Skateboard Gear

Skateboard shoe weartest – DC shoes Evan Smith Hi Zero

DC high tops - Evans Smith Hi Zero skate shoe weartested

The third episode of our new Weartest series, which has seen us getting our mitts on some of the best skate shoes of 2018 and seeing how thoroughly we can subject them to the ravages of non-stop skateboarding, brings us to the DC Shoes Evan Smith Hi Zero high top.
Below you can see these DC high tops in the full mustard glory of their freshly-out-of-the-box incarnation, and then in the slightly battered state that a month of summer’s skating will induce.

Fresh out of the box
First things first: despite being sold as a high top, this shoe definitely has more of the feel of a mid-top skate shoe due to the board feel and flex. It also bears mentioning that these come up quite large sizing-wise, so it may be worth going a half size smaller if ordering online rather than in person.
These DC Evans Smith Hi Zero skateboard shoes are made from a suede upper, with a grippy rubber sole and rubber toe cap – the latter of which doesn’t seem to impede the ‘wearing in’ process in the way that some toe caps seem to do.

A month later

Given that DC’s resident hallucinogenic wizard is as comfortable with hucking himself down massive stairs as he is with laying down mind-bending tech, as such, the shoe has aimed to tread a happy medium between bulk and board feel; something which, thankfully, it succeeds in.
Profile wise it offers a fairly classic, slim shape and, though the mustard colourway may not be for everyone, after a week or two of sun, sweat and good old London smog they faded out nicely.

Before

After

After only a couple of days the DC Evan Smith Hi Zero shoe began to feel worn in and, after a full month, they still maintained their shape without turning into heel bruise/rolled ankle inducing pillows.
Two small holes above each sole on the inside arch of the shoe help with breathability, meaning that even in our recent balmy temperatures, trench-foot has been kept to a minimum, and the shoes themselves have held up remarkably well to a month long battering.

Before

After

Inverted cones on the outsole are in place to help absorb shock and compression and, whilst my stair count may be laughably limited, they have definitely made my morning push into work more enjoyable and comfortable.

Soles before

The sole is slightly worn away around the ball of the foot, but surprisingly intact considering the use they’ve got. Perhaps the inverted cones on the outsole also help with durability, as usually by this time my feet would be skidding off of grip tape on every heavy footed rollaway.
All in all, this shoe combines the ideal elements of durability with board feel and doesn’t sacrifice one for the other. After a month of skating these pretty much every day, I can highly recommend them if you’re looking for a high top with good board feel and grip.