To just about everybody, skateboarding means something totally different. Just take the time to think about it, you could mean technical tricks that are performed in the driveway or riding along a vert ramp, bombing a hill with some deep curves or riding a longboard skateboard across your college campus, skate park or slalom and just about anything else that you like to do while you are on your board with the wheels being nailed right to the bottom.

There is one thing that you should consider, it’s all right. There are a lot of people out there that will throw out the phrase “skateboarding is all about expression” and with certainty they probably mean it. However, for them this may be true, but the term that fills in the blank for all of us is different.

If you ever take the time to catch out any skateboarding forums, you will find everyone has their very own opinion on skateboarding. For some, skateboarding is similar to a religion. To these people, they feel that they get the same thing from skateboarding as others get from faith. Even though many of us would say that this skateboarder has it all wrong, we can’t because that may be what skateboarding truly feels like to this person.

There are some people out there that say skateboarding is all about creation and discovery and other people say that it is a way to channel your rage and anger into something that is constructive. However, for others still, skateboarding is all about motivating and pushing yourself, forcing yourself to grow or maybe it is about risk and danger. Out of all the different opinions that are read online in these forums, there was only one that had any real true meaning.

One skateboarder said that skateboarding is all about freedom. The freedom that you feel when you are skateboarding is like no other, it doesn’t matter if you are alone at night on a deserted sidewalk through town or making your way through a busy city park, just the sound portrayed by the wheels is enough to let you know at that very moment, nothing else matters.

For other skateboarders, it’s all about friends. The people that stand behind you and push you and encourage you at everything, this is a place to be for many. As you can see each and every individual skater has her or his own drive or purpose. Just take the time to think about it, and the next time that you get the chance to see someone skate with an attitude or in a way that isn’t yours. Even though they may skate differently, they are still skaters and they are still part of your family. Whether they are four years old or forty years old, it doesn’t matter, hating doesn’t get you anywhere.

For a very long time now, skaters have all shared one hallmark and that has been their defense of their own and their inclusiveness.

The very first professional signature model skateboarding shoes by Johnny Layton are known as the Vans J-Lay. Mostly, Johnny Layton has simply taken the Vans classic vulcanized skateboarding shoes and completely changed its appearance. However, they do look absolutely wonderful, and they are based on a design that has been proven to really work, not to mention that these skateboarding shoes are among the lightest you will find.

Pros:

• Consists of a proven design that has an updated style which really looks cool.
• Extremely lightweight.
• The first professional signature model by Johnny Layton.

Cons:

• Aside from the style, nothing really all that new to offer.

Description:

• Available in three different styles of color.
• The first professional signature model by Johnny Layton
• Classic design and lightweight.

Overall Description of Vans J-Lay Skateboarding Shoes

All-in-all, the Vans J-Lay skateboarding shoes are very strong, comfortable skateboarding shoes that are able to get the job done and they look incredible while doing it. Johnny Layton’s primary contribution within these skateboarding shoes was the design. In appearance, they look very good. Johnny Layton has made the statement that he was going for a sixties and seventies rock feel within these shoes. To some, the sense isn’t there and they just think that they look good. These skateboarding shoes are available in three different colors, one that is a solid black style, one that is solid black with teal splotching located on the side panels, and one that is solid black with white splotching. However on the heel of the shoe you may find a very strange corduroy patch that has JL stitched into it, this may not be your favorite part, however, all of the rest of these shoes look very awesome.

However, style isn’t the only meaningful part of the whole story, focus on the solid classical design that these skateboarding shoes possess which Vans has had to develop over a period of years of skateboarding shoes, based on that you are sure to find that the Vans Jay-Lay skateboarding shoes are some very serious skateboarding shoes. Double layers, solid stitching, and the sole that has a gummy waffle grip all have been proven to work everything together in order to make a really good shoe. Even though you are going to shred the laces and eventually you are going to destroy the shoes by participating in heavy skateboarding, you are going to have a lot of fun and look extraordinary while you are doing it. One little extra bonus is that the shoes are lightweight.

Today, most skaters out there are searching for lightweight shoes that are going to protect their feet, but in most situations the skateboarder will either find one offering or another. With the Vans J-Lay you have the protection and the comfort all rolled into one skateboarding shoe, what more could you ask for? In your quest to find the best skateboarding shoe, don’t let others opinions stand in your way.

Over the years, skateboarding has really evolved and it is now a very serious sport. As a skater, you should be able to purchase a special pair of skateboarding shoes which will actually help to enhance your style of skating and you may also purchase skateboarding shoes that will help to maintain your stability when you are on the skateboard. Right now you are probably thinking, but there are such a variety of different brands and styles, how will I choose?

First, you need to determine exactly what type of skateboarding shoe you really really need. Are you a beginner to skateboarding or are you a serious skater? Are you looking for a skateboarding shoe that will actually help you along with the complicated tricks or is your desire to purchase skateboarding shoes that will that are strictly for style? Or, are you looking for a shoe that is going to be both comfortable and stylish for some very serious skateboarding? By taking the time to ask yourself all of these questions, you will be able to help yourself decide which company and model is the absolute best for you.

Before you make you final decision on which skateboarding shoes you are going to purchase, you are going to need to really think about just how much money you actually are going to be willing to spend. Different companies and different styles have several different shoes that are known to range through different price classes. Figure out whether or not your main concern is money or if you are actually willing to let go of a little more money in order to make sure that you are obtaining the skateboarding shoe that is ideal for you.

You don’t even have to be an actual skateboarder to have a pair of skateboarding shoes. There are some people that just like the appearance of the shoes and they purchase them specifically for fashion. So, when you are selecting skateboarding shoes, there may be several options available to you. You have the opportunity to pick skateboarding shoes that are purely based on fashion. Or you can purchase skateboarding shoes that can be used to achieve a certain purpose.

If you want to learn about all of the latest styles of skateboarding shoes, you can take a look at different sites on the internet or you can search for people online that are completely serious about the sport of skateboarding and take the time to ask them about their favorite skateboarding. Spending a little time to do some research is well worth it in the long run when you have skateboarding shoes that you are extremely happy with.

No matter what your reason may be for purchasing skateboarding shoes, if you consider yourself as being a serious skateboarder, you are going to have to have a pair. As long as you take your time and carefully select which pair of skateboarding shoes you are going to purchase, you shouldn’t have any problems. Just make sure that the match your personality and your individual style, don’t try to be something that your not, be yourself.

Eric Koston is an American professional skateboarder who currently resides in the Hollywood district of Los Angeles, California, but he grew up in San Bernardino, California. He has been skateboarding since he was 11 years old and dropped out of the 10th grade in order to turn professional. He stance is goofy but he is known for his ability to skate switch.