Globe have been in the footwear game since the mid-1980s, so it stands to reason that over the years, the Australian based company has produced shoes of every shape and size imaginable. They even saw fit to honour us with our very own Sidewalk collaboration ‘Finale’ shoe back in 2006, complete with the tagline “these twats will survive acid war!”

Anyway, with this new ‘Sprout’ model, Globe have come through with a very 2017 looking shoe that is both versatile whilst taking visual inspiration from the earliest skateboarding shoe silhouettes of the 1960s. The ‘Sprout’ balances support and simple construction, with the shoe’s upper consisting of only two main pieces.

“Globe’s new ‘Super V’ pattern equips the ‘Sprout’ with a vulcanised sole unit built specifically to create a more comfortable and supportive shape by hugging your foot’s ever-precious arch”

The heel and tongue areas of the shoe are heavily padded, whilst the tip of the heel includes a smaller canvas piece that makes putting on the shoe easy whilst maintaining a comfortable and locked-in support fit. This bulkier area is contrasted by the seamless piece of suede, which encompasses the majority of the upper and gradually narrows the shoe from heel to the tip, resulting in a long toe piece and high sidewall. The minimal panelling and stitching provides a durable aspect to the ‘Sprout’s construction without adding excess weight to model.

Globe’s new ‘Super V’ pattern equips the ‘Sprout’ with a vulcanised sole unit built specifically to create a more comfortable and supportive shape by hugging your foot’s ever-precious arch. A herringbone tread throughout the majority of the sole allows for classic vulcanised grip, boardfeel and flex, whereas the addition of Globe’s trademark lug pattern in the toe and heel ensures a longer lifespan in high abrasion areas.

Finally, sitting inside the shoe is a Nitrolite Shockbed. This high performance footbed – originally developed for Mark Appleyard’s ‘Mahalo SG’ pro model – is constructed from lightweight material to provide comfort and further improve boardfeel.

If you entrust the wellbeing of your feet to Globe and fancy picking up a mid-range priced shoe that looks simple and slick though promises to survive a steady hammering of griptape abuse, you could do a lot worse than putting your money on the ‘Sprout’.

• GLOBE – SPROUT
• RRP: £50
• GLOBEBRAND.COM