Etnies Skate Shoes were first established in 1986 and are part of the Sole Technology Group of companies.

The Sole Technology group of brands also includes skate footwear companies Emerica and Es. Sole Technology is a company that is committed to developing great quality skate footwear, that uses technology to combat the many problems associated with skate footwear.

The Etnies pro team has previously included Arto Saari, winner of Thrasher’s Skater of the Year award 2001, the first female professional skater Elissa Steamer and Jason Dill. Their current team includes some of the best pros around such as Ryan Sheckler, Jose Rojo and Cairo Foster. Etnies are a brand that supports the skate scene. They own the largest public skatepark in California, which was previously used for the “Goofy Vs Regular” competition.

Etnies skatepark is over 3,700m2 in area and is open to everyone. They are also heavily involved in charity and sustainability work. Previously Etnies, as with most skate shoe brands at the time, were known for making fairly chunky and heavily padded skate shoes. Today the footwear they produce is visibly slimmer and a lot more refined. For example the new Marana Vulc model, which is minimal in design, but has many different performance features.

The Marana has a rubberised toe cap, allowing it to be more durable and much more resistant to tearing, a STI Evolution insole which gives great impact protection, and a vulcanised sole giving great grip without sacrificing any protection or board feel. The shoe also has a reinforced upper, so it is less prone to griptape wear and damage, Its features like these that make Etnies and other STI group footwear a preferred choice for many skaters. Their combination of extensive research into the science behind skateboarding and design enables them to make great quality shoes that skate well and last for ages.