Nike SB Janoski Shoe Review
Features:
[LIST]
[*]-Built for daily use
[*]-Double stitched seamless toe piece
[*]-Extra thin tongue
[*]-Vulcanized sole
[*]-Zoom Air insole
[*]-Suede upper[/list]
Price
Nike SB is more expensive than most other skate brands, so these will cost you more than what you would usually pay for a slim vulcanized shoe. These go for a price range of $69.99-$74.99. Some places may be cheaper than others, but for the most part, it will be around that range for retail price.
Where To Buy?
Local skate shops if they carry Nike SB, and if not, there’s always online shops you can order from. A few online stores you can purchase these from include…
www.pickyourshoes.com
www.ccs.com
www.utilityboardsupply.com
www.buyskateshoes.com
www.skatewarehouse.com
www.activerideshop.com
First Thoughts/Impressions
At first I wasn’t planning on getting them based on how thin they were. I just kept thinking, “Heel bruises instantly”, but I was happily proved wrong once I decided to purchase them. There was no breaking in necessary. They fit like a glove the moment I put them on. After the first few sessions with them, I knew I would enjoy the time spent skating in these.
Comfort
Previously stating these had fit like a glove the first time trying on, they are still just as comfortable from the moment putting them on, to now. The lack of padding, and overall thinness of both the tongue, and heel collar might make you skeptical. Though not having tons of padding, and a pillowy tongue, they still make your feet feel secure, and comfortable when wearing the shoe.
Boardfeel
A huge deciding factor of why people usually get this shoe. Most people that buy this shoe are looking for a lot of boardfeel, and that’s exactly what you’ll get when skating in these. For the first few weeks, they have just enough boardfeel, but still have that thickness to keep heel bruises away. After a while, the sole starts to thin, and you start to feel more of your board, and well….the ground. Definitely a strong point with this shoe. I highly recommend these to anyone looking for good boardfeel.
Lace Protection
There are no lace loops, lace flaps, or lace savers on the shoe. So you’re going to be ripping your laces in these eventually. They didn’t rip for awhile though, about 1-2 weeks or so. I don’t mind ripped laces too much, but if you don’t want to keep switching out laces, once they start to rip, just put some Shoe-Goo near the ripped ends, and you’re set. Or just switch out the ripped ones for newer ones, and apply Shoe-Goo near the ends to prevent them from ripping quickly.
Impact
These shoes come with a Nike Zoom Air insole. It’s the patented heel airbag Nike uses for almost all their SB line of shoes. It works well for me. I have never gotten a heel bruises while skating them, and don’t think I will. Even in the thinnest of shoes (like these), they still keep those nasty bruises away.
Grip
These shoes had exceptionally good grip. Being a gum-soled shoe made it even better. They have a standard zig zag thread pattern to grip the board decently. Nike has always impressed me with their durable soles. Skating these for about 2 months consistently, and not losing much thread is better than most skate shoes I’ve had previously. The grip did not start to lose it’s thread until about a month or so skating/wearing them. Overall, I was very pleased with them, and would definitely recommend them to someone having trouble finding long lasting grip/soles.
Durability
I was a little skeptical of how these were going to hold up since they were a thin vulcanized shoe. Once again, I was impressed with how well they held their own. I skated these for about 2-3 weeks before noticing any major wear to the toe. For the first month or so, the suede just turned a blueish color, and after about a month, a tiny hole started to form. With not using any adhesives to the toe, these have held up incredibly well compared to other thin vulcs I have skated. Overall, they are very durable. Most think if it’s a vulc shoe, they won’t be too durable, but Nike really outdid themselves with making the durability one of the strong points of the shoe.
Overall
A little misleading at first maybe, but once trying them, they really stand out. With them being one of the thinner vulcanized shoes on the market, you think the durability won’t be the best, and they’ll kill your feet. Not true though. They have excellent durability, not just for a thin vulc, but just in general, they really hold up well. Also, they skate really good. They make tricks seem easier with that seamless toe piece, and the suede is smooth to the touch, yet still durable. Grip couldn’t be better really. A gum-sole shoe, with a zig zag thread pattern. It last long, and you won’t be getting holes anytime soon skating these. In conclusion, if you’re looking for boardfeel, durability, long lasting grip, good impact, and comfort, give these a try. If you want more padding to protect your feet than anything, then you might want to try something else. But overall, the Nike SB Janoski is a well built shoe, and I highly recommend them to anyone.
