Our verdict
With its reinforcements on high wear areas, stiff outsole, multi-directional flex grooves tread, and skate-ready specs, the Etnies Czar can help improve skate performance, as many skaters have testified. Many wearers are pleased with its classic silhouette and modernized minor design upgrades, making it a top favorite of many because of its overall performance and old-school appeal.
Pros
- Out-of-the-box comfort
- Affordable
- Nostalgic feels
- Great fit
- Perfect skate shoes
Cons
- Too much padding
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Who should buy the Etnies Czar
With the reissue of the Etnies Czar, Etnies not only brought back an old-school style of skate shoes. It also gave a nostalgic feel to its longtime fanatics.
The Czar is one of the brand’s classic styles that rose to fame in the ‘90s skateboarding scene. The reissue stayed true to its original form with a chunky exterior given by the right amount of padding all throughout. Old-school, indeed, the Czar looks best when paired with a casual get-up like basic shorts or jeans and a shirt or hoodie.
Notable Features
One way to describe the Etnies Czar is that it is a mid-puff skate shoe that offers both style and performance. These kicks can withstand every wear and tear of skateboarding. It features a sturdy and breathable suede/mesh upper with plenty of padding and double-stitched reinforcements all throughout.
The outsole, on the other hand, features deep multi-directional flex grooves on the forefoot tread and double Strobel stitching on the outsole sidewall.
Why trust us
Etnies is a top player in the skate shoe industry alongside Vans, Supra, and DC among others. It was founded in 1986 in France and became owned and managed by former professional skateboarder Pierre-Andre Senizergues three years later. It was initially named “Ethnics” but had to change its name to Etnies due to legal reasons. Currently, the popular skate shoe brand is based in Lake Forest, California, and a subsidiary of Sole Technology, Inc.
Paying homage to the brand’s heritage, Etnies released the Etnies ICONS Collection in 2018 after digging deep into its archive. The ICONS Collection includes four of the most iconic and timeless styles – the Lo-Cut, the Calli-cut, the Senix Lo, and the Czar. These four are considered the foundation that made Etnies a staple footwear brand in different skate communities up to this day. Through this collection, the brand stayed true to its mission of providing innovative and skate-ready footwear to skaters by skaters.
The Etnies Czar was first released in 1998 and immediately rose to popularity with its signature chunky appearance and performance-focused features. The mid-puff, low-top construction made it an ideal skate shoe for most, and the 2018 re-issue is no different as it remained faithful to this original form and profile.
The Czar features plenty of padding around the tongue and collar, deep multi-directional flex grooves on the forefoot tread, double Strobel stitching on the outsole sidewall, and TPR toe cap underlay.
