Vibrations From Deep In The Sole

Footwear For Skate-Stage Capitalism, Bro

Although the signs have been there all along, the last handful of months have solidified the reality that America’s brand of unfettered capitalism is cancer on the planet, the sole purpose of which is to consolidate the wealth of the few through the exploitation of the many. We can all hope for the best and fight for what we believe is right, but it’s pretty likely that this system will proliferate until natural resources are stretched so thin that the Earth is engulfed in some combination of fire and toxic fumes, and humanity ceases to exist. This is a regular topic of conversation at Skatelier HQ, and our team of humble craftspeople have put their heads together to answer one of the more pressing questions related to the end of the world: What type of skate shoes are most appropriate for late-stage capitalism? 

Corporations have pushed the narrative that your cute little individual choices will make a difference in the health of the planet but we know that’s generally not the case. Still, if you have a functioning moral compass you’ll realize that navigating capitalism means wading through a labyrinth of grey tones and, in the end, it feels better to make choices that reflect your beliefs. This might mean shopping at farmers’ markets or picking up a t-shirt form a homie’s company, but it probably doesn’t mean buying a pair of Adidas, even if that purchase puts 5 cents in Paul Shier’s pocket. 

Nike and Adidas have recently come under fire for their use of factories which take advantage of forced Uighur labor. New Balance has put money into the military-industrial complex and even has ties to white supremacy movements that, although a bit hazy, are definitely off-putting. Aside from maybe like, popularizing vulcanization, a process with such a negative ecological impact that it is only allowed in countries with particularly low environmental regulations, Vans tends to get a pass. They’re a huge corporation which means they’re corrupt by design, but they’re also the quintessential skate shoe company. It helps to have Steve Van Doren carrying on the name and serving up burgers and wholesome feelings at every event. The vibes homie is whipping and flipping off the tip of his spatula end up making their way into the Ultracush insoles of the Era-Pros on your feet via some butterfly-effect type shit. 

Speaking of vibrations, A Continuous Lean recently had a feature with Dan Snyder from Corridor where they discussed a certain line of thinking that’s a hot topic here at Skatelier. 

“As it relates to responsibility and because we create objects from the threads, I’m interested in the objects’ vibrations. I know that these risks moving into the charged crystals world, but science tells us that all objects are vibrating and thus all objects have a vibration. So, can a garment be a vibrational object? How are they influenced by concept, input, and the hands that touch them?”

-Dan Snyder

Damn. Concept, input, and the physical creation of an object could have an impact on that object’s vibrational presence in your wardrobe…or on your shoe rack. Maybe it’d feel a little better to skate in shoes made with more pure intentions? Sure, smaller skate shoe companies are in it to make a buck and have to operate under the same laws and conditions (and probably use similarly sketchy labor) as the big sporting goods brands, but the mind-seeds that birthed these companies germinated in a different conscious space. Our collective of skilled makers abhor a “100 kickflips in X shoe” type wear-test so we decided to procure a few shoes from neat-looking independent brands and give each pair the Skatelier vibe test instead. 

Pontus Alv’s latest project, Last Resort AB, had the skateboard internet going nuts for one and a half days recently. The birth of Polar precipitated major industry shakeups and had a huge influence on the current skateboarding landscape, so it makes sense that all eyes would be curiously peeping the new footwear brand in the same manner that their little logo is peeping out on the tongue and heel tab of the shoes. It originally sounded as though the shoes would be constructed in Portugal like most of Polar’s clothing, but it turns out that they are produced in factories in Vietnam. Skatelier believes that Pontus is genuine when he says that working conditions are up to par, and we’ve gotta say that the quantum resonance on these things is off the charts. 

The design itself is distilled down to the most basic functional form one could want from a skate shoe, and the construction is sturdy. The suede uppers are diesel and the soles have that high-density, almost shiny rubber reminiscent of Chuck Taylor 70’s or something from the Vans Vault line. The last is a bit generous so we were able to throw a pair of old Gravis Poron insoles on top of the stock canvas ones for a perfect, snug fit. Honestly, these shoes are imbued with high-octane prana shakti and have received multiple compliments from randoms on the street. We also like that the name sounds like a little jab at the big corporate shoe companies. 

Next up, we tested out the aura of some Clear Weather skate shoes, who’s tagline is “More Independent, Less Corporate.” The company is owned by brothers who did design work all over the skate industry before deciding to start their own thing. The regular Clear Weather line has some intense high-fashion type sneakers that are a bit over-designed for Skatelier’s taste, but their skate line looks like it was spawned from some kind of elevated graphic design moodboard or something. We got the Donny model in a subdued navy-on-black colorstory and the look is like something you’d imagine stumbling across in a neatly-curated Japanese retail space. The tread pattern and logo hits are aesthetically pleasing and the asymmetrical designs cause all types of quantum particles to bounce around at insanely high frequencies. Pretty dece insole as well. 

State is a brand that the unassuming craftsfolk at Skatelier have dabbled with off and on for the past few years. They came out the gate sponsoring Jason Spivey so we had to buy some shoes! The first page of the State Holiday 2020 catalog lays out their little manifesto in poem form:

Skateboarding. Life. 

We believe you should make it whatever you want it to be. 

Make it yours, not someone else’s. 

You can probably see a pattern with the way these brands have positioned themselves in opposition to the behemoth corporate footwear entities. Early on, there was something about the tooling on the State models that looked a little off-brand or almost Airspeed-y. However, as time has gone on their lines have gotten better and better, with the upcoming two catalogs looking to be their best offerings yet. Team-wise, they’re doing everything right. The simple fact they have Kevin Coakley on board should already make you open your wallet, but they’ve recently added both Fred Gall and Matt Rodriguez to the program as well. In 2020 you can purchase hemp shoes designed by Mr. Sunshine himself and not enough people are talking about it. They also collaborate with all the worthwhile little independent companies. The sole design features reinforcement on the heel and toe and there’s some kinda rubber underlay for added durability. Minimal designs with maximal functionality. Skating these shoes will decalcify your pineal gland and have you riding the vibrations toward some kind of paradigm shift in your way of thinking. They’re a vehicle for reaching “The Free and Liberated State,” or whatever. 

There are other options as well. Lakai and Soletech are still out there. The homie at Proper is doing his thing with some nice-looking cupsole models. Doesn’t one of those goofy insole companies make shoes now as well? The team at Skatelier would be extremely excited to see folks skating in Stepney Workers Club, Obra, or some of the Reproduction of Found models as well…but that’s a whole different newsletter. 

Consolidated tried to take on the sporting goods companies with the ”Don’t Do It” campaign and ended up making a mockery of their whole company (one of the coolest logos ever) in the process. Why fight the good fight with vibes of guilt, shame, and negativity? If we’re going to transcend beyond seeing the same four logos in every clip we’ve got to do it by radiating bright light. 

The current condition of the world is such that it’s beneficial to take time each day to achieve a disconnect from reality. For a lot of people, that comes in the form of riding a skateboard or immersing themselves in a video offering. We’re inundated with so much advertising and so many corporate logos all the time that being able to click on a clip (or better yet pop a DVD in) and not be bombarded with constant Swooshes and Stripes may aid in the enjoyment of this temporary escape. The way that skateboarders interact with their surroundings is on some primal flow-state type shit, and this level of mindfulness may be more easily achieved if one looks down and doesn’t see the same brand beacons they do when they look up at billboards. 

Having said all this, there’s a pretty good chance we’ll watch a Cyrus Bennett fakie manual variation a few weeks from now and end up buying another pair of Blazers. 

Thanks for reading and uh, namaste homies! Please share with friends if you enjoyed the newsletter!

P.S. A properly orchestrated I-path reboot would end all the cognitive dissonance swirling around in the air at Skatelier’s little workshop. We’d be brand-loyal for the rest of time. A rebirth featuring “slightly slimmed-down” reissues of 1985s, Grasshoppers, and Cats may very well usher in a new era of harmony and create a second chance for humankind.