2 Archives - Weartested - detailed skate shoe reviews

Vans Crockett Pro 2

Edan Qian — Wed, 22 Mar 2017 21:35:23 +0000

Gilbert Crockett came through and grabbed everyone’s attention in 2008 with his part in Fallen’s Ride The Sky video. Back then, a young Gilbert Crockett hadn’t fully matured into the style you see today, but it was plain and simple to see the kid’s skating was timeless. Since that video, Gilbert’s been through some changes; he left Fallen and joined Vans, was added to the heavy hitting Alien Workshop roster, then after Alien Workshop disbanded, he hopped on board with AW teammates Jake Johnson and Tyler Bledsoe to the Mother collective which ultimately changed it’s name to Quasi Skateboards. Amid these changes, one thing has been consistent; Gilbert has continuously been releasing parts, reminding us all that once the dust settles, his skating, his style and his raw energy resonates louder than which company he rides for. If you don’t know what we’re referring to, just look him up on Youtube and watch his “Doin’ Thangs”, “Old Diminion”, “Cellout”, and “Salt Life” parts, then wash it down with his Vans Propeller part. Gilbert’s undeniable work ethic and respectable skate rat passion had earned himself a Vans pro model in 2014, only to be followed up by another second pro model this year, the Gilbert Crockett Pro 2, designed fittingly for Gilbert’s raw energy and style on the board. The Gilbert Crockett Pro 2 was just released, and we were given the oppurtunity to put the shoes to the test. Read on below to see how the Gilbert Crockett Pro 2 performed in our 10 hour weartest.

Sizing

The Vans Gilbert Crockett Pro 2 fits true to size.

Durability

Instead of a full suede upper that was featured on the Gilbert Crockett 1, the Vans Gilbert Crockett Pro 2 features a canvas upper that is updated with a high quality suede toe cap to combat wear and tear when it comes to abrasion from griptape. Similar to the Gilbert Crockett 1 and also the previously weartested Kyle Walker Pro, the Crockett Pro 2 features Vans highly renowned Duracap within this suede toe cap area. After cutting the shoe open, the Duracap is highly visible and works great for not only acting as a second layer of defense once the suede wears out, but also maintaining structure and preventing the toe from becoming floppy as seen in many other shoes. During the weartest, the durability of the shoe was fair; the suede toe-cap held up extremely well against flick tricks, and barely shown any signs of wear. However, one aspect of the shoe that wore down quite fast were the seams that attached the suede toecap to the canvas upper. After a few sessions, the seams were ripped and the canvas upper opened up a bit, which directed more abuse towards the upper itself. Moreover, the seams that held the eyelets with the canvas upper also ripped open, which caused the smaller Vans logo tag to fall off. An update on the shoe that wasn’t featured on the Crockett 1 is a screened on Vans logo as opposed to a stitched on logo; this was useful since it directed a lot more abrasion towards the eyelets (which were canvas holes and not metal) and also the suede toecap. All in all, the strongest part of the shoe when it came to durability was Vans’ Duracap infused suede toecap, which barely wore down, and had no open ollie or kickflip holes.

Cushioning

Although the shoe itself looks like a vulcanized model upon first impression, the Gilbert Crockett 2 is actually a cupsole model, using Vans’ highly celebrated Wafflecup Construction. This wafflecup construction has been found in many of Vans’ more recent models including the Kyle Walker Pro. The aim of this Wafflecup construction is to hybridize the best of both vulcanized and cupsole models, giving us exceptional cushioning without sacrificing boardfeel. The shoe also uses the Ultracush HD insole, which has definitely been a highlight of the cushioning when it came to the Crockett 2. The insole itself is more than a centimeter thick around the heel area and tapers down drastically towards the toes to provide optimal boardfeel. When it came to the test, the cushioning was not a problem for small to mid level sets; the heel was extremely stable and secure and skating the shoe jumping down sets didn’t hurt the heels at all.

Shape

Despite all the technical elements of the shoe, the Gilbert Crockett Pro 2 is quite minimal. There isn’t too much padding on the interior of the shoe, most of the focus when it comes to protection seems to be around the last third of the shoe where the heel is. With that said, the weight distribution of the shoe is significantly heavier in the heel area, and gets much lighter in the first third of the shoe. The shape of the shoe is quite similar to the Era Pro, where the toe tapers a bit at a point and then rounds out. Surprisingly, the shoe was a good fit for those who have wider feet; the shoe looks like a minimal vulcanized construction from the outside, but when worn, there was a lot of room and didn’t feel too cramped.

Boardfeel and grip

The boardfeel of the Gilbert Crockett 2 was much better than expected, especially for a cupsole model. As aforementioned, the Ultracush HD insole tapers down towards the first third of the shoe, where padding is enough for optimal boardfeel and a little bit of cushioning protection for the balls of your feet. Sometimes boardfeel is drastically affected when cushioning is overcompensated to prevent heel and toe bruises, but the Crockett Pro 2 had a very nice balance between the two. As for grip, the primary technical element of the shoe that provided for exceptional grip was the Wafflecup construction, which had an extremely grippy outsole that performed better and better with more wear. Moreover, a lot of the direct griptape abuse came in contact with the outsole first, which explains why the suede toe cap was barely worn down. If anything, the shoe was almost too grippy right out of the box, but after breaking the shoes in, the flicks and ollies wear down certain strike zones of the shoe and hone in on providing exceptional grip tailored to the way you skate.

Comfort and stability

Stability was fair. As aforementioned, we could tell from the weight distribution of the shoe, much more focus was put towards stability and cushioning in the heel. There was a strong inside heel counter made out of a thick rubber composite that helped very much with stabilizing the heel. Unfortunately, the shoe didn’t have elastic tongue straps to help secure the tongue and hold the feet in place to be protected by the padded tongue. As a result, there were many times during the weartest where the tongue would slip to the left and right while skating. All in all, the shoe was still comfortable to wear; the padding from the Ultracush HD insole, tongue and the heel collar provided for a comfortable snug fit. The padding used in the heel collar and the tongue were both made out of the same foam composite and helped a bit with the breathability of the shoe, since a lot of heat from the dorsal surface of the feet needs to escape through the tongue. Unfortunately, apart from the two small holes on the medial side of the shoe, there wan’t much more for breathability. For those who often get sweaty feet from skating, the two small holes and foam composite from the tongue doesn’t help much to vent out the heat.

Summary

The Vans Gilbert Crockett Pro 2 is a seemingly low profile shoe that packs a heavy technical punch with Vans’ patented technologies. With thanks to the Wafflecup Construction, the shoe excels the most when it comes to cushioning, boardfeel and grip, but leaves more to be desired when it comes to durability.

The post Vans Crockett Pro 2 appeared first on Weartested - detailed skate shoe reviews.

Nike Koston 2

Christoph Dyckmans — Sun, 28 Jul 2013 16:58:40 +0000

At a certain age skateboarding becomes difficult to justify as a leisure activity, so it makes sense to look for other alternatives (at least as an alibi). We’ve seen skaters walk a parallel path with music, photography, and even woodworking. But how about golf? There are many examples of skateboard pros that find leisure in golfing, with one of the most famous ones being Eric Koston. Following Eric’s first Nike signature shoe, with a golf-tribute in the form of an abstracted golf hole flag on the toe cap, the new version takes it one step further. The source of inspiration for the Nike Eric Koston 2 is driven by a classic golf shoe design, whose details are successfully incorporated on this second Nike powerhouse installment. How the Koston 2 has proven off the green and on the board, can be read in the following review.

The Nike SB Koston 2 runs about a half size smaller, especially for people with wider feet. Therefore, try them on at a local skateshop you trust before buying them.

Durability

One of the eye catching features of the new Koston is the toe cap. It extends from the peak of the toe to the central area of the shoe and proves to be very durable due to the one-piece design. In addition, the model has a reinforced TPU layer bellow the upper layer. This abrasion-resistant polymer layer further increases the durability of the shoe.

The padded edge of the material in the transition area to the side panel protects the double seam by slightly cambering out. The welded swoosh, the shaft of suede, as well as the position of the ventilation holes were also designed with maximum durability in mind. This goal seems to have been pursued with every detail of the shoe, even with the laces. The close and far drawn back lacing effectively protects against griptape contact.

The lateral part of the sole also offers good durability and is relatively high in relation to the rest of the shoe. After the 10 hour test period, first wear and tear marks are visible in the kickflip area. The profile of the sole shows no abrasion except for slight wearing spots in the ball of the foot area.

Cushioning

The Lunarlon technology has successfully made the transition from the running department to Nike’s skate shoe models.

The used insole has a large height difference between the forefoot and heel. This provides great board feel in the relevant front third. Simultaneously, the heel is reliably protected against bruises by the thick foam layer in the posterior part of the shoe. However, the toe area is exposed to greater shocks due to a compromise in favor of board feel.

Form

The Koston 2 has a narrow and flat silhouette that fits close to the foot. The long toe cap is divided by stitches and the shoe tapers in the front third very clearly into an arrow-shaped peak.

After a short adaptation phase, fliptricks could be very well controlled and the model provides a very good flick overall.

Board feel and grip

As aforementioned, board feel was obviously one of the main priorities in creating the Koston 2. In particular, the frontal section, which is relevant for board feel, provides minimal cushioning but high flexibility allowing a very direct contact with the board. This improves as wear time increases. The ability of the sole to optimally adapt to the board concave supports both the board feel and grip of the shoe with the outer edges of the shoe barely noticeable. The slightly modified sole pattern of the Koston 2, like its predecessor, has very good grip.

This grip develops fully after one or two sessions and provides an extremely secure and balanced feeling. The sole does not have quite the “sticky” grip compared to some vulcanized soles, but seems to be much more durable based on the test duration of 10 hours.

Comfort and stability

The Nike Koston 1 has partly redefined the bar regarding the comfort of a skate shoe. Accordingly, the expectations were high for Eric’s newest model and the Koston 2 meets and exceeds it in many ways. The inner neoprene-like material found in the Eric Koston 1 was kept and used, but the heel was completely re-designed. This new improvement provides a very soft opening for the achilles tendon and a curved reinforcing element which has its roots in Nike’s running models. The result is an arched window near the heel of the shoe topped off with an added mesh insert for ventilation. The shoe fits very close around the heel and slipping out of it is almost impossible.The ventilation overall, however, is contradictory: on one hand the tongue made of coarse mesh material offers prime breathability, but on the other hand the ventilation holes on the side panels are not stamped through the TPU layer, which becomes a problem as the toe cap area is very airtight, and the heat created has no exit point. As for the Koston 2’s stability, it’s above average: despite the low cut and the soft heel, the model still manages to provide a secure and protective feeling with an excellent fit and almost perfect heel hold. Moreover, the solid rubber wedge in the middfoot area of the sole helps to protect against primo landings.

Summary

The Nike Koston 2 is an innovative cupsole model with good durability and grip, as well as a strong focus on board feel, fit and comfort. A weakness is the lack of ventilation.

The post Nike Koston 2 appeared first on Weartested - detailed skate shoe reviews.

Emerica Hsu 2 Low review

Clemens Dyckmans — Mon, 25 Jun 2012 13:07:14 +0000

Due to some changes, the Emerica Hsu 2 Low has been tested in late 2011 but it took until now to publish the review. The long waiting time was hopefully worth it, the model itself definitely is. Thanks to Sole Tech Europe for the test samples.

PDF file:Emerica Hsu 2 Low review

Intro

If you can’t reinvent the wheel, try to improve it. Maybe that’s what the Emerica designers and Jerry Hsu thought for his second pro model. The ever-present controversy of too many new skate shoes looking like the same old classics is of cause still relevant, but why not stick to something that works? On one hand, Jerry’s second Emerica model bears quite a resemblance to the Converse Chuck Taylor and Jack Purcell silhouettes, but on the other, it is in no way a blatant rip-off. To much has been changed or even improved – basically, all that remains is the iconic toebox design. Whether the Hsu 2 Low can live up to, or even exceed, the shoes it has been inspired by can be read in the following review.

The Emerica Hsu 2 Low fits true to size.

Durability

The overall impression of the Hsu 2 low is that it is very durable. The relatively fine and shallow herringbone pattern of the sole started to develop flat areas after 5 hours of skating, which is quite early. After the full 10-hour test, parts of the front were completely worn down. This flaw will reduce the lifespan of the shoe.

Normally, when the sole profile is reduced in this way, it results in decreased grip, which surprisingly wasn’t the case with this shoe. On the contrary, the white side part of the sole turned out to be very durable. Even after 10 hours of skating with a newly gripped deck, the original border between sole and upper in the front was not worn down – a clear sign of durability. The use of the new Soletech fusion technology ensured that all parts of the sole unit remained attached to each other, and no disassembly was observed. The upper also turned out to be very durable. Due to the “stitch and turn” assembly of the toebox piece, which hides the sensitive stitching, and the use of very thick suede, the upper basically remained as good as new and completely intact. Another observation regarding the durability was the long-lasting laces. Although they seem very exposed at first sight, the relatively tight lacing system, due to the wide cut, meant that the edge of the eyestay came into most contact with the griptape, not the laces themselves. They only ripped towards the end of the test. Another nice little detail is the lengthened eyestay, which protects the sensitive, towel-like material of the inner lining at the collar so it doesn’t fray. Save for the aforementioned weakness of the bottom of the sole, the Hsu 2 low offers excellent durability.

Cushioning

Although it doesn’t feature a special cushioning element, the Hsu 2 is able to dampen even harder landings, and especially bails, quite well. This is because of a full-length PU midsole (white in the lateral cut). Combined with the removable insole – a Soletech “STI PU Foam Lite level 3” footbed – it is able to provide a secure feeling while skating and help prevent injuries like heel bruises.

Shape

The overall shape of the Emerica Hsu 2 is broad with a round toebox. It has a noticeable peak,which helps the shoe offer an excellent flick. If the laces are tied loosely, the full width of the bulky shoe comes to light. A slimmer and more streamlined look can be easily achieved by tightening the laces.

Boardfeel

As can be seen in the lateral cut, the foot sits relatively close to the ground, especially in the front where the PU foam is thinner. This results in a great, well-balanced boardfeel, which has a good compromise between feel and cushioning. On one hand, the Hsu 2 offers direct contact with the board in the front, while maintaining enough damping abilities in the heel area to absorb the forces that occur when bailing.

Grip

The new fusion-grip sole unit offers both excellent grip of the bottom sole and flickwhile doing flip tricks. Although the fine-structured classic herringbone pattern, as previously mentioned, doesn’t last too long, the sole is still able to provide good grip. Normally, soles without patterns tend to lose a lot of their original grip, but this is not the case with the Hsu 2 low.

Breathability

Regarding air flow, the model’s abilities are limited. It features two large metal eyelets on the inside sidewall, which allow for some breathability, and a woven canvas tongue that should allow more hot air to escape the shoe than suede or leather. Unfortunately, the rather thick sidewalls and amount of padding cause an isolation effect, so the overall breathability of the Emerica Hsu 2 is only average.

Comfort

Nowadays These days, the comfort of skate shoes isn’t necessary related to the amount of padding they have, but at the same time, a bit more doesn’t hurt either. The padding of the Hsu 2 is somewhat middle of the road with medium padding in the collar and a slightly broader tongue. These result in a very comfortable shoe that also offers extra protection against hits from the board. The problem of rubbing caused by tongue-centering straps has been solved in this shoe by making them very short: they are attached to the sidewall instead of the base of the shoe. The inner lining features some stitched areas, but they turned out to be flat enough so they weren’t noticeable and didn’t affect the comfort in any negative way.

Support

The Hsu 2 low is a great example for a supportive low-top skate shoe. It features a rigid heel area that stabilizes the foot and features great heel lock. The reason for that is the sturdy plastic reinforcement, which can be seen as the white line in the cross section. The rather bulky design with medium padding holds the foot in place and feels very secure, especially when tightly laced. At the same time, it doesn’t reduce freedom of ankle movement or boardfeel, so it’s an overall very balanced design. In combination with the impact-dampening aspects, it turns out to be a capable challenger of most vulcanized styles on the market, which normally don’t score very well in these areas.

Summary

Apart from a slight durability flaw, the Emerica Hsu 2 low is a great example of a well-balanced skate model. It combines great boardfeel, flick and grip with a lot of support.

The post Emerica Hsu 2 Low review appeared first on Weartested - detailed skate shoe reviews.

Upcoming: Emerica Hsu 2 low

Clemens Dyckmans — Sat, 05 Nov 2011 09:12:22 +0000

The second project for my new employer after the Lakai Linden (I can’t show a picture of those yet) will be the Emerica Hsu 2 low, a new model for 2012. Expect the review at newsstands all over the world and on the internet in January…

The post Upcoming: Emerica Hsu 2 low appeared first on Weartested - detailed skate shoe reviews.

What’s next: Lakai Puig 2

Clemens Dyckmans — Fri, 02 Jul 2010 18:12:42 +0000

I’m currently working on a MadeForSkate review about the Lakai Puig 2 that will be published in Place Magazine later this year. I’m a fan of the Lakai XLK soles ( Mike Mo review is coming in late July) and the Puigs are also very promising so far.

The post What’s next: Lakai Puig 2 appeared first on Weartested - detailed skate shoe reviews.