About Epic Grindshoes
Learn the Full Story Behind our Innovative Grinding Footwear
Epic. That’s the word that came to mind when we started talking about this project in 2019. But we have to rewind to the ‘90s to pinpoint where our passion for grindshoes began.
During the ‘90s, the grindshoe movement was massive. At the time, they were called Soap Shoes. Everyone that started working on this project had a pair. In fact, our brand owner Matthias Knoll, was one of the first to get a look at the photos and videos of these innovative shoes. He was so hyped up about them that he went on to become an official distributor.
Despite the tremendous success of grindshoes the movement eventually ended, in part because of a lack of available products. Through the years, we never forgot about grindshoes. When parkour and freerunning grabbed the public’s attention, we found ourselves thinking, “How incredible would it be to see a revival of grindshoes and to see them incorporating all these new things?”
“HOW INCREDIBLE WOULD IT BE TO SEE A REVIVAL OF GRINDSHOES AND TO SEE THEM INCORPORATING ALL THESE NEW THINGS?”
The idea of reviving grindshoes wouldn’t leave me alone. I found myself hunting through second-hand websites for old grindshoes. I imagined an ordinary walk transforming into this epic journey, where I could jump on anything and grind as if I were in a videogame.
I was in Germany having a meeting with Matthias when I mentioned, “Lately, all I can think about is how much we should bring back grindshoes.” Matthias stood up and left the room without a word. Moments later he returned with a pair he had stored away years ago and said, “YES! I’ve been saving these for a while, waiting for the right time to do it myself – so let’s do it!”
“YES! I’VE BEEN SAVING THESE FOR A WHILE, WAITING FOR THE RIGHT TIME TO DO IT MYSELF – SO LET’S DO IT!”
A dream team was soon on board – no one needed much convincing.
Everyone from team riders and designers to photographers and videographers were thrilled to be part of this new adventure. We all loved grindshoes back in the day, and we all still love them today.
We are over the moon to be able to work together to share our passion and excitement with all of you. We hope you enjoy Epic Grindshoes as much as we do.
Oli
Epic Grindshoes is:
Matthias Knoll (Product Team)
Oli Benet (Brand Manager)
Javier Rosa (Head Designer)
David Montes Aldea (Photography)
Stefan Beyer (Studio Photography)
Rafael López Maldonado (Videography)
Joe Minisquero (Chief Community Officer)
Brian J. Esposito (Head of Strategy)
Team:
Nick Lomax
Eugen Enin
Montre Livingston
Bob Reese
Sven Ischen
Air Dolphin
Mery Munoz
Xavi Eguino
Our sandwich sole design is the core of Epic Grindshoes.
We didn’t take steps to finalize the design of the shoe until we had the perfect sole. Our goal was to have an easy-to-use grindplate while still offering all the comfort, cushioning and grip that any other regular sports shoe has, and this was achieved with the sole design.
The progressive groove design provides an excellent rail lock while being very low. Also, the raised corners make grinds possible on curbs while maintaining a safe plate-to-ground distance to prevent the plate from touching on regular walking.
STAY UP TO DATE
