Emerica’s Herman G6 Vulc comes in a Vegan colorway for Fall 2014 in a strictly canvas upper! The vulcanized sole version of the G6 strips down some of the technical (and pricier) aspects of Hermans last pro shoe, for a more relaxed fit that retains great protection and board feel.
The G6 Vulc is refined in both color and simplicity and maintains the functional skate element due to a solid, one-piece toe cap. With the double-stitched lines set up and back from heavy wear areas the shoe didn’t face any premature blow-outs. (though it didn’t really get a chance and we’ll get into that in a moment)
The grayish khaki with the minty green liner and red accents are a nice refresh from the usual black canvas. Those trade mark stitches let the initiated know that this is B. Herm’s shoe! Thinner tongues make the shoe much more maneuverable around the ankle. The padded collar isn’t too restrictive and gives a little protection from flying boards too. The shoe is true to the vulcanized form factor but more solid then others in a similar catagory. So what makes the G6 Vulc a G6 anyhow? After all, a vulcanized sole for better board feel isn’t anything new.
The red insoles are what does it. Where the first G6 models have built the foam into the cupsole itself, the Emerica Vulc line has a removable insert that has a thicker molded cupped heel, thicker arch area, and thinner toe.
So now to the wear and the (early) tear…
After two days of solid skating, (about 6 hours worth), the ollie area is showing significant wear. This would have been a perfect moment to slap some Shoe-Goo in those holes and really prolong the life. Canvas shoes are going to rip, but this is a little earlier then previous reviews. Even the ultra-thin Laced in waxed-canvas lasted longer.
Another few down and dirty skate sessions (another 10 hours) the ollie hole was all eaten through. Not more then a few scratches on the black foxing tape and the G6 Vulc are already to the point where every pair of socks will get sacrificed to the grip tape gods.
The vulcanized soles before and after. Almost no wear and they still feel incredibly protective in the ball and heel area. A testament to the overall durability of the shoe outside of the canvas upper.
So here is the verdict….
I love these shoes. Out of the box the Emerica G6 Vulc fits perfectly and needs no break in time. They’re solid in every other area except for the one area of the upper that counts most. I’d love to keep skating in them and luckily have another pair that will certainly get Shoe-Goo’d the moment an ollie hole develops.
At one time Emerica employed a fair amount of synthetic-leather in their shoes. Most recently Ed Templeton’s Heritic featured a highly durable toe cap which took months to destroy. Further more, other skate brands like Servent and Fallen have started using super durable synthetic-suede that is being used not for ethical reasons, but sheerly for the purpose of skate-life and breathability.
Emerica is a company owned and operated by skateboarders. The people who design and produce these skate shoes really know what we want as skateboarders. The label below is proof positive that Emerica hears the vegan skate community and have been receptive. We just may need to speak a little louder.
The Herman G6 is still gets a solid Buy from us, but if you plan to skate much other then transition, be sure to also get a tube of Shoe-Goo.
Emerica $64.99 size 6.5-14
