Customer Reviews

Made for Skate

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I almost cried. More than 15 years of my life were there without me knowing it. Airwalk era was there. Etnics turned into Etnies at that time. I worked in a skateshop at the time and I was selling those shoes.
That's the ultimate resource for skate kicks.
Definitive book.

The book Made 4 Skate is an absolute must-have for every skater. It systematically breaks down the history of skateboard shoes and takes the reader to a ride from the roots of skateboarding in the early 1950s when it was still just "the little brother of surfing" up to the eighties, nineties and the "new century" when skating became a popular kind of sports. Furthermore, it takes a very fascinating look into the future and shows how new technologies are tested to optimize the grip and "skatability" of sneakers.

Who can't remember his or her first skating shoes? They are a very important aspect of our sport because they "form the most crucial interface between skaters and their boards", as author Dirk Vogel writes. On 400 pages, "Made 4 Skate" offers a detailed and impressive view on the development of skateboard sneakers - on how companies such as Nike, Vans, Etnies or Converse got into producing special shoes "for skateboard use only", and how they created new designs to match the needs of cracks like Tony Hawk or Paul Rodriguez. Just like many others, these two skaters also lend their stories and commentaries throughout the book.

The design of the pages is made with love for the detail. Pics of frazzled, patched and all-over "used" Chuck's remind every skater of his or her first own skating experiences. These pics are supplemented by very interesting, short and informative paragraphs about the technical design, the art or materials of skateboard shoes. Moreover, the book offers many details about the history of skating, about the experiences of skaters, about the different eras and many more. It deals with short stories about pro surfers like Joey Cabell, who used the little skateboards to fine-tune his balance or a 15-year-old teenager from Florida, named "Ollie" Gelfand, whose popular move in the late 1970s coined a whole era.

This book "Made 4 Skate" is definitely a good read because it underlines the incomparable and unique character of our sport. It is like a printed museum of the history of skating with a special focus on the things that come next to our boards - the shoes.

For skaters who've reached an older age where their coffee table might actually be used for coffee, this book is a great addition. My skate friends love to look through it and remember the shoes and times surrounding the evolution of skate shoes and skateboarding in general.
Not comprehensive, but a good selection of shoes that are either representative of an era or time, or stand out for their crazy design- every one is worth a look.
Great binding, great cover material, and a lot of fun. Worth the price for those who shred.

This book does a wonderful job of covering every aspect of skateboard shoes. The book touches on every brand of skate shoe imaginable with large color photos of shoes and ads on every page. I am so glad this book is part of my collection!

Totally satisfied with this product! The item arrived in perfect condition and well before the time expected. Would love to do more business with this seller!!!

Sightly damaged on the edge due to the shipping, but it's ok... definitely a great slice of skateboarding shoes history!