An Essential Guide to Airwalk Shoes for Men
Airwalk skateboard shoes have quite a respectable history. This shoe company was one of the first to make shoes specifically to perform better when skateboarding. Founded in 1986, Airwalk focused on making shoes that were durable, comfortable, and stylish for the average skateboarder. Despite the Airwalk shoe brand stepping out of the limelight in recent years, the classics are still very sought after by skateboarders.
What are vintage Airwalk shoes held together with?
Double stitching is common throughout the construction of their sneakers. The shoes that come in suede are resistant to the grip tape of the skateboard. This is especially important on tricks such as an ollie or a kickflip where the side and top of the shoe slides along the rough grip tape. The Airwalk variations that come with canvas uppers have less padding, which means that there is less material to get through when exposed to a lot of friction.
The hard rubber soles provide extra support to the bottom of the shoe, but the grip pattern is a lot more subtle compared to your average men's athletic shoes.
How do Airwalk shoes fit and feel?
Airwalk skater shoes are traditionally well-padded and fit snugly. The EVA footpad for the insole provides extra comfort on the bottom of the feet. The padding in the ankle collar and the tongue help protect the foot. The low-top models help offer better flexibility and range of motion of the foot. The high-top versions offer greater stability and protection of the ankle while sacrificing a bit of the flexibility and range of motion.
How do Airwalk shoes compare to other similar shoes?
For skateboarding, Airwalk shoes perform more or less the same as the top brands in the skateboarding niche. Their full rubber sole means they will wear down slower than some sneakers with lower-quality materials.
What materials are Airwalk shoes made from?
The most common types of Airwalk sneakers are made from suede, such as Airwalk One sneakers. Some of their other sneakers, like their high-top Prototype 600 sneakers, have uppers made out of glossy synthetic leather. Some shoes, both high-tops and low-tops, in the Airwalk lineup are made with canvas uppers.
The soles of most Airwalk shoes are made with rubber and feature a subtle grip pattern that is specifically made for use on a skateboard.
Are Airwalk shoes fashionable?
Like most skateboarding shoes, Airwalk shoes try to blend performance and style into the same shoe. Airwalks have a retro look, and they come in a wide variety of colors and styles, making it easy to pair them with several different kinds of outfits.
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