Someone should…

[jums]

Start a new shoe company…. The time is right… anyone going to take that risk instead of taking up more space in the hardgood space?

[manysnakes]

I think it's time to reboot Duffs.

[jums]

No reboots

New shit

With the current state of the skate shoe biz… I’m telling u if u do it right u can eat… problem is u need a lot of capital to start a shoe company from scratch as opposed to a deck company. U can start a deck company with $1000 and an instagram/site. Shoes gotta be at least a few mil.

[Fernzilla]

I wish Axion's would get another shake but....Kareem get's auditors checking in on him every day and no free sodas soda machine in the break room

[kook1234]

Start an Epicly Later'd type show that looks at regional crews, instead of individual pros (typically), and tells their stories.  maybe include a "where are they now"

[manysnakes]

No reboots

New shit

With the current state of the skate shoe biz… I’m telling u if u do it right u can eat… problem is u need a lot of capital to start a shoe company from scratch as opposed to a deck company. U can start a deck company with $1000 and an instagram/site. Shoes gotta be at least a few mil.

Oh you were being serious.

[Rick Trapasso]

LRAB is doing well, keep hearing rumors of an Ipath reboot, AXION basically failed.

Idk, i guess the market isn't AS saturated as it has been in the past, but that's about all a new company would really have going for it.

The money/backing behind these other brands would be hard to compete with.

I'd like to see a brand like LRAB that mainly focused on cupsoles and had a more tech/fresh approach, rather than the minimalist vibe LRAB has (which is good, but we dont need more of the same)

Those recent tech looking cupsoles in the LRAB thread could be easily beaten.

[parasocial skater]

who?

[sizzle_chest]

I was just thinking Etnards would be a cool name for a shoe company

[camel filters]

First Resort LLC. Shoes plastered in logos and useless tech.

[BALARGUE]

Start a new shoe company…. The time is right… anyone going to take that risk instead of taking up more space in the hardgood space?

the time is not right at all
ask any shop

and even with a better economy and skateboarding popularity, that would be dumb to start a new brand and fold in 5 years. We are at a time when nobody can compete with NB/Nike/Adidas anymore.

[Síota]

Expand Quote

Start a new shoe company…. The time is right… anyone going to take that risk instead of taking up more space in the hardgood space?

[close]

the time is not right at all
ask any shop

and even with a better economy and skateboarding popularity, that would be dumb to start a new brand and fold in 5 years. We are at a time when nobody can compete with NB/Nike/Adidas anymore.

Forsure, I wonder how many brands will survive this post-covid slow down/over stockings/over ordering..let alone the insane rise of cost of living everywhere.

[sharkjumper]

https://www.jenkemmag.com/home/2017/05/05/introducing-proper-skateboardings-indie-shoe-brand/

[jums]

Expand Quote

Start a new shoe company…. The time is right… anyone going to take that risk instead of taking up more space in the hardgood space?

[close]

the time is not right at all
ask any shop

and even with a better economy and skateboarding popularity, that would be dumb to start a new brand and fold in 5 years. We are at a time when nobody can compete with NB/Nike/Adidas anymore.

The product has to be unique and unlike what you can get from NB/Nike/Adidas. Can’t come out with the same black and white Vulc and expect to be successful. 

Strictly cupsoles. Tech. No thin shit. The kids want them. If u do it right they will sell. Start small with like 2 or 3 models. 3 c/w apiece.

[camel filters]

Expand Quote

Expand Quote

Start a new shoe company…. The time is right… anyone going to take that risk instead of taking up more space in the hardgood space?

[close]

the time is not right at all
ask any shop

and even with a better economy and skateboarding popularity, that would be dumb to start a new brand and fold in 5 years. We are at a time when nobody can compete with NB/Nike/Adidas anymore.

[close]

The product has to be unique and unlike what you can get from NB/Nike/Adidas. Can’t come out with the same black and white Vulc and expect to be successful. 

Strictly cupsoles. Tech. No thin shit. The kids want them. If u do it right they will sell. Start small with like 2 or 3 models. 3 c/w apiece.

Add a roster of riders that are most likely in demand from the big companies who believe in the company, good marketing and art direction, and travel and filming budget to this pie in the sky dream scenario. Who's funding all this?

[Jeremykleinsjackrag]

I think it's time to reboot Duffs.

And release these, we’ve only been waitin 15 years

[jums]

Expand Quote

Expand Quote

Expand Quote

Start a new shoe company…. The time is right… anyone going to take that risk instead of taking up more space in the hardgood space?

[close]

the time is not right at all
ask any shop

and even with a better economy and skateboarding popularity, that would be dumb to start a new brand and fold in 5 years. We are at a time when nobody can compete with NB/Nike/Adidas anymore.

[close]

The product has to be unique and unlike what you can get from NB/Nike/Adidas. Can’t come out with the same black and white Vulc and expect to be successful. 

Strictly cupsoles. Tech. No thin shit. The kids want them. If u do it right they will sell. Start small with like 2 or 3 models. 3 c/w apiece.

[close]

Add a roster of riders that are most likely in demand from the big companies who believe in the company, good marketing and art direction, and travel and filming budget to this pie in the sky dream scenario. Who's funding all this?

That’s the issue. U need some serious capital to start a shoe venture. And an appetite for risk.

Not a pie in the sky scenario dude, but if u already sound like u can’t win before trying then don’t even try. You have to take risks of you want to be successful. Ur a skateboarder u should know that.

[Allen.]

Insane that Duffs and Ragdoll almost brought us the 440.

[BALARGUE]

Expand Quote

Expand Quote

Start a new shoe company…. The time is right… anyone going to take that risk instead of taking up more space in the hardgood space?

[close]

the time is not right at all
ask any shop

and even with a better economy and skateboarding popularity, that would be dumb to start a new brand and fold in 5 years. We are at a time when nobody can compete with NB/Nike/Adidas anymore.

[close]

The product has to be unique and unlike what you can get from NB/Nike/Adidas. Can’t come out with the same black and white Vulc and expect to be successful. 

Strictly cupsoles. Tech. No thin shit. The kids want them. If u do it right they will sell. Start small with like 2 or 3 models. 3 c/w apiece.

nah
kids are sheeps and don't really care about skater operated stuff anymore (well there are good reasons to not believe in this anymore to be honest).
I'm pretty sure "unique" stuff will only sell backed by a lot of marketing (a team and a lot of money).

it's not happening

[camel filters]

Expand Quote

Expand Quote

Expand Quote

Expand Quote

Start a new shoe company…. The time is right… anyone going to take that risk instead of taking up more space in the hardgood space?

[close]

the time is not right at all
ask any shop

and even with a better economy and skateboarding popularity, that would be dumb to start a new brand and fold in 5 years. We are at a time when nobody can compete with NB/Nike/Adidas anymore.

[close]

The product has to be unique and unlike what you can get from NB/Nike/Adidas. Can’t come out with the same black and white Vulc and expect to be successful. 

Strictly cupsoles. Tech. No thin shit. The kids want them. If u do it right they will sell. Start small with like 2 or 3 models. 3 c/w apiece.

[close]

Add a roster of riders that are most likely in demand from the big companies who believe in the company, good marketing and art direction, and travel and filming budget to this pie in the sky dream scenario. Who's funding all this?

[close]

That’s the issue. U need some serious capital to start a shoe venture. And an appetite for risk.

Not a pie in the sky scenario dude, but if u already sound like u can’t win before trying then don’t even try. You have to take risks of you want to be successful. Ur a skateboarder u should know that.

Well for normal folk it's pretty pie in the sky. The risk is hypothetical when the capital isn't there. If this was a forum full of pontus level skate industry heads then I'd say go for it. But I'm not sure what the end goal of this thread is unless it's to convince somebody here to empty their life savings to create some cupsoles. If you are in a position to fund this and not jeopardize any family members future tho, go right ahead. I'd buy a pair on sale.

[Allen.]

If a company wants to thrive they should make goods that people want. Not multiple versions of the laced.

[manysnakes]

Expand Quote

Expand Quote

Expand Quote

Expand Quote

Start a new shoe company…. The time is right… anyone going to take that risk instead of taking up more space in the hardgood space?

[close]

the time is not right at all
ask any shop

and even with a better economy and skateboarding popularity, that would be dumb to start a new brand and fold in 5 years. We are at a time when nobody can compete with NB/Nike/Adidas anymore.

[close]

The product has to be unique and unlike what you can get from NB/Nike/Adidas. Can’t come out with the same black and white Vulc and expect to be successful. 

Strictly cupsoles. Tech. No thin shit. The kids want them. If u do it right they will sell. Start small with like 2 or 3 models. 3 c/w apiece.

[close]

Add a roster of riders that are most likely in demand from the big companies who believe in the company, good marketing and art direction, and travel and filming budget to this pie in the sky dream scenario. Who's funding all this?

[close]

That’s the issue. U need some serious capital to start a shoe venture. And an appetite for risk.

Not a pie in the sky scenario dude, but if u already sound like u can’t win before trying then don’t even try. You have to take risks of you want to be successful. Ur a skateboarder u should know that.

It's pretty cool that people love skateboarding so much that they can look around at the flailing skateboard industry with a zillion companies speedrunning into irrelevancy or worse while shops are still trying to unload inventory from 2020 for a loss and think "Yeah, but what if there were another brand which I liked?"

[lurkluke]

The big question is "why".

Why would people buy your shoes over nike? Why would they be better than NB? You'll be using the same factories probably, or at least the same materials. So you won't be more ethical will you? They won't be as good as the tried and tested brands, and they probably won't look as good.

So why? What's the goal?

[frontsideNECKTIE]

The big question is "why".

Why would people buy your shoes over nike? Why would they be better than NB? You'll be using the same factories probably, or at least the same materials. So you won't be more ethical will you? They won't be as good as the tried and tested brands, and they probably won't look as good.

So why? What's the goal?

To stick to "the man"

or something idk what this is on about

It sucks that "core" brands are on their way out, but it's been noted before that Nike, NB, and Cons are all active in the skate community in some capacity. Plus Nike and Cons have been skated for decades at this point. Any type of "culture vulture" argument is pretty ridiculous to me.

Good product sells, niche shitty skate shoes don't.

Just skate the damn Blazers (or other big-name corpo skate shoe), both you and skating will be okay.

[manysnakes]

Expand Quote

The big question is "why".

Why would people buy your shoes over nike? Why would they be better than NB? You'll be using the same factories probably, or at least the same materials. So you won't be more ethical will you? They won't be as good as the tried and tested brands, and they probably won't look as good.

So why? What's the goal?

[close]

Plus Nike and Cons have been skated for decades at this point.

Same with Adidas. The standard Samba is about as basic a skate shoe as has ever been made. I skated them all the times as a teenager, because you could find them at Marshall's or TJ Maxx for less than actual skate shoes.

[Southernmost]

State, Hours is Yours, LRAB just to name a few. Anyone know who’s behind Opus? Never skated a pair and don’t plan on it but they flow a couple people in my area. The overall shoe market seems diluted these days if anything. Even the major brands are losing $$$ and market share. Everything goes on sale pretty quickly. Dunks aren’t even selling out instantly. NB# must over produce Tiagos or still make a good profit on them because they’re always on sale while seemingly being some of the best shoes to skate in and fairly popular. 

[JM]

Whatever shoe company is the main character is going to be giving, and be it shoe core.

[Rick Trapasso]

https://www.jenkemmag.com/home/2017/05/05/introducing-proper-skateboardings-indie-shoe-brand/

Still salty these guys didnt make it. Found out about them on here years ago and bought a couple pairs. I was happy with my purchases.

State, Hours is Yours, LRAB just to name a few. Anyone know who’s behind Opus? Never skated a pair and don’t plan on it but they flow a couple people in my area. The overall shoe market seems diluted these days if anything. Even the major brands are losing $$$ and market share. Everything goes on sale pretty quickly. Dunks aren’t even selling out instantly. NB# must over produce Tiagos or still make a good profit on them because they’re always on sale while seemingly being some of the best shoes to skate in and fairly popular. 

Is state still going?

[benboardbreaker]

haven't tried a "core" skate shoe brand that are any where near the same quality as the major brands that are big brands out side of skating. they are lighter, stronger and better protecting the feet. skate brands don't have the R&D departments that the major brands have. I don't believe there will be core skate shoe brands dominating the skate business again. that time is over.

[Ty Evans Lightman]

Someone should… Publish a magazine to rival Thrasher. Not in a cut throat enemy way, just an alternative.

Basically like TWS or Slap.
It’s kind of wild to think Thrasher are the only magazine with such heavy rotation and influence.

I’m not counting any of those localised magazines either. Local zines have always existed. Mags with over 200 colour pages and monthly international distribution is what I’m taking about.

It would also be good to see an alternative to Soty.