A Sneaker Review Of The Nike SB Zoom Janoski OG+ Skate Shoes
The Nike SB Zoom Janoski OG+ is reminiscent of the classic Sperry Top Sider boat shoes, but these sneakers are nicer to look at, feel comfier to wear, and are certainly more fun. It's an effortlessly stylish shoe that doesn't take itself too seriously, much like Stefan Janoski himself.
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There are some sneakers that are so well received, so iconic, and so groundbreaking that they deserve a permanent place within a shoe company's offering to the public. Footwear that becomes an instant classic upon release and transcends decades to be loved by generations of people. The Air Jordan 1, Adidas Stan Smith, Converse Chuck Taylor All Star, and New Balance 576 all come to mind here. Today we can add another one to this elite list with a welcome reissue of arguably one of the greatest skate shoes of all time. That is no other than the Nike SB Zoom Janoski OG+ sneakers.
If you're of a certain age, you may recall the fugly Osiris D3's when thinking about skate shoes that somehow appealed to the masses, but the Janoski sneakers couldn't be more different from a design philosophy standpoint. In place of puffy and stubby, you have sleek and elegant. Something that appeals not just to skateboarders or even the general public, but also fashion focused individuals with a refined sense of aesthetic taste. The Janoski's feature a timeless silhouette that can be universally appreciated.
Originally released back in 2009, The Nike Janoski sneakers were later remastered a decade later in 2019, and are thankfully available now once again in 2024 with the Nike SB Zoom Janoski OG+. I happened to own the originals in white canvas several years ago. Frankly, I couldn't get enough of how good they looked. I'd often pair them with slim dress pants that had a short break, a t-shirt and blazer. As someone who has lived and breathed skateboarding for most of my life, I also enjoyed them for skating too. I did find that the canvas upper made flip tricks more difficult at first, but it became a nonissue once I wore the toe cap down a bit through ongoing use.
Many people don't realize that the Nike SB Zoom Janoski OG+ was designed by one of the most stylish skateboarders of all time, Stefan Janoski. He's likely your favorite skater's favorite skater. The amazing story behind how he created these shoes deserves it's own article, but I encourage you to check out the excellent Stefan Janoski Epicly Later'd episode to get a fascinating look at what it took to get these shoes made. In short, Stefan was relentless at how he wanted his shoe to look, feel, and perform. He essentially made the Nike designers go back with dozens of revisions before they finally relented to give him what he wanted to achieve with his vision. Nike was initially blindsided by the shoe's success, as they didn't think it would be the absolute triumph that it went on to become.
It's immediately apparent that the craftsmanship of the Nike SB Zoom Janoski OG+ is top notch, even upon close inspection. The soft suede upper looks and feels gorgeous. The vibrant colors are just as attractive in person as they are in photographs. My colorway (Lilac/Medium Soft Pink/Coconut Milk/Noise Aqua) has four different colored checkmarks, with a different one on each side of each shoe. I don't normally like mismatched anything, but this was implemented beautifully.
The rubberized toe cap and sole feel grippy and extra durable, though it ultimately remains to be seen how long the shoe will last for skating. The durability isn't necessarily bulletproof like some skate shoes of years past, but those shoes typically felt quite disconnected from the skateboard. For general use it appears quite durable, with no signs of weak points anywhere. I have no complaints about the fit of the shoes whatsoever and the break in period feels noticeably short. The Nike SB Zoom Janoski OG+ has been optimized for board feel, but the sneakers are very comfortable given how thin the shoe design in. And while the shoes already feel well supported with the stock cork insoles, there are extra insoles included in the box with even more advanced cushioning technology if needed.
If I have only one minor gripe with the Nike SB Zoom Janoski OG+, it would be the square leather laces. To be fair, the sneakers comes with two sets of laces, with one pair of thick square leather laces on the shoes and one pair of regular laces in the box. The square leather laces fray easily from the get go and are difficult to thread into the shoe eyelets as a result. To be completely honest they're an odd design choice in my opinion. They certainly look cool but they're also somewhat of a hassle in practice. It may not be an issue once you have them set up how you like them, but this is the one downside of the shoes that I was able to find. On the other hand, the sneakers are snug enough that laces aren't even necessarily a requirement anyway. The Nike SB Zoom Janoski OG+ has a slip on feel, so the laces become somewhat decorative in essence.
The Nike SB Zoom Janoski OG+ is reminiscent of the classic Sperry Top Sider boat shoes, but these sneakers are nicer to look at, feel comfier to wear for long periods of time, and are certainly more fun. It's an effortlessly stylish shoe that doesn't take itself too seriously, much like Stefan Janoski himself. They're fundamentally double duty shoes, making them a good value at $95 USD. Wear them as dressier shoes until you've sufficiently broken them in and aren't polished anymore, and then use them for skating to your heart's content. The Nike SB Zoom Janoski OG+ is a collector worthy item that perfectly balances both fashion and function, especially if you ride a skateboard. Now let's just hope that Nike also releases a mid-top and / or slip on version for us in the near future.
