We Need To Talk About Soletech

[@JM_andtheArgonauts]

Happy New Year 🛹

[@dadboard]

Hey thanks so much, dude! 🙏

[@IntrinsicMotivation-ei4zt]

They look like my style. I have a wide foot and they are similar to Accel OG which I wear mostly.

[@Hi.Im.Levi.]

Hell yeah. I will say, I don’t get nostalgic to avoid existential dread. I just be doing them both at the same time

[@dadboard]

Man of culture

[@Hi.Im.Levi.]

@@dadboard❤ likewise. A rare treat to have a KZbin skate channel with critical thinking

[@_jay_dubya]

As an old guy who religiously skates the Accel OG, I agree with most of what you state in this video. When I first got back into skating I went through a lot of the currently popular skate shoes. I tried various styles of Vans, some NB's, a pair of Busenitz, and either Last Resorts or Lakias?. Out of curiosity, and of course nostalgia, I got a pair of Etnies Kingpins to try out. Immediately I felt cozy on my board again. And yes, those heelflips I've been battling came back with a vengeance! Ever since I've been back on the puffy shoes I've skated in the 90's my skating has gotten better, and I'm sure a large part of that is psychological. Yes, nostalgia played a huge part in my going that route, but it's also what I'm comfortable in while on the board. Can I skate thinner shoes? Yes. Do I like it? Absolutely not. Also, everytime I throw on a new pair I know that for my first few sessions I need to wear in my kickflip flick areas. Out of the box they suck for kickflips, but once worn in they're great! I usually get about three months out of a pair, retiring them once a hole in the bottom wears through. The suede usually holds up great though.

[@diplenski]

i been eyeing the kingpins too, they're like a puffier version of these minus the rubber ollie tab

[@diplenski]

i have a few videos on skate shoe/sole repair if you want to check them out. i prefer really worn skate shoes, i keep them on life support as long as i can until they practically fall off my feet. including, but not limited to, rebuilding fully worn through soles with bike tire tubes and shoe goo. i have other, new shoes. i'm frugal, but it's a bit more than that. kinda like how it feels weird to skate a christmas complete, it doesn't feel like my board. kinda similar with shoes i guess.

[@_jay_dubya]

@@diplenski I skated a few pairs of kingpins, but prefer the accel og for the similar price point. I also skated a couple pairs of faders, which weren't bad (similar to fader at a lower pricepoint)

[@_jay_dubya]

@@diplenski I'll definitely check them out! In the past I tried to shoe goo the hole, but it didn't work too well 😂

[@diplenski]

@@_jay_dubya i have one called 'skate shoe talk' from about a month ago, at the end there is a playlist of all previous shoe repair vids

[@BurtGummerrr]

I think with bigger pants theyd look better, which is what we wore then and what kids where now. These were my second pair of skate shoes and I knew even back then at 13 they were special and I'd always dig them. My first pair of skate shoes were also iconic. The Jason Lee Airwalks.

[@velvetblueco2422]

Skated vans for almost ten years. Started skating the muskas in the beginning of this past summer and told myself just get through the crucial break in period. And i must say once i got used to them after a solid 3-4 weeks the boardfeel improved and felt normal at that point. Flip tricks feel better, grip is good, cushioned midsole and thick padding so you can try tricks without thinking about fucking your feet up, which helped my confidence overall. Skating the Creagers now and got two extra pairs so i can skate this specific shoe for a long time. I absolutely have zero desire to skate thin shoes ever again. The thought makes me wince in pain for a split second lol Also, the mental factor of skating legendary skate shoes from my childhood just puts the biggest smile on my face every time i look down

[@timchenery8251]

The 'rant' section at the end was really well written. 👏

[@seanpacificrailroad3700]

I had about four pairs of these in the 90s. They are a great shoe.

[@BrandonBishop3030]

Nobody plays basketball in retro jordans because they are better than today’s basketball shoe. I don’t buy the retro skate shoes to skate in (probably sounds dumb) I get them cuz I like the way they look. I usually just have an extra pair in my trunk that I put on if I’m actually gonna skate somewhere. My level of skating is pretty low at this point but it’s fun to ride around w my kids and show them I can still Ollie and maybe a kick flip sometimes. Just my personal opinion and experience with this topic. All Love!!

[@lordleaf4534]

Wade does need a shoe, that his last primitive part was mesmerizing. Great video

[@dadboard]

Hes deserved one for years and all they gave him was a damn colorway 😒

[@Billiamkimber]

@@dadboardhe’s not been active enough. Tj has his pro model release in fall ‘25

[@incsk8]

Loved this. Specially the wife part lol😂

[@Stug138]

Awesome intro and outro 👏🛹🛹🛹 spot on review.

[@zerodicjcorez9173]

Sick vdo Dad Board, I also grewup sk8in in the late 80's and the 90's i had a lot of all the shoes then and remember i has the baby blue SLB's :-) Thing was then i remember we never tied are laces up and had them full fat width and tuck in the laces under the sole.. Used to work great maybe they have changed the size molds? I actually still have an un-sk8ed pair of the Black SLB's never sk8ed just worn a few times hahaha :-) great channel man, all the best

[@abelinkinxvi1735]

This lead me to buy the Accel OG Tom Penny for fashion and not specifically skating. I remember them being better, but I was also much younger in 98’ when I wore them last. Nostalgia definitely won, but durability is their strong suit.

[@shalabazertheboltstruck8645]

Dude your formats lately are top notch 👌

[@mhtate3626]

Excellent insight. Happy New Year, Dad Board.

[@progpunk76]

I had an OG pair of these back in the day. They lasted quite a long time. I got suckered into buying a new pair of these and I'm happy I did. I love the look of them and will be wearing them out to just look gooooood. Not skating them though. Forever a Kingpin skater for life.

[@DirtySk8RatStaney]

I could never go back to the shoes of my high school days…. I had these, I had the XLT’s, I had the Koston’s, the Reynolds, like I had a lot of iconic shoes. But the one thing they all had in common is they’re all cup sole. I’ve been on vulc for so long, and mainly slimmed out or slip on’s and I just wouldn’t be able to do it. I also wouldn’t like looking down at them. I think they’re awesome, but better left in my past honestly.

[@donalddavis2956]

I got sucked in buying a pair,but i had so many good memories as a teenager wearing these shoes and from what i can remember of wearing them all those years ago these new ones arent ass bulky as the old one and the bottoms feel like its stronger rubber

[@markprice2225]

I loved these shoes, both for skateboarding and just wearing out! Had the black, and this pair back in the day! ES was etnies skates to me, 23 For Life!

[@DavidBluetile]

Loved this video. Makes some solid points while still respecting the brand.

[@dadboard]

Much appreciated, David 🙏

[@ChrisWarsop]

Thanks so much for recognising these shoes used to be made by És! I had an OG pair in the 90s, but then bought a reissue in the early 2000s and was confused to find they were on Etnies, with all the marketing behaving like this was how it had always been. Gave me serious Mandela effect. My guess is they moved the brand to differentiate it from the similar (in both looks and status) Accel model. That would be an interesting comparison, actually...

[@castrot2701]

Nostalgia addicts = primary corporate marketing targets.

[@toneloke454]

its true, im a very nostalgic person, and all this stuff looks super cool to me. luckily ive been an adult for a while, so i dont buy needless things anymore......... 10 years ago though, i might have been broke from this shit.

[@mattmolloy636]

Meanwhile, we’re the target demographic who buys the least.

[@diplenski]

i still like etnies/soletech. my primary 2 pairs of skate shoes are etnies, but they're a few years old at this point. i love the wider toebox of etnies cupsoles for flip tricks

[@p0wersthatb469]

as someone with achilles problems its been nice switch these and the snakes out for blazers from time to time.

[@Wladislav]

As someone who doesn't feel and generally downright hates nostalgia baiting, I'm not sure entirely sure what you're getting at here. These companies literally cannot compete with the big sports brands on the technology and innovation front, and when they try, they lose all their money and go out of business. In the end, the old models people are willing to pay a premium for is all they have left. DC was resold again, and the remaining founders were ousted, Lakai is pretty much dead, and now Sole Tech themselves also had to sell to another company and are in the process of losing most if not all their remaining riders. This is what the big sports brands that were accepted by the skateboarding community have caused. The only remaining skater owned and operated shoe companies are the very small and limited ones, and none of them compete on innovation or technology.

[@dolphinitely_bro3944]

I love the Es two nine 8 those shoes might be the best shoes I have skated since getting back into skating. I have skated dunk sbs, blazer mids,tyshawn 1+2, es accel slim mid

[@danielwellner7004]

I llike the TJ 1s

[@dolphinitely_bro3944]

@danielwellner7004 the evant i think it was called, tom asta had a colorway of that shoe too. I recently got a pair, but havent skated them yet

[@Ernie_Creates]

This was a different video for you but I liked it. Thanks for taking the risk!

[@AdventuresInSkateboarding]

The production value of the start of this video is 💯

[@ZRuns94]

I'm a kinda rare example of someone who picked up skating for the very first time well into adulthood, so I can't relate to any nostalgia branding. But it's good to hear the perspective of someone who can lay out and analyze this corporate strategy.

[@dadboard]

Congrats on starting to skate! Hope you keep at it, dude. 👊

[@ginomarino3953]

I took Pair of my barefoot shoes took the soul off added EVA foam underneath took a pair of Osiris d3 2001 took that sole off and swapped them out made some alterations to make it more foot shape and fit in the the footshaped sole and let me tell you the board feel is amazing 🤩 I can spread my toes out the shoes are zero dry from heel to toe and when I mean, you could feel everything on the board it’s amazing state shoe companies should start making more correct shape Shoes

[@ryanbaillie8804]

I totally agree. I have barefoot shoes and the freedom is amazing. I don’t think small companies like es, etnies and emerica could gamble on making a barefoot skate shoe as most people think they look goofy and in all truth they do look like duck shoes. The functionality is amazing though… I appreciate ur commitment to sole swap the shoes though that sounds crazy! I’m happy it payed off

[@shingobiggs4963]

Dad Board, Dan Corrigan, Ben Degros, and Frontside health are my favorite KZbin skate channels now that I’m about to turn 30 😂 my tolerance for tomfoolery is at its end. Just dudes trying to skate for as long as possible is my vibe now 🤙🏽

[@Rasec1120]

Dude, I KNEW this video would be coming from you at some point. I appreciate the fact that you keep it real and don't shill for these brands man .

[@dadboard]

I would shill for @peppergriptape583 if they send me a free roll 😉

[@erikgordon6893]

i swear they are way puffier now then they were back in the day,and i think they probably look to big because our pants were bigger back then..that being said i still wear only old skate shoes(accel og usually) because i'm comfortable in them and they protect your feet better,and look better.i can't see skateing basically in sandals which have no padding i feel like i'll break my feet lol but i have noticed the quality of them has changed and the soles used to feel like clouds,now i feel like they cheapened them up a bit but better than slip-ons for me personally.i just like what i grew up with..love the channel tho bro!

[@kirkearles]

Man I'd give so much to have a covered skate spot like that. Good vid man

[@IamDjCorrect]

I like this :) Same feeling, love the old shoes. but hate that the new guys do not get a chance, however those old shoes are probably paying salaries lately. Specially at those price tags.

[@rollfastranchwear1289]

I got some Half Cabs for Xmas because of nostalgia and I feel like I’m skating in hiking boots. 😅 never again.

[@MrCatcandance]

Really? Half cabs are pretty slim. Big tongue though.

[@dawg4135]

Or maybe new younger skaters are more concerned with skating Nike, NB’s and Adidas. You know the corporate companies that have destroyed the skate shoe market and made these older companies resort to this or most likely go out of business. There is a demand for these sneakers too so why not keep producing them. The whole slim minimalist thing doesn’t work for everyone.

[@ryanrowe1975]

Good video

[@TheBonestea]

brilliant rant and completely agree

[@Eric-im1li]

I had the og black sal 23s i skated em tore em up but took a long time i didnt like em on day one ended up loven em

[@matthiassventoest6800]

great video., I like the realness.., that's why I watch the videos..

[@TomWyker]

I feel the same way about Powell.

[@EstiloSkateboards]

Well done again Dad!

[@Daarrrian]

I had sum DC's like those all black with the white shoe laces and I tell you if you wear baggy pants with those shoes you have they will fill waaaay better

[@fatsteve2380]

I just picked up the Koston 2 reissues, started skating in 06' so im a little too young to remember the OG design. My 37 year old homie thinks they're whack cause éS changed the sole, but i LOVE the new sole. its more than a nostalgia grab they redesigned and updated the shoe. I have no nostalgia for the Koston 2s, I just think the new ones are dope!

[@crkrcksteady]

When you first started doing those pop shove its, I was hoping you would have landed one with your hood coming down over your head in true 90s fashion.

[@ChilliRelleno909]

Wade should have a pro shoe 💯💯

[@dershdersh6578]

I love this new format bro

[@WWater-zo3nm]

Well said brother.

[@Reychel2022]

What we really need to talk about is how 3 primary etnies riders left the company in a week or so

[@Reychel2022]

*4 Well f..k

[@benzopaint]

I loved the way look hated how they skated when I was a kid

[@Jblizzybaby]

I disagree, éS new models flop hard and always go on sale. The old models are the stuff that actually sells out in skate shops. The oldheads who grew up can get the shoes & the younger generation who are into the whole “Y2k” fashion aesthetic can get the look down and not spend ridiculous prices. The reason the skateboarding industry is broke right now is because the big corporate shoe brands (nike, adidas, nb) took a huge chunk out and i still buy them but i also buy alot of éS to give back to the industry.

[@anthonybell3335]

I've been looking for a good used set of the gum sole SLBs for years and knowing they have a re-issue I am going to have a hard time not jumping on board even if they are not the best by today's standards

[@LBJ-85]

I suspect if Soletech didn't start doing any re-issues there would in fact be no Soletech anymore. The sales they are making from the re-issues is allowing them to pay their riders. When is the last time you bought one of Soletech riders pro-models or colour ways?

[@ponmlk]

+1 It's not just the re-issues that sell. It's all about drumming up interest in the brand again that's WAY WAY overlooked. Mainstream clothing "in style" changed from skinny jeans you and your little sister could share to baggy being in again with the "normies". 10-15 year cycle and most people knew it was coming, DC and soletech brands helped push it over back to 90s style. DC saw it coming with their retro "reserve" releases starting around 2018 and sucessful marketing with Tiago, John Shanahan and Josh Kalis embracing it. What's mainstream "cool" right now has always took a piece from skateboard culture with the younger crowd.

[@LBJ-85]

@@ponmlk yeah totally agree, 90s/00s fashion is "trendy" right now.

[@BioGimp]

Fr bro, give Fabi and Asta some pro models. They’re killing it right now.

[@xavierrivera9130]

Started skating around 95 and I can't skate the old shoes. It's wild we skated these puffy pillows. Also with soletech cutting like 90% of their teens I can't get behind that

[@dadboard]

No doubt. I assume you’re up to date on what’s been going on at that company then. Doesn’t look promising 😬

[@heybender]

Great vid and review. Maybe the swissies who bought st can lead the brands to carve out that niche corner of the market that doesn't rely so heavily on the nostalgia factor.

[@JamesTopham-t4y]

Man I'm. Still. Digging vans pro slip on❤

[@suchaverage6430]

I barely turned 19 but I feel like the older skate shoes have more character and tech compared to new stuff in the market. I feel way more safer in those type of shoes. Especially cupsole shoes

[@dadboard]

Character is subjective but I promise you they don’t have more/better technology in them. Some of the shit they’re developing now for skateboarding is light years above what we had back then. If you’re 19 you probably don’t have to worry too much about support in your shoes unless you’re jumping down big shit a lot but it doesn’t hurt to take care of your feet early 🤝

[@Jovision89]

This looks like the most prime flat ground spot! What city is this in?!

[@EDDIEM0NS00N]

I gotta disagree to some aspect. eS have produced & reintroduced shoes for a specific group - the baggies. eS disappeared for a few yrs due to lack of ideas & pumping out the same shoes in 15 different colours that just werent gonna sell. When they came back they tried the slim thin shoe idea but it either didn't work (accel slims are terrible) or had already been done by others. Emerica seem to be going along well & have plenty of pro shoes, but I really have no idea why as theres nothing that I like (apart from my fave shoe of all time - MJ/OG1). Etnies to me is doing everything right - a few pros & great shoes. In fact my go to shoe for the last 3 yrs has been Joslins for their durability, look, simplicity, comfort & protection. Beat shoe on the market imo. Soletech mixes up some current styles or you have the choice of OGs if you want that too. Sports brands arent making that many riders pro either tbh. Also, Sports brands havent been in the game long enough, but you wait & see their OGs will re-release eventually. The only worry I have is Pierre Andre just sold Soletech to some young guys who claim to care about the brands but I have a real horrible feeling that may change

[@skateturd916]

Not that I really support Nike or Adidas aside from maybe the blazer but they've both been around for a minute now. Nike at least 20yrs and Adidas is right behind them. I will New Balance makes alone sick shoes. My favorite of all time brand is Emerica but dude they do not do anything unique anymore. All their shoes look the same in my opinion. Low profile thin and flimsy vulc shoes 🤮

[@EDDIEM0NS00N]

@skateturd916 I agree about emerica. How the hell are they still around when they've got so many Pro models that all look the same? As for sports shoes, well in some aspects they already took OG sports shoes & adapted them into Skate shoes, & NB took that OG image & tweaked it slightly with the 1010 & 808. Either way I think we've reached the limit of Skate shoe evolution & just like everything else in history we'll just rejigg or mix up what g as already been 🤷🏻‍♂️

[@skateturd916]

@EDDIEM0NS00N I'm skating the 1010 now I really like them. I'm definitely a cupsole person. I think my all-time favorite shoe was the Accel. I'm stoked that they're coming out with the original shape for that shoe. I bought a pair when es came back around and I remember thinking these are way bigger than I remember them being and I guess I wasn't wrong LOL. Genuinely I probably had like 30 pairs of those growing up

[@EDDIEM0NS00N]

@skateturd916 I was a massive eS shoe wearer & wore nothing but eS from the early 2000s until they stopped, then a fan again when they came back. Back then I also had many pairs of Accels & the Accel plus that they made was the great too (strap & G2 heel). I had a few pairs of Creagers which were great & some Koston 1s. Their vulcanised version of the Accel - the Square One, was also a great shoe. When they came back something was off. They tried a lot of vulcs which weren't that great & the Accel Slims were just too thin for a cupsole & wore down fast & were uncomfortable. I had a new pair of their reissue OG Accels & yeah they were huge. I recently got a pair of the Arto Accels & they felt more like the old OGs in terms of size & shape so maybe someone had a word & fixed the problem

[@ponmlk]

Exactly, you can't wear the retros with some skinny jeans that everyone in the last fashion cycle people were wearing from 2005ish to -2018. Skate shoes disapeared in the surf/skate stores out here because they all were boring clones and none of it sold anymore. Quiksilver went bankrupt with stale DC shoes in 2015, and their pre recent-buyout management were responsible for the biggest growth and sales DC had ever seen post Quiksilver buyout. Retro sells, people in their 30s and above buy them because we couldn't afford all of them way back when, and now we can (if you can't budget that's on you, you don't have to buy all of it) aint nothing wrong with that. Same with Nike, and the retro Jordan's, Pennys, etc it's all us 30+ guys buying them. Retro shit is great, the designs were unique. If you want to wear vulcs great, cupsoles great, baggy, skinny whatever, skateboarding style is in a pretty good place right now.

[@estebangarcia399]

Clean skating

[@sonnyrico]

Well,,, cant really diss old popular stuff. If thats the case popular older music and other fun things from past era arcades exc.. would have to be bundled into this category.

[@bananaclipper7692]

‘eS is working on a pro shoe for TJ Rogers tbf

[@dadboard]

Well see. I don’t think they’re gonna be around long enough to ever drop it but I could be wrong.

[@bananaclipper7692]

@ i’m curious to see what the Nidecker group is going to do with soletech. Emerica isn’t going so much in the nostalgia dept besides the MJ. they apparently scrapped the Templeton 2 reissue

[@ryanbaillie8804]

@@dadboardIt would be so sad to see es go under

[@gabeG8085]

Dang I was already missing your vids

[@basja1323]

Dope spot

[@danielr5593]

Nostalgia can easily be misguided in its attempt to comfort, and is often used as a marketing tool because of this. Life doesn't get more complicated as you get older, you just become more aware of what's going on around you. I guess nostalgia could also be view as an evolution of survival. Your brain telling you life has always been garbage when you're stuck feeling like life is garbage as an adult isn't exactly ideal. Sometimes, a lot of times, you need the idea of the good old days to help you get through the regular old days so you're hopefully in a good place to deal with those bad days that pop up from time to time Good shit, as always, and good on you for calling out that "handmade" tag on the shoes

[@matthewbrown770]

Very intelligent outro

[@particlejones]

Good sesh

[@Morbidia]

They were cool in the 90's when tom penny wore them in magazines. But with the advancements of skate shoes why would anyone want to skate in clogs in 2024.

[@JamesTopham-t4y]

Yes mine were huge, said a 9 but more 10 got rid of em

[@MickyThunderV]

They do new stuff. Es Melange ist the best skate shoe ever I swear. Has all the good skate features (Stealth toe cap, tongue strap, heel anchors, puff tongue, Michelin like outsole with grip and still good board feel and so on) - yet nobody skates these

[@jaythejuiceman3000]

New shoes are so much better. Accel slims might be good, but they aren't OG. I got a pair of Tyshawn mids and they skate so much better than almost any shoe I have purchased since 1996.

[@Slick801]

Just skate, kids. Dont get wrapped up in this bs. ❤

[@dadboard]

Or both 🫶

[@charleymarkson]

Great video! I'm curious though how Soletech is any worse then DC or Vans? Weren't they the first ones to reissue their 90's staples.. i.e the Lynx & the Rowley? I mean how many years can we skate Dunks, Blazers, Era's, & Half Cabs & still make this argument? I think we gotta think about the big picture, the big corporate shoe companies are all we'll have left if we don't learn to cut these brands some slack. We are so good at tearing down legit skate companies like this & turning a blind eye to the corporates that ultimately couldn't give a shit less about skateboarding.

[@charleymarkson]

... & sorry, but the irony of you saying they aren't supporting new riders or designs at the very moment you show a clip of Don throwing Andy his newly designed Pro model! 🤣

[@dadboard]

1. Vans and DC continue to make new models as well as the classics that they don’t drop 2 weeks before Christmas or dangle on a stick as some limited time drop. 2. I’m sorry to disappoint you but I used that clip intentionally because && is the only pro they’ve actually gotten behind in recent years when they threw all their eggs into his basket hoping it would revitalize the company. That’s the market they want to attract. Powell fans and casual skaters that don’t care about the industry/culture and are satisfied skating their local park twice a month for an hour.

[@HeartandSoundTN]

Late to the party on this one, but this is a textbook example of how capitalism hinders creativity and artistic design. We see this in movies as well, we’ll do a hundred remakes of 80s and 90s movies because it’s more likely to sell rather than take a risk on a filmmaker doing something truly original. The competition inherent in the market only serves to refine the algorithm of what sells, not what is more groundbreaking or efficient.

[@GT1981IL]

They are just ok. I found that they are too short. I am 10.5 -11 in nike ,dc... got 10.5 from US as Australia dont do half sizes. Nostalgia is fun, though.

[@normanl.6891]

eS reissued their version of these almost 10 yrs ago, though with much less of a marketing push behind it. I don't mind Soletech's nostalgia reissues, but I also don't mind waiting for them to go on clearance. Picked up the MJ's, Muskas, and Koston 2's all for $50 or less at local shops just by waiting it out. The huge shoe/toebox seems intended for baggier/oversized pants. Of course they are gonna look silly with slimmer pants that actually fit. And vice versa, slimmer more true to fit sized shoes look silly with baggier/oversized pants. Regarding pro models tho- agreed. I don't enjoy NB's shoes but i really respect how they are willing to make new unique pro models for each pro rider.

[@michaelnusbaum]

Thanks for supporting the industry 👎

[@haroldcampos9661]

The governor of florida tried to pull a pickle ball court (on a state park or something) and everyone laughed at him… 😅 and said NO.

[@CrèmeFraîche88]

I skated these and the arto etnies for a min when I was in my Tony Silva that's Life phase 😭😅

[@JM_andtheArgonauts]

Pretty cool "concept" video. I like the voiceover documentary stuff outside, with the skating creme-filled center. (Oreo. It's an oreo cookie metaphor.) Gotta say that was a good point about the glorifying past skaters to make some profits, rather than push the current roster more. The only exception (for Etnies) would be Aurelian, Joslin, &&, and Windrow (He's a good skater. check him out). But word is.... well.... you know the word I'm sure. I definitely agree seeing what Etnies is advertising now. They're going full mall-core it seems like for da' profit$ Es is riding full on nostalgia, forsure. Emerica is.... good lord, let's not start with Emerica. anyways, nice vid evolutions :D

[@rayonoflight3418]

soletech will go the way of zorlac (look into the association), as well as everything else in life. "they don't make 'em like they used to" is just facts. last decade or so where I live soletech (under emerica guise) is mostly worn by bmx'ers. surprised they still around. your video talent is great, but I think there's a bigger picture here. soty is a red bull sponsor... so I think caring about the state of core skate companies has gone way passed its due date. keep doing your thing, I hope there's more in the future- may I suggest a video on how wheel quality sucks now? ps clean those sals and wear them around the house, they so puffy, look like they would make good house slippers

[@magtownrep]

It would be rad to buy some new shoes, perhaps a young skater's pro model, but its hard to find an awesome cupsole shoe that is as good as the es Accel or classics like that. I buy the classics not as much for nostalgia, but because its been 20ish years since I've found some new shit that works for me.

[@dadboard]

You tried any of the NB# line? Feels like they have something for everybody

[@PeterPutter-f9i]

Back in the days I got 4 pairs for $20 each es SLB

[@colinf7066]

As an old dude who’s running on nostalgia fumes, I felt attacked by this video. But I think you make a good point dude. I think one of the main issues is- who has money to buy stuff? Us old guys have multiple boards and extra shoes. Like I was walking in the grocery store the other day- they were playing 90s alternative music, and I thought love this song. It hit me. Holy crap- I am the mark- I am the wallet- We are the group people are trying to sell to. Good on you brother, for asking for some innovation instead of just re-selling us good memories

[@_jay_dubya]

Another layer to the nostalgia for older skaters is the variance between their past and current financial situations. When I was a kid, a lot of these shoes were not accessible to me because my parents were barely making it by. I skated a lot of blank boards and most of my wheels and trucks were hand-me-downs from friends. So yeah, when I got back into skating I went after everything I always wanted but could never get!

[@dadboard]

Wait, you guys have money? 😭

[@_jay_dubya]

@@dadboard I got about tree fiddy

[@tonytaormina4759]

i mean thats why a lot of the reissues are slimmed down.

[@jhall_edc]

I always called them E S shoes not es lol never knew that.

[@paunchcoorlightly4000]

Skating these I imagine would be like juggling with boxing gloves.

[@dadboard]

Definitely made everything harder

[@haroldcampos9661]

Don’t look at me, all I asked for was a foam midsole.

[@gang6009]

The fat shoe is better than a thin shoe espeically as i get older.

[@Daarrrian]

But if u haven't skate in those type of shoes in the 1999 or 2000 then I see why you don't like those 😊

[@JeronBrown-b8y]

It's good to know you step back and see these Industry agents as counter fit....LUV what U Do on a skateboard youngster !!! 50 and skateboarding much LUV...

[@dadboard]

👊 thanks man.

[@lastingeyedamage]

I think it’s because they can’t compete that they have gone for “raiding the archives”… the name / nostalgia ignites interest with those who have disposable income… if they did a Tom Asta shoe it wouldn’t be up to the standard of a NB / Nike etc for quality and technology so they stick with “Hey, remember Muska?!”

[@ostias]

i bought a pair of C1rca Lopez for the same reason. they were unskatable. too much room in the toe box. chunky laces ripped off quickly with in 20 min. God bless nike's GTS !

[@ginomarino3953]

Notice how pointy skate shoes are now……… old school re-issues now are pointy to why is it so pointy ? Like a triangle box where is the roundness? 😢

[@dawg4135]

Or maybe younger skaters are more concerned with skating Nike, NB’s and Adidas. You know the corporate companies that have destroyed the skate shoe market and made these older companies resort to this or most likely go out of business. There is a demand for these sneakers too so why not keep producing them. The whole slim minimalist thing doesn’t work for everyone. And yes I understand Soletech is a corporation.

[@ideliver7289]

Some things are better left in the grave, as a 32 year old board dad that grew up in the baker 3 era I love the old sole tech but the bad quality shoes have me spending $20 more on some modern SB dunks

[@dadboard]

Yeah I felt that way with ipath too. Regardless of how they did Matt Rodriguez and Bigfoot dirty I just don’t see how they fit in these days. Their entire identity was based around the team at that time so seeing the cats without Karl Watson or the grasshoppers without Nate Jones just feels weird

[@ideliver7289]

@@dadboard yeah I was big on Emerica and Es, some Etnies Artos basically a huge fan of Baker Flip Girl zero, basically all the cool shit in the early 2000s , it’s sad but yes big sports brands killed the skate shoe game, I knew Emerica was dead when some Bryan Herman’s I got literally fell apart in 2 weeks , that was years ago , it’s just not worth the money to hold it down for them anymore

[@toneohm]

existential dread lol

[@mattmolloy636]

Sole Tech boardroom meeting be like: -penny pinch by switching to cheap factories while only investing in three sole molds -remain unconcerned with building a 1:1 of what older guys grew up w/ -give zero new guys a shot -refrain from recruiting anyone from the nostalgic era who still skates to push the product -make The Nine Club court jester our brand mouthpiece -pretend corporate brands don’t exist It’s like they saw the success DC had with its revamp in the late 2010’s and said “yeah, let’s do the exact opposite of that.”

[@Wladislav]

Yeah... Pretty much none of these things happened or are true.

[@mattmolloy636]

I wish none of this is true, considering how I’m part of the target demographic they’re pandering to.

[@Wladislav]

@@mattmolloy636 Then you're in luck, because none of it is. I think this mostly stems from a completely mistaken idea of how much money and pull these companies have. Sole Technology was basically deep in the red already, which is why they were forced to sell to the Nidecker Group.

[@mattmolloy636]

DC was in the red with their super team nonsense in the mid 2010's, but they saw the writing on the wall and adapted to change well. Es was mismanaged and missed their window entirely, and they clearly don't have money for a time machine...

[@Wladislav]

@@mattmolloy636 DC Shoes didn't adapt to change at all, nor is it an issue about missing a window. DC got sold and none of its founders are still in charge.