Etnies Men's Jameson 2 ECO Skate Shoe, Black/Charcoal/Gum, 8

No, I don't skateboard. At fifty-two, I'm just not interested in that or looking like I do. But, I can appreciate a good pair of sneakers when I wear them!These Etnies shoes have a rigidity to them that must be useful in skateboarding. The sides and heel (but not so much in the front and toe area) are a sandwich of fabric and a rigid interior material so the material doesn't flex as much as conventional sneakers. The soles are supposed to be rubber, but they are as rigid as the uppers. It took a while to get used to, but once broken in is reasonably comfortable.The insoles are actually very good. They have a very effective cushioning far above other sneakers, including a couple pair of Polo's I also have. They are certainly better for all day wearing than any other brand of fashion sneakers or deck shoes I have had in many years. They have decent arch support - something not usually found on shoes of this type - but if you are arch support issues, you will still need inserts.THe only negative I found is that they tend to be a tad bit more narrow than other medium-width sneakers I have had. It's not enough to be a problem, but the are just a tad snug. This could be a function of their rigid construction, but it didn't cause me any problems.Taking everything into account, a broken-in pair of these Etnies Jameson shoes are comfortable and affordably priced. The are available in an array of colors and patterns - cool to conventional - for any taste. I chose gray/gray/black in a herringbone pattern and think they look cool, dude! Five stars.

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Been wanting some flat bottom shoes since I have never been comfortable in tennis shoes my entire life. Started lifting and you need flat shoes or special lifting shoes but those are not cheap. Did research, for lifting lots of guys suggest Chuck Taylors but those have been slipping on quality and can't be expected to last a year just wearing them casually let alone actually doing something in them. CT's used to be a hit with local roofers to, and they also complain how new ones are just not made right. As an alternative a few guys I talked with who did Crossfit told me just get skate shoes instead. I never was into skating so I knew nothing about it, but I assume as much footwork they do and how skater tape looked like sandpaper the shoes had to at least be tough. They had the flat bottom I was wanting to try out. Now came the fun part, looking up various brands.I eventually wound up with these Etnies. DC makes some good looking shoes at similar prices but I found a specific brown/white pattern of this shoe in size 11 for $25. The black/gum and another color I was wanting were all around $60, so it seems the uglier shoes are going for cheaper. The brown/white shoes were the best looking of the 'budget' bunch and are honestly not that bad looking. All are the same exact shoes, it's just color you are paying for.About the shoes themselves. Sizing is a smidge smaller than expected. I normally wear a 10.5 W (has to be wide) for most brands like my Brahma Defender boots I work in, occasionally some brands I go up to 11 and it's snug. By following internet instructions I'm technically a size 10 after drawing my feet on paper and measuring the dimensions so I tossed that advice out the window. With these Etnies I read a few people say they run a bit small or as expected, I decided not to risk it and gone with 11 instead of the 10.5. Turns out that is spot on, the width and toe is snug yet not tight. Construction isn't double-stitched like some shoes but usually by the time stitches start to pop on any shoe it's worn down anyway. The material feels like some sort of canvas and seems tougher than budget running shoes and their faux-leather material. The bottom has an exterior edge of soft rubber but the flat middle section is a hard rubber, almost like plastic. Hard to flex by hand but it flexes fine with your body weight on it. There is a little bit of spring to the shoe, the toe points upward a tiny bit and this is required on any shoe really. There is arch support inside, minimal but there. I am not flat-footed and I got hurt multiple times running barefoot and with running shoes on both extremes, barefoot there was no support and running shoes there was too much support in the wrong places. These shoes seem like a happy middle and are quite comfy. I can usually feel in 4 hours my ankles and knees hurting with all running/tennis shoes, these Etnies are the first shoe I wore that is not a fully supported boot that doesn't cause me pain. Looks like I made the right choice, guess I'll be sticking to skate shoes a lot more from now on and these Jameson 2 Eco's are not a bad start.

Great shoes!

Just be cautious when ordering the Brick Heather. I have two different color ways and the Brick Heather one ripped apart in under a month under normal every day wear. Comfortable shoe though, the other color way is still in tact.

I got these after getting the Jameson low tops and these are by far the coolest/stylish shoe and I definitely plan to use them for skating so I ordered 2 pairs. The online pictures don't do them justice.

1 year 7 months and 20 days old, worn every day. Great shoes for work, outdoor activities and value.

Comfy, good quality and true to size. I do recommend this shoes. Bought it for mountain biking and they work great 👍