éS Footwear, Swift 2.0 Review

I have been avoiding éS Shoes for quite some time now. They typically run a bit narrower than my feet which is painful, and quite frankly I've been over the whole 90's retro vibe (although the Creagers look pretty good). However, when I came across these recently I was immediately infatuated with them. They seem like the kind of shoes I have been waiting for  éS to make without ever really realizing it. After umming and awwing for a few days I thought what the heck and scooped up a pair. I gotta tell you..they are above and beyond my expectations. 

The fit is perfect, they are snug and secure and also comfortable. I really like the support around the ankle. The tongue is nice and puffy but not too much. There is some cool kind of rubber on the tongue that is just a different, unique feature. As mentioned, I have wider feet and these are just the right size. I am a 9.5 and these fit very well. 

When viewed from above, I get a flashback to some 90's DC shoes with the navy blue and white shoelace combo. The toe manages to be pointy and round, which is great for skating. 

Typically I will wait on skating new shoes and walk around in them for a while first but decided to jump right in with these. They skated super good! I would say zero break in period. 

I did notice a bit of wear after the first session, which was an hour and a half (approximately). Some of the stitching was getting worn down and I had some lace wear as well, but nothing dramatic. It does seem as though there is another layer underneath the initial one (yellow), and unless I am mistaken a third layer under that as well. Based on that I think they will last a while but it's hard to say for sure. I've skated them again since and a bit more wear but nothing that's too out of the ordinary. 

I really like the tread pattern on the bottom which mixes in an older pattern with some newer components on the top and the heel (sorry, no pictures). It feels grippy, and the rubber on the outside (400 NBS?) seems very durable. 

Overall, a really solid offering from  éS and a pair that I would definitely get again. 

However...very mysteriously, shortly after I purchased them I happened to notice that they are no longer on the company's  website. I am not sure what the reason could, but I suspect they either: A) sold out of them already B) pulled them in anticipation of the upcoming TJ Rogers shoe release or C) ???? I sent an email to them out of curiosity but as of yet have had no response. 

If they do come back, I highly recommend you grab a pair!