SIZING

The Lakai Carroll fits true to size; we recommend going for the size you usually wear in Lakai.

DURABILITY

Overall the durability of the Lakai Carroll was quite good, with some minor areas for improvements. There were three main points of the shoe that helped prolong the entire lifespan of skating. First off, the iconic Lakai Carroll toe piece cap was made out of a high quality suede, which wrapped around the toe-piece in the shape of a “T”. The shape of the toe cap and the way it was stitched proved to be very durable, especially since the stitching was purposely designed to be placed outside of the critical areas of wear. The sole in the toe area was also quite thick so it helped protect the suede toe from griptape contact and provided great flick. These two points only showed regular signs of wear after the 10-hour test. Another highlight that improved the durability was the lacing system, an iconic element of the first released Carroll. The hidden lacing system proved to work very well and even the seams in the midfoot area did not show signs of wear. With that said, the first loop was  exposed to griptape contact and showed signs of wear but didn’t completely rip. All in all, the durability of the Carroll good, and it’s performance after our 10 hour wear-test was expected.

CUSHIONING

Released as a reissue under their XLK cup-sole program, the revamped Carroll 1 features Lakai’s proven XLK cushioning technology. The cushioning is above average, thanks to the sole construction and the EVA-foam insole with an additional foam element directly in the heel area. Flatground skating felt extremely comfortable, and the impact from small to middle sized gaps was easy to absorb. However, the absence of a foamed midsole in the center and front-area does reduce the model’s ability to dampen high impacts in these regions if you’re skating larger sets.

SHAPE

Without completely redesigning an easy 2000’s shoe that so many have loved, the Carroll  XLK does feature a rather wider silhouette. The heel area has a good amount of padding which make this area wider but the shape of the shoe does taper towards the midfoot area, before narrowing down to the toe area and ending up in a nice round toe tip. The shoe’s aesthetic is still classic and looks incredible on foot.

Boardfeel and grip

The first half of the shoe from the toe tip to the arch is mainly responsible for the boardfeel. The Lakai Carroll is able to provide two huge benefits in this area. The first benefit is a thin front area with the removable insole as well as a thin sole itself. This causes a direct contact between foot and board. The second is the flexibility of the shoe, which allows for maximum surface area contact and causes the shoe to adapt well to the concave of the deck. The boardfeel and the grip are really balanced; you can feel the deck for feet positioning and concave pop and still feel confident with enough cushioning, which helps make bails bearable when you’re trying a trick. On top of that, Lakai keeps it classic with Carroll’s herringbone sole. The zig-zag pattern has also proven to offer a grippy connection between the deck and sole with a softer rubber compound mixture and deep grooves, and in this case, both are present. In addition, sole does have more rigid structure and ensures a certain wear resistance, with the result of a gimmick-less sole with good adhesion for a cupsole model.

COMFORT AND STABILITY

The most important features for a comfortable skate shoe include weight, ventilation and a well-crafted inner shoe area. Despite the outward appearance of it’s former model, the Carroll XLK is lightweight and the inner area is crafted very well. A very positive feature is the fixated tongue which helps keep everything in place and your feet secure. The shoe’ s upper has mesh elements which surprisingly resulted in very good breathability, especially in the toe and sidewall areas. As far as stability goes, the overall stability of the shoe is very balanced. However, despite the additional padding in the heel area that helped with securing the heel and comfort, the heel area did feel a bit wide cut and sometimes created a feeling of slipping out. The suede upper did not stretch out at all during the test, which means the sidewalls didn’t get too flexible and lose their shape, ensuring the shoe’s stability and maintain it’s full potential over the whole lifespan of the shoe.

SUMMARY

It was refreshing and nostalgic to skate the Lakai Carroll 1 with updated features; the shoe hit huge points with comfort, breathability, durability in toe area and boardfeel. The only recommendation would be a slight adjustment in the heel to maximize stability.

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Sizing

The shoe fits true to size.

Durability

The clean-cut design of the Dickson is the true highlight for the overall shoe’s durability; but don’t mistake simplicity as a weakness, Emerica has also added a bunch of hidden technical features to further improve the shoe’s performance and lifespan. The most notable feature of the shoe is the one piece vamp in the forefoot area, which is well constructed by design as the panels stretch far back to the midfoot, which prevented redirected a lot of griptape contact away from the double seams in the ollie zone. Most abuse from skating is happening in the forefoot area, so Emerica took matters into their own hands, and added an additional thin rubber underlay beneath the suede, called Flick Shield. In our 10-hour test, the suede did not rip at all, so the Flick Shield didn’t show (you can see it in the half cut picture) but the addition of this Flick Shield technology not only provides more rigidity and structure to the toe cap area, but will serve as a second layer of defense and definitely make the shoe skate longer once the suede is ripped. Also, the shoe featured a double wrapped vulcanized construction which made the shoe’s outsole much thicker and helped withstand all 10 hours of skating, with minimal wear on the suede. Although overall the durability of the Dickson is very good, the laces did not last the first session due to its wide placement construction, and the lining of the heel collar did show signs of wear within the first 3 hours of skating.

Cushioning

The G6 cushioning has been in the product line for quite some time now and most Emerica signature models will feature this high-impact protective cushioning. G6 is made of an impact resistant Polyurethane foam. Emerica basically made a very thin vulcanized construction to have good boardfeel and flexibility of the sole while the G6 insole has the job of protecting from impact. This is a rather typical construction for vulc shoes. With that said, the impact filters through the midsole a bit, but ultimately hits directly to the feet through the G6 insole. If you take the Emerica Wino for example, it was originally an after-session chilling shoe, and the addition of the G6 helped it handle small to medium impact, proving the performance capabilities. All in all, the cushioning was fair for the Emerica Dickson.

Shape

The shape of the Dickson is a feature that’s well appreciated in a time where skate shoes are often either bulked up, cramped down, with an overcompensation of technical design features. The Dickson is long, a bit slimmer, and its weight of padding is evenly distributed which helps for a responsive flick. The toe piece tapers off a bit, but rounds out well. Moreover, the vulcanized construction is double layered so even when the first layer starts diagonally from griptape wear, there’s another layer there to maintain the shape of the shoe.

Board Feel & Grip

As with most vulcanized models, boardfeel and grip are the highlights of the shoe. This was definitely the case with the Dickson, which proved to have amazing grip throughout the 10 hour weartest, and had a lot of life in them for future sessions. The main technical feature of the shoe in terms of grip was the double vulcanized construction. It’s a classic design that many vulcanized skate shoes implement, however shoes do vary between the quality of materials used for the actual vulcanized rubber. As can be seen in the pictures, the rubber of the shoe worn down to a black layer, showing that there is another layer of protection underneath. This made the shoe’s grip stable and didn’t falter despite it getting worn down. The grip of the sole was good too; it features the triangle tread pattern and no blowout spots occurred through our weartest. Boardfeel of the shoe was good; the G6 insole flattens out much more in the first third of the shoe and the midsole itself is fairly thin, which provided for a responsive board feel for the feet.

Comfort and Stability

The comfort of a skateboard shoe is mainly influenced by its inner construction, weight and breathability. The inner construction of the Dickson is well designed for a comfortable fit, and the tongue is also held in position with big centering straps. With that said, the weight and breathability of the shoe do leave a negative impression after skating on a hot day. The shoe is heavy and does not leave much room for moisture to ventilate out of the shoe. The stability is influenced by how the shoe is keeping its shape as well as how the shoe hugs the foot. Both were positive features of the Dickson, resulting in a good comfort. The step-in area is well designed and the feeling is well supported by a stiffening element which helps to have a secure feeling.

Summary

The Emerica Dickson stands out due its great durability, boardfeel and grip, solidifying it’s status as one of the top vulcanized skateboard shoes on the market. The flaws noticed was the shoe’s weight and the breathability.

Check out Parade.com to get a pair. 

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Sizing

The shoe fits true to size.

Durability

The Rowan Pro has two major elements when it comes to durability, the sole and the upper. The sole is very thick in the forefoot area which not only increases the flick but also proves to be very durable. The thickness of the sole in the side area helps to protect the upper from wear. The upper elements are triple stitched which helps to keep the individual panels together structurally. With that said, even triple stitched uppers tend to rip as the suede wears down. Due to the thick sole construction and the low cut, the griptape from the board barely touches the suede upper. This was shown in our 10 hour test, in which the upper of the forefoot area shows only minor signs of wear. In addition, Vans used their established Duracap technology, which is a rubber layer of reinforcement below the suede, so even if the suede has a hole, there is an additional layer to protect and prolong durability. All in all, the durability of the Rowan was exceptional.

Cushioning

Typically, the Vans Pro Skate line uses Ultracush HD technology for cushioning. With the Vans Rowan Pro, they’ve introduced a new cushioning technology called PopCush. The sole is very thin, as usual for  vulcanized construction, and the PopCush is a thick insole foam. This helps keep the flexibility of the sole high while providing  foam cushioning elements. All in all, having a foam insole definitely has advantages for vulcanized soles and it is definitely proven with the Rowan Pro.

Shape

The Rowan has a slim silhouette and an almost mid-cut shape. The midfoot area goes almost parallel towards the toe area and ends up in a rather pointed end.

Board Feel & Grip

There are high expectations when it comes to boardfeel and grip for Vans shoes. As mentioned, the sole itself is very thin, and in combination with the wide sole thread pattern, the shoe is actually very flexible. The Rowan takes one to two sessions to break in, before providing the full capacity of the boardfeel. Once the full flexibility is given, the sole adapts well to the concave and increases the surface of the sole touching the griptape. Vans uses a new rubber compound called SickStick. Mainly focusing on increased durability, the Rowan Pro did not show too much of a difference to previous Vans models in regards to grip.

Comfort and Stability

The Rowan has a very good stability but compromises on comfort. The higher cut in the heel area combined with the padding in the heel area secure the foot very well. Next to that, the midfoot and toe area have lots of layers which increase stability as well as the high taper vulcanized sole, which in turn makes the shoe very stable. A clean inner construction provides maximal comfort, however, it does compromise the breathablility of the shoe. It uses more mesh canvas material in the midsection and inner toe, and as a result, is one layer less thicker than the suede covering the outer toe and heel. This does help make it a bit more breathable, but the foot still stores a lot of heat.

Summary

The Rowan is a solid addition to the Vans product line, as it features a clean silhouette backed by new technologies like SickStick and Popcush. The durability, cushioning and comfort were a hit, but boardfeel and grip could use a bit more attention and fine-tuning to ensure maximal performance right out the box.

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Size

The New Balance Numeric 306 fits true to size.

Durability

The durability of a vulcanized shoe has three major structural components which includes the upper, the lateral outsole and the sole. After our weartest, it’s safe to say that the durability of the New Balance Numeric 306’s upper is incredible. For this model, New Balance Numeric used a high quality suede which resulted in almost no visible signs of wear. Secondly, one of the main design and technical elements of the shoe is the usage of a reinforcement band that’s visible on the lateral side oft he shoe. This band stretched around the upper and also serves as a second layer of defense underneath the suede in the toe area; even if the suede would get an ollie-hole there is another layer of protection underneath. The shape of the toe‘s upper panel is also designed quite cleverly. It covers the ollie-area very well and the stitching is so far stretched to the midfoot area that it’s far from direct griptape contact and prevents the stitching from ripping. All in all, the upper durability of the New Balance Numeric 306 is excellent. In addition, the lateral outsole proved to be quite surprising. Usually, it is one of the first areas to show wear, however, the outsole material held up very well. In combination with the upper, these two elements make a extremely good durability. With that said, the sole showed clear signs of wear. In our 10 hours test there was a decrease in grip, but this area will be the first one to get worn down compared tot he other components oft he shoe. To sum up, the durability of the New Balance Numeric 306 is quite an amazing package for a vulcanized shoe.

Cushioning 

Jamie Foy’s pro model’s sole construction is a modern vulcanized sole. It has a very thin outsole and the cushioning element is essentially a basic foam sockliner. This is a good way of adding a cushioning element to a vulc shoe, allowing for both cushioning but also maximizing boardfeel. The sole can absorb regular impacts from flatground and medium sized gaps with no problem. It is a vulcanized sole with typical vulcanized cushioning but has the advantages of a cupsole in regards to the support of the foot. The sockliner has a solid thickness with the aim of offering a softer feeling of cushioning for the heel. Overall, the cushioning of the shoe was average.

Shape

The shape of the New Balance Numeric 306 is classic with a well rounded toe box. The silhouette is not as slim as the usual vulcanized shoe due to padding in the heel area. As a result, the shoe fits very well in both the heel area and the toe area, hugging closely to close to the foot. The model offers more space the midfoot section, which is perfect if you have a wider feet.

Boardfeel and Grip

New Balance Numeric sole construction can be described as a classic vulcanization; it features a very thin sole with a big lateral outsole. The foam sockliner increases the cushioning, reducing the boardfeel slightly, however, since the toe area’s sockliner thins out, there is not too much supporting material between board and foot, which was great for flip tricks. The grip was solid due to its flexibility in the forefoot. A vulcanized sole usually adapts better to the grip tape over time, which does help increase the effectiveness of grip.

Comfort and Stability

When it comes down to comfort, the silhouette of the shoe provides a very good foothold for a vulcanized shoe. When worn and skated, the foot feels extremely secure in the heel area because it has a rather high cut design around the ankle which also features additional padding. Breathability was average and the inner design is quite minimal, so there is no risk of pressure points. Even though cushioning wasn’t fully focused on, the vulcanized construction lives up to a great feel of stability. The shoe has an inner and outer heel counter, and the sidewalls are reinforced with a strap. Not to mention, the toe area has three layers of structural material. All these elements result in an excellent stability.

Summary

Jamie Foy’s vulcanized New Balance Numeric 306 pro model exceeds in durability, stability and boardfeel, however the grip and cushioning elements of the shoe can be seen as minor flaws.

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When it comes to skateboard wheel brands, Spitfire has undoubtedly held it down since day one. As one of the most dominant wheel brands in the market, Spitfire has seasoned experience in developing the best wheel formulas that can handle heavy shredding. We used their portfolio of wheels as a reference for this buying guide and also tested Spitfire’s newest wheel additions over a span of two months, which included the Spitfire Tablet Shape Formula Four 52mm in two different durometers, 99 Duros and 101Duros.

Material

The material composite that the wheel is made from is the important and currently the industry standard is the use of a plastic polymer called polyurethane. The advantage of using polyurethane as the main composite is the ability to control the variation of hardness; this means with different blends, the wheels can be fine-tuned to achieve different skateboarding performance properties like slide ability, response, and durability. Spitfire Tablet wheels are made out of a special polyurethane which Spitfire has termed Formula four.

The choice of material correlates with the durability and lifespan of the wheel. The durability of a wheel can be evaluated with two aspects – flatspot resistance and it’s ability not to chunk out.  Flatspots are related to the slide-ability of a wheel, the better it slides the less risk for flatspots because there is less friction between wheels and ground. The Spitfire Tablets did not show any flatspots in our two month test because they have very good slide characteristics on flatground due to the Formula Four material. The second aspect to keep in mind when testing durability performance, is how the inside of the wheel holds up when grinding. Usually when grinding on ledges with sharp metal edges (e.g. crooked grinds), the inside of the wheel will show cuts and chunks. However, the Spitfire Tablets did not show signs of wear except for a couple marks.

The Spitfire Tablets come in two different hardness grades, which are termed 99Duro and 101Duro. The advantage of the harder 101Duros is that they feel very smooth and fast on nice even grounds ground (e.g. skateparks), but on rough grounds the wheels feel more shock-direct because they can’t dampen out the crusty parts of a chunky ground. The softer 99Duros Tablets make a slower impression on smooth grounds, but have a noticeably improved feeling on rough grounds because they have more margin for cushioning over the uneven bits of the ground.

Shape

The conical shape of a wheel is another characteristic that’s often brushed aside. There is a clear difference in performance when it comes to a wheel’s riding surface and width. The riding surface has direct contact with the ground, while the width is more relevant in terms of sliding and grinding. Compared to other Spitfire shapes, the Spitfire Tablets have an average riding surface but a rather skinny width. The 52mm Tablets have a width of 29mm and riding surface of 20mm, where as the 52mm Radials have a width of 32.5mm and a riding surface of 19mm.

The Spitfire Tablets feel like skinny wheels with a wide riding surface; they don’t feel as slick as a regular slim shaped wheel, because the riding surface of the wheel provides enough friction with the ground. This is especially the case on smooth ground, where a larger majority of the wheel’s surface area is touching the ground, which increases the drag. On crusty grounds the surface area helps to ride over the crusty bits and give a smoother ride.

Different shapes also result in a weight difference. A Tablet wheel weighs 53 grams, where as a Radial wheel weighs 56 grams. No doubt, the difference is not significant when it comes to just one wheel, but if you sum up all four wheels, in combination with lightweight trucks, the difference is noticeable.

The shape of a wheel comes into factor for slides and grinds, as it provides a lock in. The Spitfire tablets have a straight, edge-like shape so the lock-in is very good. Usually on slides, there is more friction with a straight wheel since the whole side of the straight edge wheel can slow you down. There slightly noticeable slower slide characteristics with the Tablets but the Formula Four composite helps.

Size

The last aspect of a critical component of a wheel is its size. The size of the wheels influence the pop. A 54 mm wheel makes the whole board higher from the ground, which means there is more pressure needed to push down on the tail or nose to get the pop needed, compared to a 50 mm wheels. Smaller wheels make the board closer to the ground for a more responsive and quick pop but also result in less lock-in. We tested the Spitfire Tablets in 52mm, however they are also available from size 51-55 mm.

Summary

The Spitfire Tablets are good for a smooth ride, they have characteristics of wide wheels with a big riding surface but still offer an exceptionally good lock-in due to its stright shape.

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This is how the HUF brand intro described word for word at www.hufworldwide.com. Born out of a skate shop, HUF soon quickly conquered the skate industry and established themselves as a rather underground brand over time, while piquing the interests of the fashion industry. HUF’s strength lies in their ability to bring together like-minded characters who share an interest and passion for skateboarding, not as a hobby, but as a lifestyle.

This passion is reflected by the details in their products and design. Starting with apparel, Keith Hufnagel saw an opportunity to start a footwear program with premium design, combined with modern functional details. Made by skateboarders, for skateboarders, HUF represents not only a more refined and forward-thinking skateboard brand, but also the individual inspired by the vast array of countercultures that parallel the skateboard mentality. The authentic nature of HUF soon became the momentum to push the brand to the forefront of skateboard footwear design, especially with their popular team rider Dylan Rieder and Austin Gillette signature models. No matter how large the scale of business became, HUF was able to work with their rider’s directly to take a hands-on approach of design for skateboard footwear; notably the progressive design details like incorporating dress-like styles with skateboard functionality. Yet, what came as a surprise to many, Keith Hufnagel announced on the Nine Club Show that HUF will be focusing primarily on apparel from 2020 onwards (adding even additional team rider), reducing their attention towards the footwear portfolio. The skate team will be the same but with less focus on footwear.

Over the years, we’ve had a number of opportunities to get the first inisder’s look into HUF’s newest shoe silhouettes for reviews. We want to take this opportunity to thank the HUF brand for supporting Weartested, as we reviewed the HUF Southern back in 2012 and over the years we were able to review eight other models, such as the progressive Dylan and Gillette designs. There is no doubt that HUF has created a legacy in their footwear portfolio, and we’ve been blessed to capture their progression with our review. For a peek into the most historical HUF designs of skateboard footwear, check out our reviews from the past.

HUF Southern

The HUF Southern is a slim and solid vulcanized shoe. It features increased Ollie-area durability, good boardfeel, grip and craftsmanship. Minor flaws are the weight and the only average durability of the sole unit.

HUF Galaxy

The HUF Galaxy proves that a skate shoe does not have to be unnecessarily complicated. Apart from minor weaknesses such as the durability of the sole patterns and rather average cushioning, the Galaxy is completely convincing, particularly through its general durability, its flick and very good form stability.

HUF Dylan

The HUF Dylan does not only feature a very interesting and bold design, it also excels when it comes down to durability, which is far beyond industry standard. Boardfeel, grip and stability are great as well. However, its really slim shape and average (at best) cushioning, were some elements we were not too fond of.

HUF Classic lo

The HUF Classic is a low cut and extremely durable vulcanized model. The shoe scores when it comes to grip, boardfeel and its’ extremely durable rubber toe cap. Minor weaknesses are its’ lack of cushioning and stability for the model.

HUF Gillette

The HUF Gillette features not only one of the most developed designs in the skateboard industry, it also excels when it comes down to durability, which is far beyond industry standards. Boardfeel, grip and stability are the strength’s of the shoe as well. Its below average cushioning and comfort, were some elements we were not too fond of.

HUF Hupper 2

The HUF Hupper 2 is a wonderful addition to the HUF footwear line and packages some innovative design elements into a minimal silhouette. The shoe killed the game in durability, stability and grip, but leaves us wishing for more when it came to cushioning and comfort. 

HUF Clive

The HUF Clive is a perfect addition to the HUF portfolio. Underneath its clean and simple silhouette turns out to be a well thought layout of technical elements. In summary, durability, boardfeel and grip are all above average but one element of the shoe that needs improvement is the cushioning.

HUF Cromer 2

The HUF Cromer 2 features a simplistic design, it excels when it comes down to durability, which is surpasses the industry’s standards for low cut vulcanized shoes. Boardfeel, grip and stability are also the strength’s of the shoe. However, the below average cushioning and comfort, were points of weakness that could be better improved.

HUF Dylan Slip On

The classic silhouette of the HUF Dylan Slip On has a strong focus on boardfeel and grip,  also we evaluate the durability positively but falls short on heel stability and cushioning.

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Sizing

The HUF Dylan Slip On fits true to size.

Durability

The HUF Dylan Slip On features an all suede upper that lasted incredibly during the whole 10 hour test period, despite a small hole appearing in the Ollie-area. The durability of the shoe is definitely good; the quality of suede that HUF chose to use for this shoe is no doubt one of the better quality suedes we have skated. Moreover, the toebox area consists of a rather large panel, which held up very well against the abuse of the griptape. The stitching used to hold the panels together are located in the sidewall area where it is well protected from griptape abuse.

Cushioning

The cushioning of the HUF Dylan Slip On is minimalistic. The cut clearly shows that it is a combination of a thin sole construction, combined with a thick foam insole. The sole itself is still too thin though, which decreases its cushioning abilities. To counter that, HUF uses a thicker foam insole, which increases in thickness as it tapers towards the heel. This design does improve cushioning, but still, all the stair jumpers will be left without much protection.

Shape

Shape is a crucial design element for the HUF Dylan Slip On. The shoe fits how it looks; it is very tight and long. Its entry area is really slim as well, but the shoe does widen out towards the mid-foot-area. The toebox itself is slim and pointy; overall, people with slim feet will enjoy this model much more.

Boardfeel and grip

Since the shoe doesn’t over-do it when it comes to cushioning, the boardfeel of the shoe shines. The sole throughout the whole toebox and frontal area is really thin, which in combination with its great grip, leads to great contact with the board. Grip did not decrease throughout our 10-hr test. The sole features a special HUF sole pattern which is very flexible so the shoe can really cover a large surface area on the griptape which increases grip.

Comfort and stability

The HUF Dylan Slip On leaves nothing to be desired when it comes to comfort. Since it is slim cut, it fits your foot very well. The inner construction of the slip on is minimalistic, which helps that there are no pressure points. Regarding stability, the Dylan Slip On performed average. Although, HUF has used high quality suede that holds up the shoe’s shape and structure very well, the heel area lacks a bit of support.

Summary

The classic silhouette of the HUF Dylan Slip On has a strong focus on boardfeel and grip,  and the durability of the shoe was extremely positive, but the construction falls a bit short on heel stability and cushioning.

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