I've been trying to continue my review with the HUF footwear but with New York's infamous winter coming strong this year, it's been somewhat prolonged. With winter rearing its ugly taco meat face, I needed to show you what gear to look out for this winter.

Dvs is one of two skateboarding brands I've never skated before. I never cared for their shoes but with the change in season, comes the change in appearance. Dvs just released a brand of skate influenced snow shoes and needless to say they're actually amazing quality footwear. This catalog of shoes are not the kind just trying to soak up your last dollar before the holidays. Unlike your dads hand me down Timberlands, these shoes present style and protection while providing enough boardfeel to skate in. Interesting......

I got the Westridge snow boot because I actually didn't look forward to wearing my hand me down Timberlands and they're much cheaper than a brand new pair of Timberlands. I simply wanted them for snow/winter purposes but after I laced up and walked around in them I began to notice that they felt exactly like a worn in pair of skate shoes. Again, I had no idea when I walked into 2nd Nature that I would be reviewing a snow/skate shoe, none the less a Dvs shoe, huh?





Dvs has introduced CGT on all three models featured and I can really see this same technology being used with regularly seasoned skate shoes. CGT is Cold Grip Technology and is a fusion of materials which gives the outsole improved traction and longevity in harsh climates.

The image above is the Westridge snow boot and is fully padded for any climate. I actually skated these shoes for a minute and to my surprise they skate really well but I need them for the winter so no more skating. They're very light weight; even compared to the skateboarding standards of today. The padding and insulation are everywhere it needs to be and even though they aren't sold as a water proof shoe, I'm more than sure that they don't let water in so easy. These have a thick padded heel collar, padded tongue and deep grip traction marks for no slippage on snow or ice. Nubuck all around so snow and water will slide right off.





The Rico Snow (above) and Torey Snow shoe (below) come with all the same features the Westridge have, but with the exception of being lighter and less bulky for your more casual look without losing protection from cold weather conditions. Basically, you could go outside in the snow without the worry of falling on your ass and without getting frostbite all while looking like you have some skate shoes on your feet.

 The Rico have a synthetic type of technology making them completly water proof. The Torey snow, being designed around Torey Pudwills original shoe have the traditional skate shoe look with an all around suede fabric but carry more insulation to prepare you for shoveling driveways all day. These two shoes have the same CGT underneath them, so any grip you expected with the Torey Snow comes with the Rico Snow. It won't be easy choosing either of these casual looking shoes, but you can expect quality support with the Dvs Snow Series.

With all the newest shoes and shoe companies dropping as of late,  I took a moment to step back and reevaluate what shoe I wanted to skate more than I wanted to review. Bobby Worrest has been one of my favorite skaters for a long time, actually since this video dropped. I also wanted to take a trip back to review a shoe or two that have been released long before Ripped Laces ever came along and started ruining my life. With that said reviewing the eS "First Bloods" was fairly easy, I kept a strict schedule of skating every other day for atleast 1 - 2 hours. Needless to say, my knee hurts and I haven't been this sore since I was 16 but nontheless it was the best and only way to skate this shoe.


Sizing:
This had to be one of the most true to size shoes I've skated in a long time. No small pockets of empty space in this shoe or any annoying heel slipping while walking. With a comfortable slip-on feel, which is credited to the elastic tongue centering straps, the First Bloods give you a snug feeling all around.



Comfort, Cushion and Support:
The eS "First Blood" is Bobby Worrest's first pro model (like you didn't know that already) and have features that eS are tapping into for the first time. This shoe specifically is the first of its kind in the eS catalog to have an extended, stretched (beak like) toe cap and rather unique shape. The shape is narrow but doesn't sacrifice comfort, especially for those with larger feet. I've skated Vans Chucka lows and loved them but after the day was done the side of my pinky would have blisters on it. The First Bloods have a larger footbed for the ball of the foot and in comparision to a Chucka low toe cap, rather than fabric going straight across the shoe, the eS First Bloods have a rubber cup material laying underneth suede for space, breathablity and durability. This allows for higher comfort level and less sweat on your feet when skating.

For the first 3 days the First Bloods felt heavy on my feet, they weighed in at 1 pound 10 ounces. Needless to say the breaking-in process wasn't easy but after the fourth day the shoe comes around. I only had to tie the shoes once and I could just slide them on and go skate. With STI providing the techonology for eS, Etnies & Emerica, one could expect the good old traditional features, all of this is added and yet tweaked with the First Blood. This shoe has a thin padded tongue and collar for comfort thats not too distracting when skating, so no need for tugging of the tongue or any readjusting. A staple of STI is the molded PU footbed and System G2 heel cushioning gel insert, these two features alone provide added support and comfort.



Boardfeel and Grip:
With a straight forward approach from eS designing the shoe, it took me a while to figure out why the shoe felt so heavy. After playing around with other eS models in skate shops, I realized that the Vulcanized Gum rubber sole was suprisingly heavy. This sole is commonly used with most STI shoes and has a much deeper Herring bone tread pattern for added grip.

The First Bloods start gaining some great boardfeel while losing some grip. I never had a problem with the grip, it wasn't ever overwhelming or less than par but it just burns out a little sooner than most shoes. I could only speculate that this is why the First Bloods sole is so heavy, with so much rubber making the tread/grip marks deeper, the grip lasts longer but adds weight to the shoe substancially.


Durability:
This shoe can last approximately 4 to 6 weeks depending on how much you skate. The rubber cup material laying underneth the suede/toe cap area stretches the life expectancy remarkably. Another noticeable feature in this shoe is probably the most slept on. eS avoided unneccessary technology to prevent abrasion on the laces, simply put they're just higher up on the shoe. As said earlier, the grip is great but the constancy of the herringbone tread pattern is ultimately what causes the rubber sole to burn out.



Summary:
This shoe has been one of my favorite reviews so far, I don't whether it was because the shoe was simply yet stratigically put together or what, but the eS First Blood are in my Top 5 favorite skate shoes. My skating was consistant, they're super comfortable and in the era of $80 to $100 skate shoes you really can't go wrong with these.



 
Grading: 1 thru 10
 
Comfort: 10
Cushion: 7
Boardfeel: 9
Grip: 8
Grip Durability: 6.5
Overall Durability: 9


 .

The eS "First Blood" is Bobby Worrest's first signature shoe. I don't know a better reason to review these than the fact that the Krooked "3D" video just dropped. I've done some skating in them so expect the full review sometime next week. In the mean while check out this interview with Bobby Worrest. He speaks on skating, talks about filming for the Krooked video & even spills the beans on his new shoe in the works.

The Signing started....


The Kids were hyped...


Marilyn was pretty hyped too...


Remember these?


Adidas Buzie's coming in Murdered-out Black, fire!


Pop's new color-way is tight


After the signing, they hit the ramp and a Game of skate broke out.


Brandon set, Fs Flip


Leo - "Does it count if I don't go as high?"


Alley Oop Backside 180


Doubles broke out


Going fast and getting crazy...


"oh shiittt...."


Back on the Horse...


Brandon's in the mix


Emerica Bro's put on a good demo.
Thanks to everyone who made it possible.

Westgate, Marquis n Leo KCDC signing if your not here and your in NY, you're missing out!

Published with Blogger-droid v1.6.1

Curtis Rapp & friends holding it down in this new DQM video "Eat Here, Not There"


Eat Here Not There from DQM on Vimeo.

Week 3, Grip:

My third week of skating the CONS Trapasso, I decided to show more attention towards the bottom of the shoe. The CONS brand uses the "Maximum-Grip rubber outsole compound" for most of their catalog and is a favorite amongst most skaters. I honestly cannot tell whether there is a significant difference between the Cons brand bottom and the commercial Converse bottom, as sold by Target and most major store brands looking to sell cool moms and dads there "hip" converses. For now that question will go unanswered.

A question I can answer is that the bottoms may start to fade in under a month of skating but that doesn't sacrifice, by any means, the grip. The grip remains strong throughout the month and I can only imagine afterwards as well.

Weird enough is the sound made by the rubber sole when putting your foot back on after taking a couple of solid kicks. You know...the Schreech! sound you hear on most basketball court. Kinda reassuring.

I'm regular footed, so you'll be able to tell the beatings each shoe took from kicking and shimmying my front foot in the right position before any trick. (Photos Below)


Grip Grading: 8
Bottom Sole Durability: 7




Week 4, Durability:

You haven't seen any top photos from week 3 because the transition of the shoe from week 3 to week 4 are pretty much the same. The shoe went into that "survival mode" where it holds up against any abuse before taking its last beating. The following photos cover skating from weeks 3 to 4. (photos below)




As you can see through the photos, the shoe takes a gouge from kickflips (depending on how you do them, I have a aggro one, sorry) but the most honorable mention in this review goes to the durable suede. CONS uses the "High abrasion suede with internal reinforcement". Hearing something like "High Abrasion Suede" before buying any shoe just sounds like a bunch of bullshit so you'll take another step towards the register, but this suede is the real thing. Initially, I was expecting a blow-out but much to my suprise the small cross hatching stitched area helps the suede never showed a sign of weakness.


Suede Durability: 10

Sole/Toe Cap Durability: 8




Summary:

Simply by the comfort and durability testing, this shoe is worth it. I've been skating this shoe for approximately two months, trying to get a solid review together and I've found the CONS "Trapasso" provide great ankle protection with its mid top features and solid board feel. More recently, I've been preparing for the next shoe review & I haven't been enjoying it as much, so after coming back to the Trapasso, I realized how well this shoe skates compared to most shoes today. 

I always try to review shoes that I feel have great potential and don't get enough shine as others, but this shoe seems to be an exception. Whether my efforts in this review make you want to buy this shoe anymore than you did 5 mins ago, I don't think this shoe will have any problems getting itself off shelfs at your local skate shop. So, with that said, try to get a pair ASAP.

just do it.
Swoosh.

-Steezy McCheezy

Cons "Trapasso" are coming in hot for our next review. Keep checking in this week for day to day updates.

Trapasso or Die!

Silas Baxter Neal just dropped his pro model shoe for Adidas and from what I've seen/heard most people aren't to excited about it...

This shoe specifically has an interesting backround because the overall approach towards a pro shoe is something that describes the pro, all without sacrificing looks, comfort and while still thinking...

"Hey, are these kids going to be into this?"

I personally think Silas Baxter Neal said "Fuck this, Imma do me." Although I couldn't possibly imagine him saying that,  I could only imagine how funny it sounds coming from him.

Rather than playing it safe and continuing with the "Pro skater formula" (you know...? All black shoe, with some suddle details and a white sole)(and yes I enjoy it too) but just like the air in the woods that Silas Baxter Neal ventures through daily to catch some fresh water fish, this shoe is a breath of fresh air. This is a new approach towards a pro shoe, all while staying true to himself.

Silas wanted something that he could easily skate a nice gap/handrail in and still reminded him of that fresh water fishing he enjoys so much, just as much as a steezy back tail.


Rubber Sole:
Again, I know that most skaters aren't feeling the look but as far as skating goes it's gets the job done. After awhile of skating, I was feeling the colorway, I got my "Beef and Broccoli" look on real quick.The Silas have that instant break-in feeling with no running or walking necessary. The board feel is good for what most people would think is a bulky shoe and it is pretty grippy as well. This is thanks to the type of rubber cupsole Adidas used. The rubber cupsole is much stranger (in a good way) compared to most skate shoes, it has a hard but flexible rubber. For a shoe with such flexiblity in its sole it has an even better durablity feature. In the photos above, you could easily see that the rubber is holding up considerbly well. Kickflips and all I'd have to say that the suede takes most of the beating, the rubber doesn't even flake at all. The only negative feature of this rubber cupsole is that it's a two piece rubber sole. Meaning, the bottom portion of the shoe and side portion, where most of the flicking will be taking place, are not a whole piece. In a positive outlook it just means that the shoe won't sag over easily but more negatively this means that their is a better chance of the shoe to start talking. (Photos Below)





Suede and Lace Protection:
The suede with the double stitched feature held up pretty well and I could see how Silas was trying to involve the whole "Trail walks and Fishing" idea into the shoe. With the leather laying directly under the suede, It's more or less there, not for looks but for the idea that you'll actually get em' wet from walking down muddy trails and such. The suede has a really smooth finish and sheds away nicely, no large gunks or anything. Although, if you happen to screw up on a couple 360 flips or any other kickflip variations beware, it will probably gouge the very tip of the shoe (Photos Below) but not the side so thats the least of your worries. Adidas tried to promote some lace protection with this shoe, they called it "Recessed Eyelets" which is basically the extra layer of suede before the laces. This suede is not to prevent any abrasion against the laces but to prolong it so you don't have to switch out the laces so quickly but thats bull, the laces ripped in 2 days. Adidas knows that they're going to rip, thats why they give you another pair of cream laces. NICE!




Cushioning:
I've been looking forward to write about the cushioning features for the Silas. I really enjoy some of the different areas of cushioning, especially the "Geofit Collar Lining" which is the extra padding around the ankle area. (Photos Below) This extra padding prevents the annoying effect of your heel falling out of your shoe, either from just kicking down the street or from just walking. Even more importantly, it is made to protect some unforeseen ankle rolling or atleast make it less painful. The insole is nothing fancy, just your typical Adidas rubber insole, nothing different than what you would find in a Campus vulc or Busenitz. Unless you really enjoy looking at the Jason mask design everytime you lace up,(I know I do) I guess thats the only added bonus.

 

Summary:
I had a really good time skating the Adidas Silas, I have to say though, I had some false pretenses about it when I first started this review. I didn't think it would skate as good as it did and I also thought to myself how risky it was reviewing this shoe. I thought, "Well if people are instantly not feeling it, why review it?" But that in itself was the answer. That's basically what Ripped Laces is all about, about reviewing the shoes that most people want to buy and spend their hard earned money on but just don't know whether it's worth it or not and I had to remind myself of that.

 With this just being my 2nd review I did realized this: Some shoes aren't instantly going to be your favorite and this shoe happens to fall into that catagory. This is one of those shoes that you'll skate, hate and throw them in the closet. Months later you'll find them, give em' another try and be like "Wow, I'm a fucking idiot, these are great." and then you'll love em' OR you'll do like I did and realize that good things come in the long haul. It took me 2 days until I really enjoyed the shoe to its full potential and could review it fairly. I hope that the review was as informative as I wanted it to be and if so you'll find yourself looking at that Jason mask before skating soon enough.

Okay, first and foremost I know this shoe is not the most appealing

AND... I know that most people aren't considerably hyped on it, which is why I HAVE TO review this shoe.

I feel the urge to completly go against the grain on this one and try it because for the most part I know that it's not getting much love.

Hopefully I have a good time skating it and can comeback with some positive feedback.

Check in later this week, between Wednesday & Thursday for the lasted update on the Adidas "Silas"

It's been over a month now that I've been skating in the Axion "Mandelas" and I know that much more has been said than shown from these shoes so here is the detailed break down. The photos in the "I've been getting some Axion" post were from the very first day of skating, the following consists of days 2 thru 6 and my last day of skating them.

Day 2

 
 

Day 3

 

Day 4

 

Day 5

 
 

Day 6

 
 
   I know that at first glance it just seems like a whole bunch of photos of the same shoe in the same angles but I took the time to take each of these photos carefully so that you could see the day to day abuse the shoe takes and how it handles. Overall I feel like I haven't done much justice to the Mandela shoe considering that even on the last day of skating it for little over a month the sole and suede still didn't come apart.

The sole isn't a rubbery finish but a hard rubber sole with several durable layers that wear away slowly. Unlike, lets say a rubbery sole, it doesn't tear large chunks of the shoe if you mess up on a kickflip or get overly aggressive with an untimely ollie and the suede is just the same.

Its a harsh suede with a smooth finish. At first glace I didn't think that a triple stitch suede toe cap would stop the shoe from ripping all that much but it stood the test of time. Even more so, after futher looking into the shoe I even managed to find some stitched layers under the suede as well.

Although like any other shoe the after so much impact from skating, the shoe started to sag a little over the side but not as bad as some other shoes I've skated in the past. So thats whatever.

Starting this shoe review I didn't think so much could come from a revamped brand of shoe. Axion, a shoe brand that was much respected but faded out in the past seems to have a new and improved formula, both for their shoes and team, and looks like they have a bright future ahead of them.

Last Day