Pioneer product test.
With girls skateboarding coming of age, the Gal 86 demonstrates how Etnies is supporting this side of the sport to be taken more seriously.
Reflected in the adaptation of the shoe over the last few years (as life began for it as standard fashion skate shoe based on the Sal 23) the Gal 86 series has been updated to give the durability needed for the wear and tear demands of skateboarding. The outer shell is made from suede with reinforced triple stitched seams.
Pioneer is the chosen skate park to put the shoes to the test, so they will be thrown straight into some hard working ramps from the off.
The first thing I noticed when putting these shoes on is how comfortable they are. Some shoes take a bit of time getting used to when stepping onto my board but I found I took to these straight away, forget any wearing-in time, I could skate quite happily forgetting I had a new pair of shoes on my feet.
The padding is just enough to stop you feeling any knocks from your board, but they are not too bulky to loose all feeling. I also noticed that every part of my foot was well supported and I felt like I had better control between shoe and board. There is a good grip outsole and they are also pretty light.
The only problem I did find was after wearing for copious amounts of time was; where there is an overlay at the ollie area it was slightly too thick and rubbed on my little toe but other than that these shoes are comfy and really well designed for support.
After several days of skating, there were no noticeable marks, which considering they have a suede outer shell, this was quite impressive. If like me you like your shoes to last, then these are a pair that are worth investing in.
Find them at Etnies Girl
Jenna Selby