Skate Shoe Timeline

As I was Googling my first legit skate shoe; the Vans Santos, I came across this video. Although, I think the video is beyond odd, I was so shocked someone had a crisp pair in their possession. These shoes were one of the best I've ever had because they were amazingly comfy and durable. I really hope Vans re-issues them.
Eleven years in basketball, hockey, and football stays constant but skateboarding changes in the blink of an eye and this got me thinking about the prevouis skate shoes I've had since I've taken up skateboarding back in 2001. Below are a bunch of "borrowed" images of what I used to push with. A lot are missing, but the ones I do remember are what count. Enjoi!


Vans Santos II
My second pair of legit skate shoes after I destroyed my first pair. Definitely a different look from the OG Santos, it was part of the athletic phase in the skate shoe market where outsoles weren't vulc and padding was everything. The insole was made up of a flexible plastic with comfortable rubber beads at the forefoot and heel. One crazy thing I remembered about these was that it always had that new shoe smell. Im serious! I skated for hours in these at the park and they still smelled like they were fresh from the shop!


Lakai Carroll
Next up was Mike Carroll's first pro model for Lakai. My dad bought them for me when they were on sale at an old shop called Perception here in Scarborough. The tongue on this was extremely fat and was the best part of the whole shoe. It also had a backup lace system I was really stoked on. However, it felt like I was skating in boots.


Nike SB E-Cue
Oh, the bittersweet blessing of Nike entering the skate shoe game. We love to hate how amazing your team and products shouldn't be. I admit, I was drawn to the brand and really wanted to try a shoe. Although the Dunk was the shoe of choice, the E-Cue should not be underestimated. It does look like something Spider-Man designed, but they held up for a really long time and had the most flexibility of all my cupsole shoes. Former Nike SB pro Reese Forbes called these his favourite model and out of all my kicks, these were my favourite as well.


C1RCA CX203
By the mid 2000s, the athletic look started dying down and companies/pros were designing slimmer and less bulky shoes - the C1RCA CX203 was a breath of fresh air. They didn't last me very long at all, but were perfect when they were fresh out the box. I even landed my first crappy kickflip in these puppies. A lot of skate shoes started looking the same by this point.


Globe Applyard Rewire
As I stated above, skate shoes started looking the same and Mark Applyeard's debut model for Globe was no exception. It skated exactly as the C1RCA CX203 but lasted a little longer and were comfier. Still in my top 5 favourite shoes I've ever worn.


Dekline Sixer
This was the first vulcanized skate shoe I've ever used. What caught my attention was this specific model was endorsed by one of my favourite pros, Mike York. One major downfall was the insides tearing up from sock friction faster then the grip tore up the toecap. Also, the heels on these things wore out pretty fast too making me walk lopsided. The one positive note is the thick insole made from a really soft gel which I kept before throwing these out.


Adidas Superstar Skate
Adidas entered the skate shoe market shortly after Nike SB was launched. I bought a pair of the Superstar Skate because they were 50% off and was slightly curious as to how they would turn out. I have never regretted buying a skate shoe based on performance 'til these were used. No board feel, no flex, and no good. Great for using them as chillers, though.


Emerica Reynolds 3
Emerica's staple shoe that keeps them in business and I can see why. A very basic looking shoe with unique features make this a must-have. With a shock absorbing heel, diamond "piercings," and inverted stitching, the Reynolds 3 was by far one of my favourite shoes and I hope to grab another pair when the time is right.


Supra Thunder
Right now, I'm skating in Jim Greco's pro model shoe for Supra; the Thunder, which just went right for the basics. The outer is indestructible, but the lining behind my Achilles' heel is already torn open exposing the plastic mold. Just like the Dekline Sixer model shown above. The narrow toe does help with the flicks and they were very flexible right when I laced them up.

There you have it, folks. My brief timeline of my previous skate shoes. Like I said earlier, there are some missing because I could not find any information or images on them. I do have another bunch of kicks just sitting in my closet waiting to be thrashed. Once those go through, I'm bound to make up another entry like this. 'Til then, thanks for checking in and come back soon.