Another great looking shoe, no background story let’s just get straight to the point. Sorry about the label, that is entirely on me.
The Etnies Veer skate shoe is an addition to the Etnies footwear collection and it is comparable to the Etnies Marana skate shoe. A big difference is the updated sole thread pattern.
Anyway, he’s pretty happy with the durability but this is a skate with narrow feet which caused some issues. Might have to test them again to see what a skater with ‘normal feet’ has to say about them:
Decent impact protection when you ollie a 5-stair but they don’t feel like landing on clouds. Still no complaints or much inconvenience after a session. They are great for skating flat though I noticed them slipping when skating ramps. Could be because the mini ramp was a bit dusty.
A very durable shoe, the wear only becomes visible after 70 hours of skating I would like to add that the soles felt pretty stiff and only after skating for 40 hours they feel more flexible. Could be personal preference though.
Compared to the Vans High I skated before, this shoe feels 10 times better regarding board feel, impact and comfort.
What I don’t like are the laces, way too long and I had to cut them. Also, I have rather narrow feet which show on the images. Don’t get these when you need narrow shoes!
local skater
Pros
Enough impact for 5 stairs, they don’t feel like landing on clouds but overall pretty decent.
It took a long time for the soles to finally break in, 40 hours to really get the maximum flex, the soles were still intact at this point. However, they perform better the more you skate them. at 70 hours the wear kicks in.
Cons
Minor complaint are the laces that are way too long so you might need to cut them which is rather annoying. They don’t offer a lot of impact protection, the insoles just won’t cut it and I suggest getting some FP insoles for that.
Less grip when riding mini ramps, but that might have something to do with the dust and dirt. The biggest con is that it really takes a long time to fully break them in, it will take a long time before the shoes perform like they should.
Since this the rider that tested these shoes is used to Vans high, he didn’t really like the lack of ankle/Achilles tendons protection. This is probably not a real con but just something you’re used to.
Fit and sizing
The Etnies Veer are true to size but not for those with narrow feet. If you have narrow feet, you might have issues like my rider had. Consider different shoes if this is the case. They aren’t super wide, just a regular fit. Just something to point out to skaters with really narrow feet.
Board Feel and Grip
The Etnies Veer offer great board feel but it really takes some time to break them in. The Michelin outsole is indestructible, just like the Joslin 2 and Marana’s.
Form and Shape
Pretty much the same shoe as the Etnies Marana (to be reviewed) but more flexible. They look pretty similar but the major difference is the stitching near the front, the Marana’s will last longer.
Perhaps hard to see and I really need to get a comparison shot, but performance and durability wise, they are comparable.
Durability
The stitching near the toe area raises some concerns, but compared to other shoes they seem to hold up fine. Not on the level of the New Balance 306 or the Adidas Tyshawn, but they are quite durable.
The out soles show hardly any wear as you would expect from the Michelin composite, very durable stuff. There are a few issues which has mainly to do with the type of feet of my rider.
For one you can clearly see the side wear from the laces (rider has narrow feet). The stitches will come loos so a warning for those with narrow feet, don’t buy these shoes!
The toe area will wear after 70 hours and by that time you really need to patch them with shoe goo and Ripcare. After repairing the shoes they should be good for another 40-50 hours, will keep you posted.
Cushioning
The insoles aren’t that impressive, from what I’ve seen in cupsoles the impact resistance comes from the sole itself. No point in adding more because they should be able to do the job. They can deal with primos mainly because of the Michelin stuff and the foamy sole.
Verdict
The Etnies Veer are very durable skate shoes and provide lots of board feel considering it’s a cupsole. They don’t offer a lot of impact protection and might not be suitable for every day wear.
Despite the stitching near the toe are, they hold up for a long time. You might want to Shoe Goo them before you start shredding the streets to make these skate shoes last longer. It takes longer than average to break them in, but when they do you really have an awesome shoe.
