though.
You guys use any aftermarket insoles in them?

[manysnakes]

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[close]

I only skated Airwalks from 87-93.  I think these were the first lows I ever skated in.  Everything before these were the god-awful highs.

I remember these shoes becoming popular with the cool kids in like `91 and me *losing my mind* over this! How could they?!

[Gray Imp Sausage Metal]

I like the Swift 1.5 a lot too, but sole gets way too soft and sloppy too soon. Right out of the box they were so good to skate in though.
You guys use any aftermarket insoles in them?

different upper, but I skate my accel slim plus with footprints; that outsole is so good, my fav cupsole in the game.

Vegan LARBs are good to once you swap out the insole!

[Dwyck]

I'll second the AA Authentic Hi, they're sweet looking in my opinion. 
Holding up pretty well once you get a little goo on that heel flip spot.
Surprisingly comfy for a vulc, you do have to untie them to take them off and on,
but that's all good I know how to tie my shoes.

The person I'm dating recently had to show me how to loosen my middle laces on my Last Resort highs because they noticed I had trouble taking them off. So you might surprise yourself 

[PAWL]

NB# 440 high is a great shoe.

this and its not close.

though personally for me tyshawns have saved my old man feet from hurting, but also look like a shitty football

[IpathCats]

Shoe of the year meaning best shoe that was released this year? Or like the shoe you could look at and say "yup that shit was everywhere all year"?

I'd say the telfords are probably my favorite new shoe. But dunks and 1's were pretty much the shoe of 2021

[Xen]

I never rip laces, the toe is perfect for flick tricks, and the sole is the perfect middle ground for a cupsole (good flex and boardfeel with arch support and decent cushioning). Best shoe I've skated so far.

Gonna try the wino g6s with the cupsole next

While I have not owned a pair (they appear to narrow for me); you see soooo many people skating these (flow to pro and regular joes) that it has to be the SoTY.



My feet curl up in pain at that toebox =(


For me the Nike SB Force 58s are a big win.

[IpathCats]

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Telfords are the best shoes

[close]

Kinda curious to try these… how do they stack up to other high tops? Blazers, Crockett highs and Newports are what I’ve skated most recently and I still think blazers reign supreme.

I've skated all of the shoes you mentioned and I like the telfords most. Blazers and newports are too narrow and I generally prefer cupsoles. I hated the crocketts personally. Telfords skate the best right out of the box too, which is kind of a plus. I HAVE to break my shoes in for at least a month before skating in them, and i could actually skate the telfords almost instantly. I do wish they were a regular cupsole, they basically feel like a slightly thicker vulc, but they're def the best shoe out right now from a "core" skate company IMO.

[Bunk Moreland]

Did the Rowan come out this year? Shit is all blended together at this point so whatever. The Rowan.

[Dwyck]

Crocketts grip is "sticky" in a not-Vans way I'm not super into

[Atiba Applebum]

Reynolds half cab for me

[STAH]

100% Last Resort. I'm absolutely loving the pair I have right now. The VM001 Suede in all black, low top. I'm not a hightop guy, unless its the Cons CTAS pro, but I would fuck with some hightop Last Resorts. I do think the insoles could be a bit thicker, but I just threw in a set of shitty, super thin Es' insoles on top of the stock insoles and they feel so nice. A little bit cushiony for some people when you first put them on (with the Es' insoles on top) but you get used to it pretty fast.

[Frank Sobotka]

I'm going to throw in a wild card here but I really like the way Lakai Cambridge's skate, had two colourway's this year - black & white with gum sole and the white & green with gum sole. One thing that struck me about these was how they needed no time to break in at all, and they look sick.

I haven't had chance to skate the new Vans Skate range this year, I copped a pair of all black Old School Pro's before they released their new & improved skate shoes. I just wear them for work though because they look good with a pair of 874's and a flannel shirt. Really want a pair of the Half Cab's, particularly the Reynold's colourway.

Got my eye on some éS shoes as well, I want a decent cupsole, the Quattro's look sick in navy/grey.

[I Can't Think]

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I never rip laces, the toe is perfect for flick tricks, and the sole is the perfect middle ground for a cupsole (good flex and boardfeel with arch support and decent cushioning). Best shoe I've skated so far.

Gonna try the wino g6s with the cupsole next

[close]

While I have not owned a pair (they appear to narrow for me); you see soooo many people skating these (flow to pro and regular joes) that it has to be the SoTY.



My feet curl up in pain at that toebox =(


For me the Nike SB Force 58s are a big win.

Here's a photo of them broken in to shoe a bit of a less restrictive toebox:



It's still pointy, but not as narrow as it looks in those promotional photos imo. My feet are fairly wide and I actually think they accommodate them really well, it's snug so you can feel the board but never uncomfy. Of course everyone is different and you should try them on yourself if you feel so inclined. Admittedly I'm kinda shilling these cause I want shoes with hidden laces to become the norm

[GBLange]

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[close]

I only skated Airwalks from 87-93.  I think these were the first lows I ever skated in.  Everything before these were the god-awful highs.

[close]

I remember these shoes becoming popular with the cool kids in like `91 and me *losing my mind* over this! How could they?!

the airwalk blue suede was my favorite. and the 19oz..the nts2 was also good.

[radcunt]

I want to like the Last Resorts, but all I can see is this

[Mean salto]

No offence for those who swap out insoles or shoe goo etc (they're your feet and shoes do whatever you gotta do) but I feel like that should rule out those shoes from being shoe of the year. It should function good on its own.

[Dwyck]

if i had to skate stock insoles i would have to skate Hoka One Ones

[big_kev_215]

Started the year skating a couple pairs of Blazers, moved on to a few pairs of Last Resorts, finishing out the year skating Adidas (currently the Superstar ADV).  Would have to go with the lowtop suede Last Resorts as my SOTY - did my best skating on those and enjoyed creeping my girl out with the weird snakeskin like shedding of the outsole. 

[kenjiro]

No offence for those who swap out insoles or shoe goo etc (they're your feet and shoes do whatever you gotta do) but I feel like that should rule out those shoes from being shoe of the year. It should function good on its own.

i get the shoe goo part, but i swap the insole for every shoe. fp are too good

[the cowboy]

Admittedly I'm kinda shilling these cause I want shoes with hidden laces to become the norm

I badly want this.  I just finished two pairs of ave pros, loved em, but ripped laces every sesh and changing laces every 3rd or 4th became maddening.  Made me miss the PJ 533s.  The V2s had hidden ones but the V1s were amazing.  Not hidden, but I lace up tight and they naturally recessed to where they were protected and didn't break often.  This shoes looks simple, light, crazy flick and hella durable.  Little narrow but a perfect simple shoe that lasted forever.
BRING BACK LACE PROTECTION!!!

[Shrinedescender]

[big_kev_215]

SOTC

[IpathCats]

Yo! I know that guy.

[IUTSM]

tried different shoes this year

#440 hi
#440 lo
es accel slim
half cab pro
half cab skate

half cab skate is the shoe that works best for me. firm collar. wide enough from heel to toe without a shitty taper near the anterior ankle (Reynolds 92 half cab skate is even wider and that much better). absolutely no strange shape pushing up into my arch for "support." Might not last as long as a new balance or nike cupsole, but they hold up far longer than the OG half cabs