Decent bargain skate shoes: keep in mind that you get what you pay forI’ve read a few scathing reviews of these shoes and feel that they lack a bit of perspective. Right off the bat, it’s important to note that at a regular price of ~$75 CAD, these are on the ‘bargain’ end of the spectrum for brand-name skate shoes, so there’s no sense expecting them to offer premium comfort and construction. I bought a pair of these about 2.5 years ago and have been wearing them semi-regularly within a rotation of about half a dozen pairs of shoes I have for different purposes. I consider these “light-duty” shoes in terms of comfort: no, the insoles don’t offer much cushioning (nor does any other part of the shoes), and I suspect at least part of the reason for this is that they’ve been deliberately designed to provide high “board feel”, i.e. thin soles, which some people prefer for skating. Needless to say, if you want shoes for long walks or standing for extended periods, these will not do. But I actually find them quite decent when you just want very casual, lightweight shoes for short outings or just hanging out outside without being too physically active. For skating, I personally prefer thicker, more cushiony shoes, but again, others may find these to their liking. Otherwise, I’ve been impressed with their durability over the 2 years I’ve had them, with hardly any visible wear yet beyond a bit of thinning of the bottom of the outsoles, which is normal for any shoes once you’ve walked around in them quite a bit in total. I’d recommend these, as long as you realize what you’re getting and don’t expect them to be something they’re not.
