Emerica The Figueroa

“I like the basic less-is-more style. I’m not trying to change the game. I’m trying to go with what works. I feel like when I look down, certain shoes are better for certain tricks. In my shoe, the toe just makes you want to kickflip. I look down and it makes me hyped to skate in. I’m addicted!”—Figgy

This quote sums up everything when it comes to skate shoes. Skate shoes themselves are a necessary tool to skate with and have a major influence on a skater’s performance. That is why there are certain shoes that prove to work better for certain tricks. Since Figgy kept the design of his pro model quite simple, there are some hidden extras that make the shoe very special. Figgy said he liked a basic and simple style; this shoe presents this at its best. We tried out how the Emerica Figueroa performs on the board – enjoy.

Sizing

The Emerica Figueroa fits true to size.

Durability

The simplicity of the Figueroa has practicality advantages; there’s less of everything. Less seams, less overlapping material and less surface area exposed to griptape which minimizes abrasion. However, all in all, durability of the Figueroa is evaluated as average. The one-piece toe and double-stitched ollie area both have decent durability. The suede and sole hold up well to the stress of the griptape, but the suede had already started showing signs of worn out holes throughout our 10-hour test. Moreover, the lateral sides has shown to be a weak characteristic of the model because the canvas material ripped quite fast, leading to a worn-out hole. This was primarily the reason the durability was evaluated as average. With that said, it’s important to mention that only the first canvas layer ripped and there was no hole revealing the socks, so the model was still skateable even after the 10 hour test. The sole proved to be very durable and showed no certain signs of wear.

Cushioning

Since the Emerica Figueroa has really good boardfeel, the cushioning performance was definitely lacking. But even so, the heel area is considerably thicker than the toe area and reinforced with an EVA element; the thin sole cannot cushion hard impacts up to a certain degree. The insole of the shoe helps to add cushioning and also improves the overall comfort of the shoe.

Shape

The Emerica Figueroa features a very slim low-top silhouette, with the toebox especially low and pointy. The heel area is also cut slim and hugs the heel quite tightly. Thus, the model provides a great overall fit. The simple and clean shape in the toecap area not only has a good flick but also improves board control which especially helps doing flip tricks.

Boardfeel and Grip

The thin sole construction has a very direct boardfeel due to less material between feet and board in the toe area. The sole has higher flexibility in the forefoot due to three deep cuts in the toe cap area, yet it is more stable in the heel area, which improves the support of the shoe and provides good stability. Thus, there is a good balance between flexibility of the sole and protection. The sole fits quite well in the concave causing the aforementioned boardfeel and has very good grip as well.

Comfort and stability

The Emerica Figueroa will set a standard when it comes to comfort and fit. The internal fit system has the feeling of a slip-on but the design of a regular shoe with laces. The fit system, built like a thin sock, helps to keep the shoe really close to the feet and improves security. However, since the shoe is very thin and slim, it might be a problem for skaters with wider feet. The weight of the shoe is comparable to industry standard and left a good impression while the breathability can be described as average. Since the Figueroa is very comfortable and fits very close to the feet it provides exceptional stability. The model keeps its shape really well which reinforces the stable feeling when skating.

Summary

The Emerica Figueroa is a very simple and basic model that shines with excellent comfort, fit, boardfeel and grip. But weaknesses of the model are durability and cushioning.