Skate shoes dominate this week's drops, led by a 59% Lakai deal
Lakai, Vans, Etnies, Emerica, and OJ all moved this week. Here are the five deals worth your attention and why they stand out.
The deals this week are almost entirely footwear, which makes sense given how fast skate shoes wear out and how often brands clear old colorways mid-summer. Most of the drops are sitting at a clean 40% off MSRP across a wide range of labels, but a handful go deeper or offer something technically specific enough to be worth calling out. The Lakai Newport at 59% off is the headline number, but the more interesting story is what you get at each price point once you start comparing. One wheel deal also snuck into the top tier and it deserves a look.
Shoes: Lakai Newport — 59% off, down to $35
The Lakai Newport was $85 before this drop, and now it sits at $35. That is a 59% discount, which is the deepest cut in today's entire list by a meaningful margin. Lakai has been making skate-specific footwear for a long time and the Newport is one of their workhorses, a low-profile shoe built around boardfeel and all-day comfort rather than maximalist cushioning. The construction is aimed at skaters who want to actually feel the board underfoot rather than float above it, which tends to suit technical street skaters and anyone who finds thick-soled shoes disorienting.
At $35, this is essentially a throwaway price for a legit skate shoe from a brand that has never been cheap. If you rotate through shoes quickly because you skate every day, buying two pairs at this price makes more sense than buying one pair at $85. Worth grabbing before this colorway sells out, because 59% off Lakai is not a number you see often.
Shoes: Vans Old Skool 36+ — 56% off, down to $35
Same price as the Lakai, different shoe entirely. The Vans Old Skool 36+ hits $35 from $79.55, a 56% drop. The Old Skool silhouette is one of the most skated shoes in history and the 36+ variant adds reinforced stitching and protective toe capping, which extends the life of a shoe that already has a reputation for holding up. The fit is classic Vans, meaning a flatter sole and a snug toe box that most skaters know from years of wear.
The reason this is interesting next to the Lakai is that they land at the same price but serve slightly different riders. The Vans is a known quantity with decades of proven on-board performance, and the 36+ construction addresses the one thing the standard Old Skool gets criticized for, which is durability at the ollie area. If you already know Vans sizing works for your foot, $35 is an obvious buy.
Shoes: Etnies Marana Michelin — 40% off, down to $65.95
The Etnies Marana Michelin is the most technically specific shoe on today's list. Etnies partnered with Michelin to develop the rubber compound used on the outsole, and the Michelin name on a skate shoe means the grip and wear-resistance are held to a higher standard than generic rubber. The Marana line has been around long enough to have a real reputation in the street skating world, and the mid-top height here gives you ankle support without the stiffness of a full high-top. That makes it a reasonable choice for skaters who are hard on their ankles or who skate a lot of ledges and rails where lateral stability matters.
Down to $65.95 from $109.92, this is 40% off. Most Michelin-soled skate shoes stay close to full price because the outsole technology is a genuine differentiator rather than a marketing label. Getting this under $70 is worth flagging.
Shoes: Emerica KSL III — 40% off, down to $56.95
The Emerica KSL III is a classic street skate shoe that balances board sensitivity with enough protection to survive serious skating. Emerica built their entire brand identity around technical street skating, and the KSL line reflects that, prioritizing the kind of low-profile, responsive construction that lets you feel exactly what the board is doing during flip tricks and grinds. It is not a shoe loaded with extra foam, which is the point.
At $56.95 from $94.92, this is a solid entry into a well-regarded line for under $60. If you are someone who finds overly cushioned shoes sloppy for technical skating, the KSL III is worth trying at this price. The 40% drop brings it into range where it competes directly with far less capable shoes.
Wheels: OJ Double Duro White Gum Chubbies 56mm 99a/95a — 34% off, down to $39.99
The one non-shoe deal worth highlighting today is the OJ Wheels Double Duro White Gum Chubbies 56mm 99a/95a, down 34% to $39.99 from $60.99. The Double Duro construction means the wheel uses two different durometer compounds, 99a on the inner core for rigidity and response, and a softer 95a outer layer for grip and roll comfort on rough pavement. At 56mm these are on the larger end for street wheels, which gives you better roll speed and the ability to handle cracks and debris without getting hung up.
The Chubby shape means a wider contact patch compared to a conical or narrower street wheel, which improves grip on rough surfaces but does add a little weight. These are suited to skaters who spend time on less-than-perfect pavement, transition skaters who want a wheel that rolls fast and grips hard, or anyone building a setup for cruising and skating whatever is available. Getting this kind of dual-compound construction under $40 is the real story here.