The 5 Best Etnies Skate Shoes

Etnies was the first skate shoe brand I ever wore growing up, and the Joslin’s were the shoes I landed some of my first tricks with. Although many of their skate shoes used to be quite bulky, they’ve taken a more modern and low-profile design route that I really like. It’s also great that many of their shoes will fit comfortably for wider feet too, which is relatively uncommon for skateboard shoes in general.

Etnies is one of those lesser-seen brands at most local skateparks these days, but their shoes have a ton of unique designs and sole technology at a price that won’t destroy your bank account. Most of Etnies best skate shoes are cupsoles, making them one of the best brands for skating stairs and large drops. However, if you consider yourself more of a tech skater or are new to skating, there are less aggressive options that feel great to skate in right out of the box.

So in this guide, I break down all the best Etnies skate shoes currently available based on personal experience or from talking to other skaters who currently wear these shoes. By the end of this, you’ll feel confident knowing whether Etnies are right for you and, more particularly, which pair you should go with.

Before we get started, let’s make things easy by looking at our top three Etnies picks at a glance:

Now let’s get into these (along with some other options) more in depth below.

The Best Etnies Skate Shoes

5. Marana Slip-On XLT

Although slip ons aren’t necessarily suited for all skaters, it’s really nice not to worry about your laces ripping, and they have way better board feel than laced shoes. The XLTs are unique in the sense that there is extended rubber on the toe and heel that helps improve the lifespan of the shoe. It does make flicking tricks feel quite a bit different than a canvas flick point, but it’s something that I really enjoy in a skate shoe.

Besides the extended rubber, this shoe is completely suede and has a relatively pointy toebox that gives the shoe a precise flick. The one spot that wears out the fastest seems to be the seam around the ollie area, but this also will depend on the types of tricks you do.

Despite being all suede, this shoe feels relatively breathable and is like a slipper to wear. It just doesn’t have very much impact protection or padding around the foot, which isn’t great when skating stairs or drops. However, that lack of material in the shoe also makes it have some insane board feel that you won’t find in other laced Etnies. It’s also worth noting that compared to other slip-on skate shoes, the elastic around the tongue seems to break frequently for some people after taking them on and off a lot.

This shoe fits about a 1/2 size big since the tongue might feel a little too roomy if you go with your regular shoe size. I typically wear a 10.5, but a 10 fits better for my foot in the XLTs.

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4. Etnies Joslin Vulc

The Joslin Vulc is a classic-looking and feeling skate shoe with almost no break-in period, and feels awesome to skate in out of the box. They fit true to size but are still pretty narrow and fit snugly to your foot. These have Etnies usual Michelin sole, which seems more grippy and durable than other skate shoes I’ve tried.

The shoe is all suede with an extended rubber cap on the heel that makes heelflips feel nice and meaty to flick. The flick on the toe feels relatively consistent once the foxing tape rounds out a bit, but nothing too unique or exceptional on that front. Since these are vulcanized shoes, they don’t have great impact protection, but they do have great board feel. These probably aren’t technical enough shoes for most advanced skaters, but these are great starter shoes if you’re looking for a simple and affordable skate shoe.

Ultimately these are pretty average skate shoes but are very comfortable and have a great feeling heel flick to them.

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3. Etnies Windrow Vulc

The Windrow Vulc is a similar feeling shoe to the Joslin Vulc mentioned previously, except with a slightly more versatile shoe design that looks better in both skate and casual settings. It’s a vulcanized shoe that feels thin and responsive, but with that comes very little impact protection or padding around the shoe. For flat ground or skating ledges and flat rails at your local park, these will do the trick. However, you should go with one of the next two options if you skate stairs, drops, or need more foot protection from a skate shoe.

These shoes have an all-suede toe and heel with a leather side panel and a rubber underlay around the toe cap to prolong the time it takes to blow a hole. The grip of these shoes is pretty average and less grippy than the Michelin soles in other Etnies shoes. If you’ve ever skated Vans, the soles of these feel very similar.

Compared to the Joslin Vulcs, these seem to have a more narrow toe that makes tricks feel great and responsive. However, these are not suited for anyone with wide feet. The Etnies Windrow is another good option if you want an average-feeling skate shoe with good board feel. However, it will not feel nice to skate in if you’re sessioning any bigger features.

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2. Etnies JOSLI1N

The JOSL1N is the big brother to the Joslin Vulc, but this time in a cupsole for better impact protection, more support, and they even have lace protectors on the bottom two laces. Although this shoe is pretty bulky as far as skate shoes go, it feels pretty well formed to your foot after they break in and don’t feel clunky like other shoes of this style.

The whole selling point of this shoe is that it’s said to be 3x more durable than other skate shoes. Although it’s hard to say for sure, there’s no denying that these shoes are super durable and will take their time to wear out. With all suede and a rubber underlay around the toe to improve the durability, that’s comparable to other Etnies skate shoes. However, the Michelin sole on these shoes has deeper grooves and feels more grippy than many other soles. It’s also a bit more lightweight and flexible, which can be somewhat unusual for a cupsole shoe.

These shoes will be overkill for any beginner skater, but if you’re starting to progress or skating larger features, these shoes keep your feet protected while still feeling great to skate in. They have less board feel than a vulc shoe, but the trade-off is that you can jump down things or even spend the day walking in these shoes and feel comfortable.

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1. Etnies Marana Michelin

The Marana is one of the most comfortable Etnies skate shoes you can buy, which checks all the boxes you can think of. It has great impact protection since it’s a cupsole, the rubber overlay on the toe improves the lifespan of the shoe and offers a very consistent flick, and it’s even comfortable for wide feet!

This shoe is still a more bulky shoe, but it also has way more padding than most skate shoes. Even after a long session of trying a new trick, your feet won’t feel as tired or bruised as in other skate shoes you’ve tried. These shoes also have a Michelin sole for some seriously tacky grip, although it does seem like a less aggressive sole than the JOSL1N’s. Compared to other skate shoe brands, these soles do not seem to wear down as fast and stay grippy for the shoe’s lifespan.

The Marana has a very short break-in period and feels awesome to skate in almost immediately. However, if you’ve never skated a shoe with a rubber overlay on the toe, that might take some getting used to. The only weak point of this shoe seemed to be around the ollie area, but the suede still held up and didn’t form a hole. Since these aren’t vulcanized shoes, they don’t have as good of board feel, but again, that’s a trade-off for a more supportive and protective shoe that your feet won’t get beat up in.

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Etnies Skate Shoe FAQs

– What’s So Great About Michelin Outsoles?

Etnies and Michelin (as in the tire company) teamed up to create a more grippy and durable outsole than what’s found in just about any other skater shoe. In most skate shoes you try, after a few weeks of regular skating, the tread around the ball of your foot becomes almost non-existent. This totally changes the grip of the shoe and changes how your feet slide on the board.

With Michelin soles, that grip and tread pattern doesn’t seem to wear out nearly as quickly and stays tacky long after the upper is blown out. Etnies and Michelin claim that the outsole of their Michelin soles will last 3x longer than any other skate shoe. From my experiences so far, I would believe it.

– Are Etnies Good For Wide Feet?

Compared to other skate shoe brands, Etnies does have a couple good options for skaters with wide feet. The best options would be the Etnies Marana or JOSL1N skate shoes since they are noticeably wider and bulkier.

That said, those shoes are still comfortable for those with more narrow feet. You’ll just be tightening your laces up a little bit more. I would consider myself narrow-footed, and my foot doesn’t slide around in either of these shoes.

– Are Etnies True To Size?

Yes, Etnies do fit true to size except for their slip-on skate shoe, which tends to run a 1/2 size big.

So Which Etnies Skate Shoes Should You Choose?

The Marana is my favorite skate shoe from Etnies, but there are plenty of other options to choose from depending on your style and preferences in a shoe. To help make your choice easier, let’s take a look at these skate shoes listed in order of rating.

Shoe	Specs	Our Rating	Where To Buy
	Etnies Marana Michelin	Extremely comfortable Great padding around heel and top of the foot Rubber overlay on suede toe cap for improved durability Michelin sole has insane grip and is very durable Is a cupsole that offers good impact protection Fit true to size	Check Price On AmazonFind At Tactics Boardshop
	Etnies JOSL1N	Lightweight and flexible sole for a cupsole shoe Rubber underlays beneath suede toe cap Great impact protection Become formed to your foot after a couple of sessions Great padding around the entire shoe Fit true to size Good for wide and narrow feet	Check Price On AmazonFind At Tactics Boardshop
	Etnies Windrow Vulc	Thicker foxing tape on the toe and heel for beefy flicks Hold shape and don't get floppy as fast as other shoes Rubber underlay beneath suede toe to improve durability Amazing board feel Responsive flick Fit true to size but are narrow	Check Price On AmazonFind At Tactics Boardshop
	Etnies Joslin Vulc	Feel great out of the box Extended heel rubber is great for heelflips Flick feels consistent once foxing tape rounds out A lower profile and less bulky version of the JOSL1N Fit true to size, not too narrow or too wide	Check Price On AmazonFind At Tactics Boardshop
	Etnies Marana Slip-On XLT	Amazing board feel Can't rip any laces with slip-ons Very durable Great grip Have a responsive flick Fit 1/2 size big	Check Price On AmazonFind At Tactics Boardshop

If you still aren’t sure which shoe to go with, check out our list of the 24 best skateboard shoes here for more options!