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Etnies – how much in this sound!

Iconic skate brands are always heard. Even in the era of the dominance of the corporation skateboard staff market, these firms manage to keep their name on the “daily agenda”, as well as produce very interesting products for skaters. Today we will make a small educational program on the main products of the Etnies shoe brand – skate shoes. So to say – “Not one” Nike “are united!”.

Etnies and shoes

In 1986, the Etnis brand originates. Soon after the start, Pierre André Sénizergues joins him, from whose pen the first shoe models of the brand come out:

  • Senix;
  • Lo-Cut;
  • Low-Top Rap;
  • Intercity;
  • Scam.

After that, the company enters the US market and begins its rapid development within the Sole Technology holding, where the following brands are gradually joining:

  • eS;
  • Emerica;
  • ThirtyTwo and others.

There are many good and bad moments in the history of the brand. But today we want to focus on the current shoe line of the company and the technologies used in it. This is a very interesting topic for discussion of the question – “Why should I buy Etnies, and not something else?”.

Some of the most technologically advanced on the market

The Etnies brand is a subsidiary of Sole Technology. All technological research is carried out on behalf of the Sole Technology company and is subsequently introduced into the things of all the ward brands of the corporation.\

Already in 2003, Sole Technology presented the STI Lab to the world – this is the first and only research center in the world (at that time) dedicated to the study of the biomechanics of skateboarding and other active sports. The STI Lab creates new shoe specifications to help reduce injury and improve rider performance.

p.s. every rider noticed the STI inscription on the insoles of the Etnies, Emerica, eS shoe brands.

The current model line of all Etnies shoes

To begin with, Etnies celebrates its 35th full anniversary in 2021! In the current situation of the skate market, living for that long (and being in demand now!) Is a great achievement.

According to the official website of the manufacturer, the following shoe models are currently being produced and sold (we do not take into account pro-models and certain types of sneakers on different soles, we single out only individual shoe models):

  • WINDROW;
  • VEER;
  • CAMBER, SEMENUK, CULVERT (models for riding MTB and BMX);
  • RANGER LT;
  • LO-CUT (II LS);
  • CALLI;
  • BARGE LS (X);
  • MARANA SLIP (XLT);
  • MARANA (VULC);
  • JAMESON;
  • FUERTE;
  • SCOUT;
  • JAMESON 2 (ECO, HTW);
  • JOSLIN;
  • FORELAND;
  • JEFFERSON (MTW);
  • FADER;
  • KINGPIN (2, VULC);
  • FAZE;
  • AGRON;
  • DORY.

Each model of Etnis footwear has its own technical content, but not all of them are equipped with interesting technologies worth telling about. We will talk in more detail about the most interesting technological solutions that the shoe brand was able to implement into its products.

Innovative outsole from co-development with Michelin

The sole of any skate shoe is made of rubber. Of course, the composition of the material for its manufacture may contain some kind of additives, fillers, additives, etc., but in general, we will call it rubber.

Car tires are also made from rubber with different compositions. That is why the management of the Etnies brand decided to make a unique collaboration with the tire manufacturer Michelin.

The main problem with skateboarding shoes is that they quickly lose their original properties. And we are not talking about the holes appearing on the sneakers, they are torn from all sides, etc. Here we mean exactly the deterioration of the rolling properties:

  • wrong hook on emery;
  • increased pain sensations;
  • loosening the fit on the leg and so on.

As part of this collaboration, Etnies engineers solved the problem of the skate sole. In the MARANA model, a Michelin rubber outsole was used for the first time. The advantages of such a sole can be considered the following points (all conclusions are made based on the feedback about the model from buyers and the personal feelings of our riders):

  • maximum durability. No skate shoe soles last as long as Michelin. The operating conditions of rubber in car tires are many times stronger than when riding a skateboard. From this comes such good resistance to abrasion from emery. In general, making a hole in the sneaker from the side of the Michelin sole will be very, very difficult. By the way, the manufacturer himself indicates that such a sole is 3 times stronger than the average;
  • increased period of good grip on the skin. Everyone was faced with the fact that the sole seems to be intact, but no longer clings. Many people in such a situation sin on the flu, but even after replacing it with a new one, the shoes still do not hold the board. In Michelin soles, the protector, which is responsible for the feeling of the grip of the emery, lasts as long as possible. It should be noted that the tread pattern is fundamentally different from the standard Geo-Hex for other Etnis sneakers;
  • the best anti-shock properties. Any trick on a skateboard is a shock dynamic load on the feet. The rubber in the Michelin outsole absorbs this load well.

By the way, not everything is as good as it might seem. Also, such a sole has a drawback – the sole is quite stiff in new sneakers. Those. to comfortably feel the skate, you need to tease it. It is difficult to call it a minus, so we will write it off as a small defect (although for some it will even be a plus – everything is relative).

Innovative STI Fuzion outsole (old development of the company)

STI lab has always worked in the best interest of the riders. Even in 2011, the brand already had STI Fuzion, a technology that made skate shoes more durable and lighter. Also, this technology is more environmentally friendly in terms of production.

Insoles: not exactly about sneakers, but still

All shoe models from Sole Technology (Etnies, eS, Emerica) use STI insoles. This is a separate technological development that makes Etnis brand footwear, in particular, unique, as comfortable and safe as possible.

The usual set of sneakers and sneakers are the usual STI insoles. They are good, but there are really technological ones – STI Energy Foam Insoles.

According to the manufacturer, such insoles are several times better at absorbing the shock load on the rider’s feet, and also 40% lighter than standard EVA foam insoles. It is also convenient that they can be cut to fit a certain shoe size (for example, if you need to upgrade already rolled sneakers). But these insoles can only be purchased separately. None of Sole Technology’s footwear lines have them.

Technological solutions in other models of Etnies sneakers

Next, we will briefly list the technological research for specific models from the Etnis shoe line, with which the manufacturer can “trump” the consumer

RANGER – Thick Evolution foam midsole for better cushioning, Foam Lite 2 insole, 400NBS rubber outsole;

VEER – Michelin Performance rubber outsole (different tread structure than in MARANA), EVA midsole for shock absorption;

MARANA SLIP – a unique Pro Foam 2 insole, which the manufacturer calls “Drop to the Floor” (drops on flat shoes can only be done on such an insole), the top of the slip-on is reinforced with Evertoe (rubber toe cap) and Force Shield technologies;

JOSLIN – designed by pro rider Chris Joslin (unique silhouette);

FADER – олдскульные кеды, где в подошве используется нестандартная резина 300 NBS.

It is worth noting that all MTB bike shoes have their own set of characteristics. But we, as a skate shop, will not take them into account, because for our skating with you, in principle, it is not important.

The rest of the skate models mix the listed technologies to varying degrees and are supplemented with fairly standard things for all skate shoes on the market, which are not worth focusing on.

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