New vegan foot toys: Emerica Temple and Wino G6 colourways

Updated 2 April 2023

Some new VEGAN and not-just-canvas skate shoes by Emerica:

TEMPLE "Black / black / black"

Says the Emerica website: "The Temple is a classic court inspired model with extra durable features making it a pure skate shoe.

Double Wrapped Vulcanized Construction
G6 Foam Insoles
Reinforced Ollie Guard
Reinforced Rubber Toe
Undersewn Quarter Triangle Logo
Desert Grip Tread Outsole
Vegan
Synthetic Suede"

This is a the shoe having been put to the test.

This "Temple" shoe - and you may be forgiven if you were to be reminded of a certain Temple-ton - wouldn't look out of place in the very early 1990s either. I hope that Emerica is using the same good quality microfibre suede that Etnies are using (given that Emerica = Etnies = éS). However, the material of the little ollie patch looks ominous. Is that a piece of recycled Fallen shoe? [Update: The upper of the ollie patch is all made from a slightly different material.] What I'm wondering is also why Emerica is putting those ollie patches all over the place. And nowadays [i.e. for more than 30 years] people do [a lot of] kickflips and tre flips, right? The Temple's ollie patch looks way better than the Wino Standard's ollie patch. An all-black shoe is really something that can accommodate anybody. For some reason I'm thinking of Kurt Cobain wearing this to a Mudhoney show - I don't know why (probably dementia). So, thanks Emerica, for making this vegan. This one may be an undercover Toy Machine collab. See below -->

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Finally a VEGAN Toy Machine x Emerica collab (all the other Emerica x Toy Machine shoes I've seen are NOT vegan). Nice to see the mid-90s six-eyed alien monster back too. This is definitely a 2022 and not a 90s shoe though. See below -->

WINO G6 SLIP-ON X TOY MACHINE "Burnt orange"

Says the Emerica website: "The Wino G6 Slip-On builds upon the Wino G6, infusing it with a G6 PU Insole for first-rate cushioning, Double Wrapped Vulc Construction for more board feel, and Emerica’s Fit Heel Anchor System. Provost and Dickson backed and approved.

Vulc Construction
G6 Foam Insole For Ultimate Comfort
Double Wrapped Foxing
Perforated Lycra Internal Fit System
One Piece Vamp
Desert Grip Tread Outsole
Toy Machine Collaboration
Vegan
Synthetic Suede"

Note that the other "Emerica x Toy Machine" collab shoes are NOT vegan but are made with real suede made from animals.

Update (February 2023): I have these shoes. I find the insoles quite thick (I personally prefer really thin ones for skating - or no insoles at all). I was afraid these would slip off my feet, but they don't, i.e. they are well designed in that way. They only feel a tiny bit lose when I walk down stairs, but that isn't really an issue. I wouldn't expect these shoes to slip off my feet in any way when skating - but I haven't skated them yet. These shoes are also much sturdier than I had expected and they are not very lightweight (but this isn't a problem).

Update (April 2023): I really cannot recommend these slip-ons for skating. At least for me they don't work. Contrary to what I thought, they feel really loose on my feet. With the original thick insoles they feel OK but my heel tends to slip out sometimes and - as I said above - I don't like thick insoles. With thinner insoles (I have some FP 3 mm insoles) my foot just slips in every direction like I'm wearing rubber (Wellington) boots. These shoes might work for you if you (1) like thick insoles and (2) buy them in a size that feels really snug, like go 1/2 a size (or a full size?) down. The soles are really grippy and flexible.

These ones are vegan too: