skateboard Etnies Arto 2

The Etnies Arto 2 is a pro model shoe designed by Arto Saari

Style/Look: Well, I certainly can’t say that the Arto 2’s are the most stylish shoe on the market. But I can say that pretty easy on the eyes. The strongest colorway, in my opinion, and in the opinion of many of my peers, is the olive/green colorway. However, the rust isn’t so bad either. The white vulcanized sole gives a great contrast between the orange-ish color that is “rust.” Also, the extra layer of sole around the back edge, give the illusion that the Arto 2 is a cupsole. This is a definite plus!

Grip: Living up to vulcanized sole fashion, the grip is excellent! Not much more to say, but this grip is very, very grippy. The great zig-zag grip pattern once again comes into play, adding so much grip to the already grippy material. However,, on the down side, the grip wears in about 3 weeks.

Boardfeel: I’m pretty sure that all of you know what to expect out of this shoe, and that would be, amazing boardfeel! If this is the reason you want the shoe, for the vulcanized sole, you will have made a great decision. This is the Arto 2’s strongest feature. The concave is easily felt, and so are rocks underneath your feet, which is not great, but I guess that’s the price one must pay for a shoe with a small amount of padding. Once again, if boardfeel is a must-have for you, you will find it in this shoe.

Comfort: Immediately when I put my foot in this shoe, I was in heaven. I could have sworn I was wearing the same shoe for months, but no, that was just the amazing comfort of the Arto 2. The breathe-able mesh on the tongue, toe cap, and side of this shoe, give much comfort, and offer the feeling that you’ve worn the shoe before. The break-in time for this Etnies classic, was about 30 seconds. Honestly, a quick walk from the shop you bought them at, to the car you’ll drive home in, is all it will take to break this shoe in!

Durability: Ah, you might be saying “Wow! This seems like the most perfect shoe!” Well, the durability is where the Arto 2 fails. The “Breathe-able mesh” I mention before, is probably the dumbest material to put on the outside of a shoe. After one heelflip, there was a rip in this mesh-like material. This is also on the toe cap, so right after you rip through the suede/vulcanized rubber in about 3 weeks, you reach the mesh material and rips all the way through to your toe in no-time. Also, it’s a great idea to buy about 7 pairs of shoe laces with this shoe. Seriously, there is absolutely no lace protection and the laces rip in a matter of days. My lace count was 6. I think that’s saying something. In about one month, I deemed these shoes “Un-Skate able.” These were the fastest ripping shoes I’ve ever had. So, if there is anything good to take out of this experience, it would be, Shoe goo your shoes, before the rippage!

Overall: This is not a bad shoe at all. The good part is that the Arto 2 can be found for less than 50 dollars. If you’re looking for a shoe, with amazing boardfeel, amazing grip, and good looks, you need this shoe. If you want a shoe, that will last a while, you may want to look elsewhere. If Etnies were to make an Arto 3, I would keep everything the same but add lace protection and take away that terrible mesh material.

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