Nike SB Zoom Air P-Rod Review

Nike SB Zoom Air Paul Rodriguez Shoe

This is the first and only signature shoe from Nike SB, in honor of Paul Rodriguez Jr.

Specs

Zoom air- heel airbag

Stuffed tongue

Strapped tongue

Anti-shank plate

Ribbed sole

Narrow fit

Double stitched toe cap

Price: $79.99

Durability

To start off, the durability for this shoe is amazing. If you’re a beginner, intermediate or an advanced skateboarder these shoes will last you! I’ve had so many pairs of these shoes and each of them have lasted me at least 2 months, plus any extra skating/wearing after I get a new pair. This shoe comes in a variety of materials, including: hemp, suede, leather and even premium leather. The toe cap, in particular, is either suede or leather though. It’s obvious that different materials provide different results. Say you’re skating a leather shoe and switch to a suede shoe; you would be able to tell the difference. The first pair of P-Rods I had were the leather white and black ones. I skated them for about 2 ½ months steady. First thing to go was the grip of the sole. It got slippery after 3 weeks, but it was nothing that inhibited my skating ability. Second thing to go was the toe cap. It slowly wore down and after a month and a half there was a noticeable hole on the tip of the toe as well on the side where your pinky toe would be. See the picture for reference. As for the suede, the durability is very good too.

Comfort

These shoes are all about comfort, as well as being long lasting and functional. The stuffed tongue is a major factor that many people would not even think about when considering the comfort of a new shoe. It is very comfortable; it cushions the top of your foot while the straps keep it centered when you skate. These could also be called a “pillowy-type” shoe because they have a lot of padding as opposed to being thin with little cushioning. Embedded inside the sole is a zoom air heel airbag. When you first put these shoes on, you know what I’m talking about. They give a little extra bounce in your step. This is to prevent heel bruising from extra hard landings that might occur while skating. If you look at the bottom of the shoe there is a hard carbon fiber shank plate in the sole that protects the mid arch of your foot from truck axles and anything else that might happen to strike the area.

Board Feel

If you’re looking for a shoe that feels like you’re still barefoot when you put it on, then I don’t recommend you buy these. Given that you have the right size, this shoe gives a very snug, secure fit. Due to the padding and cushioning it takes away from the board feel a bit. They don’t have amazing board feel, like thin shoe like a dunk would have, but they still have a very, very good amount of board feel. This is where the ribbed sole comes in. I haven’t seen a sole design like this on a shoe before, which is a shame, because it works great. The only thing is that after continued wear, just like any shoe, the sole begins to wear down and lose its grip. After all of the ribs are flattened down, feel free to slip and slide on any smooth surface you want. For me they generally went out around 3-4 weeks of skating.

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