High Quality PDF file: DC Mike Mo review

„I basically wanted it to fit like a running shoe“. These were the words spoken of Mike Mo Capaldi as he described his new DC Pro-model shoe; proven to be quite fitting in more ways than one. Technology-wise, shoes from other sport disciplines seem to be light-years ahead of skateboarding. This may be partly due to the skeptical nature skateboarders have towards innovations, at least when it comes down to equipment.

But this barrier seems to be crumbling. The tech-revival is coming, but this time with more finesse, subtle features and slimmer silhouettes. Spearheading this trend is DC´s new model, the Mike Mo, which features a sock-like inner shoe and a fused upper. Whether or not it can compete with the comfort of running shoes and its overall performance can be read in the following article.

Sizing

The DC Mike Mo fits rather small due to its slim fit; people with wide feet should go up half a size.

Durability

When observing the upper material of the DC Mike Mo, it’s evident they put a lot of thought into the design. The layers are fused instead of sewn together.

This results in an upper with superior durability due to the lack of stitching. After 10 hours of skating, abrasion is minimal with hardly any noticeable and the TPU layer below the suede assures an even longer lifespan once the upper is worn down.

The lower three eyelets are slightly recessed compared to the rest of the eyestay. This proved to be an effective counter measurement against lace breakage. However, the remaining eyelets are quite exposed to griptape abrasion and ripped through several time during the test.  Another noteworthy detail is the thicker, bulky shaft-area, which helps protect the lining and the mesh-tongue when doing heelflips. One of the few weak points of the shoe is the lack of durability of the soft sidewalls of the sole. It provides amazing flick, but also wears down fast. The bottom sole didn´t show any completely worn down areas. The complete thread pattern is in good condition for a test duration of 10 hours and sustained its grip.

Cushioning

The foamed „Unilite“ midsole of the DC Mike Mo provides great cushioning in the heel area. It is able to dampen most landings and bails quite good. However, the midsole in the frontal part of the shoe is rather thin, which provides great boardfeel but compromises cushion dampening.

As a result, forefoot bails can still cause a fair amount of pain, but all in all the cushioning the DC Mike Mo is still superior to most other skate shoes.

Shape

The DC Mike Mo fits snug and tight, thanks to the almost sock-like inner shoe. It features a slim and low silhouette, with the widest area around the lower eyelets. The toebox tapers to a quite pointy peak and offers outstanding flick and control when doing flip-tricks.

Boardfeel and Grip

Due to the very thin sole in the forefoot area, the Mike Mo provides great boardfeel that can be compared to most vulc models available right now. The gaps in the midsole layer that can be seen in the cross-section lead to better adaption of the sole to the concave and cause a more direct contact between the foot and the board.

The grip is very good as well. The new DC thread pattern that features the improved grooved pillow design offers great traction right out of the box and is furthermore quite durable. The mentioned flexibility of the outsole is increasing the traction further by ensuring a large area of contact between sole and deck.

Comfort and Stability

DC´s goal to develop a comfortable skate shoe is undoubtedly reached. One of the main reasons is the „shoe in shoe“ concept. The upper material is essentially wrapped around an inner sock, which offers superior comfort compared to a standard lining design. The tongue is sewn to the sidewalls and thereby centering straps are unnecessary. As a result the step in comfort is majorly increased. Great importance was also attached to breathability.

The tongue is made of a very open, breathable mesh and the thin padding of the inside is additionally perforated. Moreover, major parts of the medial sidewall and parts of the toebox features perforations, which are stamped through the whole upper and TPU layer. As a result, hot air and moisture are actually able to leave the shoe. Another smart detail is the soft cutout around the Achilles tendon on the highest point of the collar. It prevents blisters and allows more freedom of movement.

The heel reinforcement of the Mike Mo provides great support and fits snugly. The whole heel is slightly bent towards the peak of the shoe, which causes great heel lock. Even though it features a rather low cut, the Mike Mo is able to provide a stable and secure feeling.

Summary

The DC Mike Mo shows hardly any weaknesses and provides good boardfeel, durability, comfort and breathability.

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DC

After its hiatus in mediocrety in recent years and after probably the best footwear-brand-comback ever, DC keeps going strong. New models for fall 13 include Nyjah Huston’s first signature style, a solid cupsole that keeps it simple, but doesn’t look boring. Wes Kremer will receive a pro model as well (not pictured) that is vulcanised and nothing too exciting. The key styles of the DC line, the Cole Lite S, the recently released and soon to be reviewed Mike Mo, as well as the Mikey Taylor model got dipped in color and will come for example in fresh blue/yellow combos. Overall DC’s line features a lot of cupsole models, a noticeable trend for 2013.

The Cole lite S (top) and the new Nyjah Huston pro model (bottom).

The Mike Mo Capaldi signature shoe in some bold colorways.

Vans

Vans exhibited two of the trade show’s personal highlights, the Alien Workshop collaboration and the Chima Ferguson pro model. Additionally they presented Old Skools colored by Tyler the Creator infront of a larger-than-life wall print. Overall they will offer a more than solid line-up with revised classics and new silhouettes. The apparel looked very appealing as well with the upcoming AVE denim that is “made in USA” as the flagship of the collection.

Alien Workshop teamed up with Vans for a capsule collection. Dill’s Chukka boot features a tiny alien pattern and looks amazing.

Not sure who this guy is, but he colored some Old Skools for Vans.

The Chima Ferguson pro model. They are mostly canvas, but it’s TPU reinforced, which will improve durability up to usual skate shoe life time. The navy one is a personal favourite.

Emerica

Not sure what happened, but Emerica is doing things right lately. Both new Andrew Reynolds models, the high-top dropping in spring and the low in fall, are bullet-prof gap killers that seem highly capable of taking a beating. The Colin Provost model (not pictured) looks like a Reynolds Cruiser on first sight, but has a few smart features under the hood aka in the sole. The Heritic on the other hand is straight forward technical, but it’s still wrapped into a subtle design. The sole seemed a little stiff and bulky though. Breathability seems to be the new boundary to push for many brands, and Emerica is definitely at the peak of this new trend with the G6, the Reynolds and also the Heritic at first sight.

The Reynolds high-top, release is sceduled for spring 2013.

The new Heritic

The Reynolds low, fall 2013

Other Highlights:

Sweet Skateboards from Sweden had a booth with pick-and-mix candy and well-designed board graphics, you don’t need that much more.

For more behind the scenes pictures, the Nike SB 10 years exhibition opening as well as pictures of the “House of VANS” party, have a look at our Facebook page or follow us on Instagram (@weartested).

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High Quality PDF: The Lakai Mike Mo review

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