Out Now: The éS x TJ Rogers Pro Shoe
It's been a long time since éS bestowed a new pro shoe on anybody, but TJ Rogers is more than deserving of the accolade. The Canadian legend just dropped two debut colourways of his first-ever pro model shoe, right here at the Boardworld Store, and the early response has been phenomenal.
The Story & The Tech
TJ's been working on this one for a hot minute, and the shoe draws inspiration and tech from a series of éS shoes in the past and current lineup.
In a video shared with retailers, TJ explains that the inspiration for the shoelace guard and lace style initially came courtesy of the Cradle, one of the earliest éS shoes to hit shelves in the mid-1990s.
Beyond that, the Evant served as the basis for the 'size and shape' of the shoe, according to TJ. That shoe, which was itself heavily based on the original Koston 3, was TJ's preferred shoe before designing his own, so it comes as no surprise that he's based the shape and overall aesthetic on the Evant. But the inspirations don't end there.
"I wanted another shoe that was supportive in the arch area, and I remember the Silo being really supportive", he says of the outsole inspiration.
"It had this exposed memory foam which is called e-bound, and what the e-bound does, it's not only 30% softer but also 25% more supportive. Once you have this as your base sole, and then you have your shoe on top, with the insole on top of it, it's three layers. With that being said, it's like 140% more supportive than any other original die-cut EVA shoe that's out on the market".
So while the outsole looks more like the Evant to the eye, it's got the Silo tech inside, with a little bit of TJ's own twist.
The Release
The shoe's official release date was August 21, and we now have both debut colourways available at our online store and our Sydney skate shop.
Before the official release, TJ is set to embark on a 'world' tour across the United States and Europe. If you can make it out to any of these dates, we'd highly recommend getting amongst it. Sadly, no Australian appearances!
The TJ Pro offers a rare chance to own a modern skate shoe rooted firmly in skateboarding heritage, and support one of the most deserving and arguably most underappreciated skateboarders on the planet. These things are built to last!
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