Week 1 to Week 4, top to bottom.

I've always been a huge fan of Gravis footwear. On my off time of doing reviews, I could be found wearing some Gravis LX footwear with my girlfriend in an effort to look as good as she does. Besides that, I've always been a Filter fan and have owned countless other models from Gravis. Once I got word that they were releasing the Filter Duro, not only did I see a chance at enjoying one of my favorite skate shoes, I also saw an opportunity to show you how well they functioned.

Review information:
This review, as always, was done using our month long format. The shoe was skated for a total of 20 hours. Check below after each section to view the grading system. We base our ratings from 1 - 10. 10 being the absolute best and 1 being the worst. Enjoy.

Sizing:
There was a large debate on SLAP about how off the sizing is in the Filter's due to it's narrow toe. I have a large/wide foot and by no means did I find these Filter Duros or any Filter's that I've skated in the past to fit tight at all. The final verdict in sizing is true. Stick to whatever sizing you normally are in these.

Short answer: True to Size.


Comfort & Cushion:
For such a thin shoe, you'd think it'd be pretty shit in both of these categories but looks can be deceiving. The answer to the comfort & cushion problems are all answered collectively with the Cloud 9 PU insole from Gravis. I can only speculate and wonder if their insole is developed in any special manner but I can definitely say that it works better than most insoles in vulcanized shoes today. Their Cloud 9 insoles have gained so much attention that people have actually been using them in anything from dunks to boots. I can actually attest to this myself. I used the Cloud 9 insoles in my work boots when I was spending 8-9 hour days on my feet as a landscaper. They worked as a great insole and the boardfeel never suffers.

The cushioning aspect of the shoe is virtually nonexistent. The Filter Duro only has a thin amount of cushioning around the collar of the shoe and no where else. Unless you've got maximum control of your board & flip tricks like Dylan, skate these with Jedi like precision because having the board hit back in these will hurt.

Overall, the insole carries this shoe and is one of the best aspects about it. The comfort is great & the insole never truly suffers from flattening. It's got a ton of bounce to it & could even support an arched or flat foot.

Comfort: 9. Walking in these are a pleasure. The insole has a good balance height & cushioning all while providing great boardfeel.

Cushioning: 3. If there was padding in the tongue, we could've bumped it up to a 4 but it's all good. If you know what you're doing on the board, this feature is practically unnecessary.

Toe durability from Week 1 to Week 4. (Left to Right)

Boardfeel & Grip:
For such a thin model, the boardfeel is everything you'd expect it to be. It's thin but not to the point that if you step on a tack you'll feel the point.
(yes, I even tested that)

The Cloud 9 insole has a thick to thin design from your heel to your toe. All the boardfeel you need is at your forefoot while your heel is thickly protected from any unwanted heel bruises. With all this praise on the insole, let's not forget to mention the Gravis herringbone outsole. It does a supreme job gripping and simultaneously adds to the value of this shoe. The outsole is your made out of classic gum rubber & takes one hell of a beating. The outsole didn't show signs of shedding until the 20 hour mark. Somehow, Gravis has managed to develop a insole/outsole combination that lasts while giving you the boardfeel to do every trick comfortably.

Boardfeel: 10. Very thin but protected. Overall, proceed jumping high gaps with caution.

Grip: 10. It's a herringbone tread pattern, gum rubber outsole & didn't fall apart until the shoe was reaching it's final days of skating. Need I say more…

Durability:
At the very beginning of this review, the Gravis Filter Duro had the odds stacked against it pretty high but kept many people curious of it's durability. The ollie suede patch isn't the newest technology to hit the skate scene but it works. The suede patch managed to sustain all the ollies & kickflips we had for it over a 20 hour period. As we reached the 20th hour, the stitching at the very top began to fall apart but was saved from further damage by the glue holding the suede to the canvas.  We didn't continue skating it after 20 hours but had we, I could only suspect that the patch would've held up, with no additional glue, for another 5-7 hours.

Now, if you were to assist the patch at the very beginning with additional glue over the stitching, the sky's the limit. It could probably pass the 35 hour mark without a problem.

More surprising than the patch durability was how well the canvas held up. The canvas held up because of the shoe's low design & reasonably high sole. The height of the sole ultimately saved the canvas from being directly attacked at all times. The sole was smooth and never made it hard for us to flick any trick. Because of it's thin design and smooth sole, consistency can be achieved a little easier when skating in these. That's probably the best thing you could hear about the Filter Duro because you don't want the board fighting back.

Durability: 8. For the materials used, it's almost surprising it lasted as long as it did.

Outsole Durability from Week 1 to Week 4. (Left to Right)

Summary:
Skating the Gravis Filter Duro was a pleasing experience. It held up well, didn't feel uncomfortable and skated great. I know that currently cupsoles are coming back in a huge way and that's fine. The Filter Duro is that shoe for the consumer who hasn't quite jumped on board yet with cupsole technology. It's a great alternative for anyone looking to try something different without feeling hesitant about it's ability, durability & performance.

Thanks to Jimmy at Gravis for contributing to the review.
If you have anymore questions about the Gravis Filter Duro, leave a comment below & I'll be sure to answer it. Support your local shop & get these there.

Peace.