DVS runs a tight ship of stylers, and everybody knows that you can judge a man by his shoes, so these kicks have got to look good. The Nova keeps things simple- it’s lo-cut, gum sole, suede, no air bags, stash pockets ankle straps or other wing dings. In fact, when I first saw this shoe, I thought it might not last very long, because of the minimalist outlook- I was wrong.
Now, I know the winter is not the best time of year to test new skate shoes, but every occasion I got I went for roll about, thrash and slash. And if Mother Nature was hellbent on keeping me indoors or offboard, I still wore my Nova’s.
Firstly, the gum sole grips. Always a good sign because in today’s saturated skate shoe market, some people will use anything for a sole in order to flog stock… So, I’ve got good grip, but will it last? I know other brands’ gum soles wear down pretty fast, but this DVS material took a good 4-5 months to finally bear a hole!
Next, the suede upper and toe area. I prefer suede to shiny leather because it grips your board straight away and doesn’t slip around like oiled fish scales. However, leather lasts longer as suede takes a harsh knock when applied to abrasive grip. Stitchings pop and holes rub through, and before you know it the shoe has fallen to pieces! Not here. The DVS Nova kept things together and even if the stitching wore away, the layers didn’t peel apart. In the toe area where ollies do the most damage, the suede simple wore away very slowly to reveal a weird silicone layer that wasn’t going anywhere. No holes for my socks!
Finally, I rock the hidden lace hoops because ripped and torn strings are not a good look, plus shoe laces are never around when you really need one. The only place my lace snapped (once!) was where I thread it through a regular hoop. Oh well…
So, the DVS Nova gets some sausage thumbs up. It’s simple and sturdy- two things so many skate shoes can’t seem to get right.
Ralph Lloyd-Davis
16/03/2006