cruisers – Caught in the Crossfire

reynolds-cruisers-altamont-black-tan-large A pair of these arrived on my desk last week and just opening the box gave me a satisfied smile that one can only recieve when appreciating shoes that are designed and run solely by skateboarders. The relationship between Emerica and Andrew Reynolds is one that should be recognised and saluted. Throw in Altamont and you know that these are going to be a strong purchase and that’s exactly what your feet feel like once slipped into these puppies. They are pure quality.

Andrew Reynolds wanted some ultra-slim, low profile boat shoes to skate and chill in, and the Reynolds Cruisers are the result. The mix of suede and denim work extremely well and should last way longer than your average thin suede-only skate shoe, especially if you are partial to blasting holes through the sides of yours due to ollie abuse, which should never be a problem.

The tongue gives extra support and the gum sole sticks to griptape like nothing else. In fact, after a few skates in these, moving around became easier ending in perfect grip. Overall, once worn in these work a treat. Try some for yourself this Autumn.

In the time I’ve been skating, I’ve gone had a complete revolution in the shoe and deck departments. From skating super skinny decks and moonboot style shoes when I started, it’s taken me until now to get comfortable with as wide a deck as possible and the slimmest shoes I can find.

I always think shoes are the critical choice. If you can’t feel your board through those soles then you have no idea what is going on. Having sung the praises of the Emerica Laced not so long ago, I was really keen to get my flippers into a pair of the Reynolds Cruisers as they looked to follow the same simple construction and design.

The first thing that really surprised me with them was how heavy the sole was. Seriously, the weight on these things shocked me as they look very light, but the vulc sole is a really solid bit of rubber. Quickly though, I realised this was a good thing. What let the Laced down was the sole being almost too thin and the inevitable heel bruises that come with it. The Cruisers have beefed up the sole to give you that confidence that no matter how hard you skate that day, you’ll still be able to walk home. The general construction is solid on these too. One-piece toes on skate shoes get rid of the problem of ripped stitching, there’s nothing to snag or wear away and they’re always more comfortable to wear. The same goes for thin laces too, keep them small and out the way and they will never snap.

Despite the thicker sole, the Cruisers still have great board feel and the small amount of cushioning around the ankle is just enough to fill you with confidence that you’re not going to tweak yourself easily. The suede has been taking a serious punishing from recent skates and there still isn’t a mark on it.

Although it might just be me and my freakish feet, but I found that wearing these a half or even whole size smaller than you would normally wear definitely helps. They have a tendency to flop around your foot if you don’t get a snug fit, and the suede will always stretch out to fit better anyway. Other than that, Reynolds has done it again with a simple, strong shoe that will last for ages.

Moose