Frenchman Aurélien Giraud has been shaking up the contest world for a few years now but has also made a name for himself with street parts that are well worth seeing. etnies seems to be just as enthusiastic and presents Giraud with his first pro skate shoe The Aurelien. We took a closer look at the new pro model and subjected it to a detailed test.
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First impression of The Aurelien
Aurelien Giraud’s first pro shoe with etnies features a cupsole construction with the proven and removable STI Energy Foam sole. Hem and tongue are lightly padded without being bulky.
In addition, the shoe has a perforated toe cap that allows sweaty skate feet to breathe. The shoe is cut slightly wider, especially at the back of the foot. I was pleasantly surprised by the low weight of the shoes. In addition, the materials used give the shoe a high-quality appearance and the look is reminiscent of classic all-round skate shoes.
Fit and size
The etnies The Aurelien fits me well in my usual size of US 12 / EU 46, which I also wear with almost all other brands. However, the shoes are slightly smaller than other brands.
I would therefore recommend going up a size if you are hesitating between two sizes. If you have slightly wider feet, the shoe is just right for you.
The performance of The Aurelien
The cup sole of the shoe was quite hard at first, which I find perfect for skating. However, the way to the spot is not so pleasant at first and the shoes need to be broken in a bit. However, the breaking-in period did not take long and the good feeling on the board was also present it relatively quickly.
I felt safe and comfortable skating from the very first moment and didn’t need any time to get used to it. I was also pleasantly surprised that I had a good board feel despite the hard cup sole. I often miss this in other shoes with a cup sole.
Due to the hard sole, I felt that the Pop and Flick was better when doing tricks and generally skating flat or a curb was great fun with these shoes.
Durability – after 10-20 hours of skating
I skated a lot of flat, curbs and some mini-ramp with The Aurelien shoes. It took quite a long time compared to other shoes before I even saw the first signs of abrasion.
The shoes are very durable, especially in the Ollie and Kickflip area, as the first signs of wear were only visible after 10 hours of intensive skating. The laces haven’t broken at all and the sole still shows hardly any signs of wear and is still quite hard.
Conclusion
In general, I’m impressed with the etnies The Aurelien. Grip and durability are above average and it’s simply fun to skate in the shoe. The wearing comfort is outstanding and I always felt safe. I was particularly impressed by the board feel, even though the shoe has a cup sole. I’ve only ever had this experience with shoes with vulcanized soles. However, etnies proved me wrong here.
So if you’re looking for a classic, performance-oriented skate shoe with which you can skate in various ways, then The Aurelien from etnies will give you a lot of pleasure.
Pros
- durability
- board feel
Cons
- breaking in period of the hard sole
