I finally nabbed a pair of 808 v1 – a full size up from my 1010 suede size after hearing that was the move. My foot is on the wider side so I could see a half size up being right for a lot of people. For the current prices, the og 808s are potentially the ideal skate to and for work shoes for me. I'm not doing heavy skating in these, more like cruising/commuting.
The appeal of them to me was how bulky/tanked out they are and they’ve delivered on this front. I'm on my feet and walking a lot, doing warehouse adjacent stuff. They really do absorb impact well, which feels good on the knees. They fit nicely, with a tiny bit of room for my toes so I'm not crammed in. I had been cranking them down somewhat to make sure I was fully locked in, but now that they're broken in a few weeks later I've loosened them and they feel even comfier and I'm still locked in well. They're stiff but they're also very cushioned.
I also really fuck with how they look too. I think they capture the 90s/00s skate shoe look in a way that still feels current and not silly. Getting lots of compliments on them. I think the quality and make of them is potentially a notch above the 1010s, which is still a shoe I love. They make my broken in 1010s feel more like Fastbreaks. I like the squish of the Fuel Cell but this is a nice change of pace. Really dig having them in the rotation right now. My feet feel good.
I just purchased another pair on sale. Eyeing more since they're going away, though my shoe inventory is pretty packed so I probably shouldn't add anything else, and I do see these 808s lasting.