Our first impression of the etnies Marana in Chase Hawk’s distinctive red colourway is that it’s an extremely durable shoe, due to a fused on rubber toecap, hidden loops to protect your laces and a chunky, very grippy cupsole rather than the usual vulcanised sole usually found on an average skate shoe. For such a beefed up construction, we were surprised by how swiftly they bedded in, and that despite the thick sole, you can still feel your pedals as you would with a thinner soled model. They’ve been designed with a padded tongue and collar, Pro Foam 1 Polyurethane insole and a grooved outsole which helps the shoe flex with your feet to keep things nice and comfortable. A lot of the feedback we received from the riders in the wear test made reference to how for a low-cut shoe, the Marana seems to offer more protection than was expected thanks to all that padding and an STI Evolution Foam midsole. In summary, in our opinion the etnies Marana hits that perfect balance between a shoe that is going to last a long time and make your feet feel protected, but also feels good to go straight out of the box, and allows you to feel your pedals under your feet right from the first ride.

The new etnies Rap CM is the midtop version of the Rap CL. This particular pair looks great in Aaron Ross’s surprisingly tasteful grey and red colourway, with no neon panels or computer keyboard keys in sight. The sole is made from a new design called Duo Grip, featuring a herringbone central section which turns out to be very pedal-friendly. Being a mid-top, the Rap CM is going to keep your ankles safe from slamming into your crank arm and make catching tailwhips a generally more pleasurable experience. They’re comfortable too, thanks to their STI Evolution Foam insoles and padded tounge. We like the fact that the outsole is stitched rather than glued, so it’s not going to start peeling off as a glued sole might. Whilst we’re on the subject of durability, the top of the shoe right above your feet is made from a one piece design, meaning less panels to come unstitched and blow apart which is a nice touch. To wrap it up, the Rap CM is a great looking shoe with tons of ankle protection, and it’s obvious that etnies have put a lot of time into making sure that they’re built to last.

See these shoes in use in our etnies Wear Test article here and video below