Just wanted to give a big shout out to Maciej Kobus, the winner of our Emerica 2013 Tempster giveaway!  It took a while – the shoes were held up in customs for 3 weeks – but our fearless and persistent Polish winner was undeterred.  He finally got the shoes and whew, they fit!  This is what he had to say about them:

I can’t be happier with the new shoes since they are a pro model of well known skateboarder and my huge inspiration – Ed Templeton. I’m not the biggest fan of high/mid shoes but they seem to fit nicely. I didn’t have a chance to wear them for a longer time but they feel comfortable. Also huge thanks to Ed and the guys at Emerica for keeping it real and staying true for all these years.

We couldn’t have put it better, dude.  Thanks again for entering.  And thank you, Emerica, for keeping it real and participating and not hating on the vegan skaters out there.  We send much love out there, keep up the good work Ed Templeton and everyone over there at Emerica.

One more pic after the jump!

We here at VK have been fans of Herschel Supply Co.’s bags since we first saw them.  We really dug the simple designs and how they reminded us of our bags when we were kids.  Unfortunately, the leather detailing would turn us away.  But the more I looked at pictures and in person, we noticed that the “leather” tabs and straps didn’t look real.  Lo and behold, after a random google search, it turns out that almost all of it is synthetic:

3. Are any of Herschel Supply’s products animal free/vegan friendly?
All of Herschel Supply’s products are animal free/vegan friendly with the exception of collaboration items, any Cotton Canvas products our Market tote and our Woodlands backpack.

Rejoice!  Herschel bags are vegan, with exceptions.  Pictured above and below are some of our favorites.  But there are so many options, you should check out their shop for all they have to offer.

Big shout to our friends at Three Leaves and props for putting together such an awesome collection for this spring and summer 2013.  I’m baffled by how long it took for us to find such a place.  While there are some options out there of ethical clothing for guys, we are usually limited to an organic cotton tee or jeans here and there (I’m sensing that it’s a different landscape in Europe, which is ahead of us).  Fortunately, that is changing, and our options are growing.  Take for instance what we have here, gear we would describe it as sophisticated casual: well fitted dark wash jeans, smart button downs, simple but well thought out tees and caps.  The best part, everything is either 1) environmentally friendly, 2) fair trade, or 3) vegan.  Sometimes all three.  And it’s saying something that there are even enough small brands out there that can make this possible.  Of course, fair trade/organic comes at a cost.  Even though the price tags on some of these items can be hefty, don’t forget you are buying the best sustainable materials and fair pay for workers.  Plus you are supporting some amazing businesses, who we here at VK would love to see succeed and make mainstream this ethical fashion movement.

Peep the Look Book here.  See Below for some of our favorites of the season.

I’ve seen Superga shoes around, but only in store displays.  I haven’t really seen them on too many feet around town.  I’m not sure if they just don’t stand out to me, since they look very similar to Keds, Jack Purcell or Vans Authentic.  Or, maybe the Italian brand (self described as the “People’s Shoes of Italy“) just hasn’t broken out state side.  I don’t see why they aren’t bigger, I could definitely see these as a staple in any person’s shoe collection.

Versatile, equally suitable for men or women, this Superga 2750 COTU classic is just that.  Like the Jack Purcell, it is a great casual canvas sneaker that can go with you anywhere.  Plus, they are offered in a bewildering assortment of colors.  You can mix and match with anything.  I count 18 colorways on Zappos, 24 (!) from the Superga site.

Oh right, I forgot to mention that all Superga canvas shoes are vegan, with synthetic glues and all.

Cop these at Zappos or Superga USA.

I know what you’re thinking – “socks?  I’m vegan, I came here to get a scoop on shoes.  I don’t have a problem finding animal free products to put on my feet before the shoes!”  If you are thinking that, well you’re right.  You can spot a pair of wool socks a mile away.  I don’t have a really great answer to that other than hey, I’m a sucker for the little things.  And yes, socks are overlooked accessories, but the right (or wrong) pair can really make a difference.

Take for instance these made by Happy Socks.  You got jaunty argyles, wild stripes, trippy polka dots, and neon animal prints in crew, knee-high, ankle lengths, all woven and combed cotton and other synthetic materials.  If these don’t make you smile, you are not a fun person.  Me, I will fully admit that I go all black or grey, even white sometimes (ugh, I know) with some minor variations – polka dot, argyle.  Nothing too crazy.  But man, I really need to get me some of these for the summer.

It’s not just the wild designs and patterns that’s drawing us to Happy Socks.  The quality is superb – the stronger combed cotton lasts longer.  Comfort is improved with reinforced heel and toes.  Before they’re shipped out, they’re washed in a process which ensures that they won’t shrink after you wash them.

Did I mention their fair trade creds?  The socks are made in a family factory in Turkey, and tights in Italy.  Their productions sites are (according to their website) in accordance with international labor laws and standards.  They even have hemp and recycled cotton socks!  The only thing that I’d want is for them to incorporate organic into their line.

So if you like, get happy.  You can cop any of these at the Happy Socks site.  Or click on the link below.  Or if you’re in New York, they just opened up a store on 436 W. Broadway (at Prince).

Vegan Kicks is proud to give a huuuuge shout out to the venerable Farm Sanctuary and this unique special event they are putting together.  If you are in the New York City area, you gotta go to  FASHION LOVES ANIMALS, a benefit fashion show and cocktail party, on May 4th at SIR Stage 37 in Manhattan. This stylish night benefiting Farm Sanctuary will honor Vaute Couture President and Creative Director Leanne Mai-ly Hilgart, who made history this year with the first all-vegan label to show at New York Fashion Week.

“I’ve dedicated myself to developing fabrics and apparel with higher performance than their animal-derived counterparts,” says Hilgart, who CNN hailed “the rebel of Fashion Week.” “And I do it all with a passion for design and comfort; there is no need to cause animals to suffer for fashion, especially when the alternatives perform so much better.”

This event is also showcasing some great vegan fashion labels including Love is Mighty (vegan shoes for the ladies), Brave GentleMan (one of our favorites), Matt & Nat, and featuring cruelty-free makeup by The Body Shop, the night will feature a full Vaute runway show, music, cocktails, a delicious assortment of vegan culinary delights, and even a surprise appearance from some of our furry little friends on the runway!

For more information on the event and how to register, please click here.

WHAT: FASHION LOVES ANIMALS: Benefit Fashion Show & Cocktail Party

WHEN: Saturday, May 4, 2013, 7:00 – 10:00 p.m.

WHERE: SIR Stage 37
508 West 37th St.
New York, NY 10018

COST: $150 per person. Proceeds benefit Farm Sanctuary’s life-saving work for farm animals.

For information on sponsorships, contact: mwasserman@farmsanctuary.org or 213-814-8392

Farm Sanctuary operates three shelters in New York and California that provide lifelong care for nearly 1,000 rescued farm animals, works to change laws to decrease abuse of farm animals, and promotes compassionate vegan eating.

Long overdue is a shout to our favorite European vegan shoe brand, Novacas.  New for spring 2013, these two styles are a pretty tight combo and are both great additions for the stylish vegan (or non-vegan, who wouldn’t want to cop these?).  The Owen, above, is a casual oxford but features a clean waxed canvas black upper paired with a brick red colored sole.  So versatile you could wear these all day and pair them with an entirely different outfit at night.  I really need to get me one of these.

The Allister, pictured below in black and brown, is a slightly different animal.  It is consistent with the direction Novacas has been going with multiple “dressy” sneakers in their lineup (is there a proper term for this?  Euro sneaker?).  This one is the best they’ve come up with yet in my opinion.  You are immediately drawn to the white rubber sole, which is the most sneaker-ish it’s going to get.  Everything upward is reaching for higher fashion – this isn’t trying to be a basketball, tennis, or running shoe.  It has a clean look, but filled with subtle sophisticated details.  The small divots running along the laces and heel, the premium non-leather leather detailing on the heel.  Oh yeah, and it’s made out of faux nubuck upper.  I own a pair of Novacas with the faux suede and I can tell you it’s of very high quality material.  If you scoff at the price, I can promise you that the durability itself proves its worth.

Vegan shoes for miles!  Get a pair today from our favorite Brooklyn etailer Three Leaves.  Support sustainable and ethical menswear.  Check out their entire store for more organic, fair trade, and cruelty free clothing!  Oh and also 30% off of winter coats and 10% off if you sign up for emails!

The new shoe is called “The Tempster,” and is designed by legendary vegan skateboarder, Ed Templeton. Ed has always been a driving force in skateboarding – a true individual and artist. He is also the vegan skater’s skater. Never quitting and never selling out his vegan beliefs for a higher-paying/selling leather pro-model shoe. For this alone, we should always support him, his shoes, and Emerica for putting them out. Emerica is in my own personal opinion, the last real core skate shoe brand we have left.

I got to skate these new shoes a few short times on the streets and for a full 3-hour session at the park. Here are my personal thoughts as a long-time skater and vegan shoe wearer. . . .

The Emerica “The Tempster” is a classic-style,  simple, yet well-constructed skate shoe.

The shoes come in 2 colorways: black/grey and green/grey.

The green colorway has a kelly green toe and tongue with a lime-green patterned upper and back featuring Ed Templeton’s artwork. The green shoes are black inside, while the black colorway has this same pattern on the lime green, but only on the insides.

I decided to skate/wear test the black colorway first. I figured most skaters will be more interested in them because they aren’t as flashy and over the top as the green is, and knowing today’s type of skaters, the green won’t go with their outfits. What sarcasm?

The shoes have minimal padding throughout but a thick 20 oz. canvas upper that will protect your feet better than the typical thinner canvas upper used in many vegan skate shoes. This thick 20 oz. canvas upper at first seems a bit stiff, but after a few days it softens up nicely.

It wears better than any canvas shoe I’ve ever used. Even though I’ve only had a few short skate sessions with them, they’re holding up well.

The tongue is also made out of this tough 20 oz. lightly padded canvas, and features an Emerica & Toy Machine Transistor Sect logo label.

The vulcanized outsole is a bit thicker than a standard vulc shoe. The sole did feel stiff at first, but softened up after a few days. This vulc wrap does not have the standard extra rubber toe-cap wrap that vulc skate shoes are known for.  Instead, it has a single piece wrap all the way around, similar to the way the Emerica Laced cupsole does. This design choice may be one of The Tempster’s biggest downfalls for being a long-lasting skate shoe – time will tell. So far, the outsoles seem to be holding up well but in a few more weeks, I’m not so sure they will be – especially since I use Mob griptape.

The sole itself is super grippy, even above Vans waffle-grip, which is usually known for being the grippiest vulc sole.
It works, it’s tough and is a big improvement over some of the soles Emerica has come out with lately.

These shoes are light for such a thick, tough shoe. They’re lighter than the Emerica Reynolds Cruisers which seem to be a bit sole-heavy. Weight-wise, I’d compare them to that of a Vans Sk8-Hi, Half Cab or Nike Blazer.

They have metal eyelets, which do help with the wear and tear on the laces and also look good, too.

The Tempsters come with 2 pairs of laces with each colorway. One pair is stiffer and thicker, and one pair is the alternate color and is made out of a standard sport shoe lace material.

I went with the tougher, thicker laces as I rip laces pretty fast. They seem to be holding together very well so far.

The shoes’ pink insoles are not too thick so you still have good board feel, but also not too thin that you’ll get the infamous “heel burn” after a long skating sesh. They’re very light, removable and feature Ed Templeton’s artwork – a nice touch even though you only see it when you take them off.

For those that prefer mid-top skate shoes, this mid-top falls right under the ankle bone so you have a decent amount of movement but still more support than a low-top.

The shoes’ heel-cup is not too thick, but enough to provide some light protection. The Emerica logo is embroidered on the sides of the heel.

Something I found uncomfortable is that the top of the back of the shoe sort of digs into my achilles tendon. I seem to forget about it after a while, but extra padding here would have been nice here.

The Tempster shoe box is very cool, with artwork and detailing by Ed Templeton. A nice added bonus that you can reuse for storing skate parts, art supplies, etc.

One of the hardest things a vegan skater struggles with today when purchasing/finding vegan skate shoes, is being able to try them on before you buy them. Most skate shops usually stock the more popular, everyday seller shoes above any good vegan alternatives, making it hard for us skaters that want a compassionate/animal friendly vegan skate shoe readily available. This is a big problem for a vegan skater because even within one brand, there can be differences with fit and sizing. As I found out for myself, the Emerica The Tempster shoes were no different.

My shoe size is usually a 10, but in most skate shoes I have to either go up to a 10.5 or sometimes down to a 9.5. As I couldn’t try these on beforehand, I ordered a 10.5 because the Etnies Jameson Eco 2′s and Emerica G-Codes both fit me perfect in 10.5. I figured all Sole Corp. shoes would fit the same – I was wrong. The 10.5′s were much too big, so I had to order size 10′s and hope for the best. This whole process of getting the right size shoes took a total of 3 1/2 weeks. Not many skaters want to wait almost a month to get the right shoes on their feet!

This problem can be the biggest pain a vegan skater faces when getting new shoes – because all a skater really wants is to be able to walk into a store/shop, try the shoes on, walk around in them, see how they fit, maybe throw a deck down under them, and see how they feel. Vegans skaters seldom have this luxury that other skaters who choose to wear the more popular, non-vegan skate shoes do. I could go on with what is wrong in the skate shoe industry with non-vegan shoes being pushed more to skaters by being readily available in skate shops across the world above vegan shoes, but I will save that rant for another time.
In the meantime, read this article – SOLES WITHOUT SOULS

If you wear a certain size in thinner, vulc skate shoes (Era’s, Half Cabs, SK8-Hi’s, Old Skools, Slip Ons, Chukka’s, Chuck Taylors, etc.), you will most likely fit the same size in this new Emerica The Tempster model shoe. If you normally wear something with more padding inside, you will most likely have to go down a half-size to compensate for this shoe’s thinner, more classic-fit design. Shoes with less padding tend to fit more true to size than shoes with more padding throughout, especially on the tongue and with thicker insoles. There really is no “true to size” in today’s modern skate shoe world – they are all different, even within the same brand of shoes – so take caution with this.

On a scale of 1-10 here’s how I rate the new Emerica “The Tempster” shoes:

Durability – 7
I’m impressed with how well they seem to be holding up so far. There’s the usual wear and tear from griptape, but nothing drastic. The canvas upper is very strong. Other skate companies should take note, 20 oz. canvas works better! The sole and midsole are also both holding up well – especially for not having the extra rubber toe-cap piece.

Comfort, Support & Flexibility – 7
More comfortable than standard vulc shoes, I can wear these all day. The back of the shoe cutting into the achilles tendon can get irritating. The insoles are nice and light, but provide enough of the support you want in a skate shoe.
It will be interesting to see if Ed wears these shoes when he heals from his broken leg, that’ll say a lot about their comfort and support factors. Heal fast Ed, we miss you!

Boardfeel – 8
The Tempster shoes have a good amount of board-feel. Not quite Vans waffle-sole-thin so you can feel every grit of the griptape, but enough that you still know where your feet are within the concave of the deck.

Grip – 10
A lot of grip! There is almost too much grippiness. Sometimes I feel trapped, but that can be a good thing. Glue foot when using Mob grip!

Breathability – 6
They aren’t too bad for having a thick upper, but ventilation holes on the sides would have been a good idea. You do sweat in these shoes!

Shape & Fit – 7
A good shoe for skaters with wider feet – not narrow in the toe box like a lot of vulc shoes – your toes can breath and move around. The Tempsters have a very classic shape. Looking down from above, or from the side and there’s no mistaking – this is a skate shoe! The fit was larger and looser than Emerica’s more padded shoes, so use caution if buying these before trying them on.

Value – 6
These shoes retail for $69.99 with an average sale price of about $64.99. That’s alot of money for a canvas shoe! In my own personal opinion, simply-designed canvas skate shoes should never sell over $50. No animal died to make these shoes, so why are they this expensive? Maybe I just answered my own question. . . . It’d be like paying the same price for a veggies & condiment sandwich as you do for one with meat in it. I call this the Subway “Veggie Delite” syndrome – of shoes. It keeps happening more and more in the skate shoe industry and needs to change.

If these were made out of synthetic leather with rubber toe caps and extra padding, maybe I could see why these might be so expensive. But no vegan skater I know can afford to spend this much on shoes that they are going destroy faster than say – more “tech” ones. Contrary to popular belief, Shoe Goo shouldn’t always have to be the answer.There also should be an incentive to get more non-vegan skaters to purchase vegan shoes, and to stop supporting the use of leather and suede. A push to help save our animals, better our planet, and promote a more compassionate way to keep our feet on skateboards!

The skateboarding industry need less expensive, yet equally durable alternatives to all the high-priced pro-model leather shoes out there. An affordable, yet sustainable shoe that still wears as long as a leather/suede one would be doing just that. Sadly there aren’t many of these types of skate shoes out there. We need to fix this!

Overall – 7
The new Emerica The Tempster shoes are a welcome addition to the vegan skate shoe world. They have a good balance of classic styling, durability and comfort to outlast most other go-to shoes for vegan skaters. A bit pricey, but because of the thicker upper they should provide more wear-life than some other canvas vulc shoes. I do hope they stay in the Emerica line for a while and that skate shops start carrying them – not just the online stores.

Personally, I like these shoes, they feel familiar while still feeling new and fresh – but like all of the vegan shoes I skate in, I see room for improvement. In skate shoes, it’s hard to have one without the other when it comes to design, comfort, and durability. I’d like the shoes to be more flexible, but then it’d be hard to make them out of the thick 20 oz. canvas that they’re made of. Better board-feel would be good, but the insole and outsole does seem to have a good balance of comfort and support while keeping them decently lightweight – for a thick type, canvas vulc shoe. The lack of the extra front toe wrap/bumper on the outsoles could cost them wear-life on your board before the rest of the shoe catches up.
Time will tell. I’ll try to post updated pictures once I have fully worn these shoes out.

Thanks to Henry here at VeganKicks.com for asking me to do this review/wear test, and to Emerica for making and providing these shoes and always keeping an option in each season’s drop for us vegan skaters! Emerica is and always has been – real skateboarding – never change that!

Go buy these animal-friendly vegan shoes and skate them for yourself, have fun!

- JBones

Stay tuned for more of my vegan skate shoe wear tests/reviews right here on VeganKicks.com!

Emerica “The Tempster” shoes available here -

EMERICA website -
- Black/Grey
- Green/Grey

Kinetic Skateboarding -
- Green/Grey

Plus Skate Shop -
- Black/Grey

CCS -
- Black/Grey

- Green/Grey

UPDATE:

I have actually made a breakthrough with the shoes.
As the son of a seamster I have a vast knowledge and ability to take matters into my own hands w/ sewing etc.
It was extensive work, but hopefully Emerica will understand that the changes I’ve made are needed for this shoe.
I have constructed special padding around the heels and ankle, padded the tongue and added lace loops, it is all glued and sewn in and looks and feels great. I also added lace eyelets to keep the tongue in place.

I have improved the shoes comfort and skate stability by about 75% by doing all of this.  It was a long painstaking process, but it was needed to keep these shoes on my feet.

(I contacted Emerica to show them my ideas of what I’ve done 2 months ago but still haven’t heard back from them yet.  I don’t think they are putting much stock into vulc shoe changes anyways as it looks they are moving forward with a whole new lineup of primarily cupsoles for 2014).

Here are some pics of what I’ve done -

This is a first for Vegan Kicks – the shoe pictured above is part of a Kickstarter project called Project Piola (pronounced pee-yo-la).  So the shoe is actually not available for sale.  Unfortunately, this model, the Madre de Dios, is the only vegan one that they offer.  But even considering the leather used on the other shoes, there’s a lot to like in terms of environmental sustainability and fair trade policies.

Started after the founders worked for an NGO in Peru, they met some rubber tree farmers living in the rainforest.  They also observed the exploitation and destruction of this beautiful place.  So they decided to start a sustainable business using the natural resources.  They also incorporated organic cotton materials in these shoes.

Check out the video, visit their Kickstarter page.  Make a contribution if you want to support Project Piola.  If you donate $50, and they make their goal, you get a pair of Madre de Dios (available in 7 colors).  Of course, there are problems raised by their use of leather.  I’m not going to ignore that.  But compared to other leather reliant shoe companies out there, they have something much better going for them.

This week we bring to you another great skateboard brand, one that we’ve yet to feature.   We just haven’t come across anything that is anything close to vegan.  Thanks to a tip from Tall Mike, we present the Lakai Indio.  This black canvas mid sports a synthetic leather heel patch and a vulcanized sole.  And we got confirmation from the company that the shoe is fully vegan.

Don’t forget!  There’s still time to enter our Emerica Tempster contest.  Email us now to win a free pair of vegan kicks designed by Ed Templeton.  We have received a lot of interest, but if you put your name in the hat, lets say your chances of winning are significantly higher than the Powerball.  For contest info, click here.

Lakai Indio available at Zappos.  More pics after the jump!