Skateboarding Footwear Done Correctly — My Critique Of The Ipath Locust
Below is my writeup on the ipath shoes that I’ve had for about 30 days now, the Locust model:
I had to spend a little while to get these shoes broken in properly. I’d recommend holding out on skating with these shoes until you feel like you’ve broken them in completely. A day or two of wearing them at home or as general street wear should be more than enough to get the factory rigidity out of them. To prevent chafing from the hi-tops of the locust, make sure to wear full length socks too. After breaking these shoes in, they fit true. I know a lot of people have expressed doubt about how good they are for skating due to their width, but the simple truth is they look much wider than they feel, and they are awesome for skating. In case you are wondering why they look so wide, that questions is answered as soon as you put your foot inside the shoe. The padding, and consequently the comfort on this shoe is off the chain. Skate shoes that are sized true can be challenging to find, so if you have sizing issues these shoes are definitely worth your consideration because of their accuracy in sizing. If you are budget-minded like me and you are accustomed to cheap skateboarding shoes you’ll find that these are a big step up.
Don’t worry about grip either, the Locust has absurdly good grip for skateboarding! My last pair of shoes were Vans, and the Locust blows them out of the water as much as grip can be involved. Believe me, with these shoes on your feet, you will be stuck to that skateboard like glue. To ensure your feet stay firmly in place, these shoes have a velcro strap in addition to the laces.
The amount of wear I put shoes through is pretty intense, and the Locusts have survived my disregard for their health better than most. I’ve noticed that the toe stitching is starting to run a little bit, but considering I spend more time on my board in a week than most people do at their jobs, I can’t say I’m shocked. They’re quite resilient for a canvas shoe, but obviously they are not likely to have the lifespan of a leather shoe.
The shoes are made of “green” friendly materials like hemp and organic cotton, and feature a sweet stash pocket in the tongue. These shoes also possess a leather upper with rounded toe, a special customizable ankle strap for additional comfort and fit (a feature I completely love) toe ventilation, foam padded lining, removable CHT insole produced out of coconut skin which Ipath claims will help your feet breathe a lot. Finally, the shoes feature an impact-reducing gel system in the heel to soak up the shock from hard landings.