Lakai Essex Schuhe - burgundy suede

Lakai Limited Footwear — skate shoes by Mike Carroll and Rick Howard. At Skateshop24 you'll find the classics Griffin, Cambridge, Manchester and Atlantic plus current mid-tops like the Telford. Vulcanized and cupsole models (XLK), built for technical street skating, flatground and stairs. Shipping in 1–2 working days.

Heritage — Crailtap Family and Skater-Owner Ethos

Lakai was founded in 1999 in Los Angeles by Mike Carroll and Rick Howard — both pro skaters, both co-owners of Girl Skateboards. Before Lakai, both rode for DC Shoes; they left the DC team to build a shoe brand from a skater's perspective, with the same skater-owner ethos they'd already invested in Girl and Chocolate. Lakai sits inside Crailtap Distribution — same family as Girl, Chocolate, Royal Trucks and Fourstar, all under the Crailtap umbrella with Spike Jonze as a co-founder.

The mission has stayed uncompromising: "The Shoes We Skate" — built by skaters for skaters, no lifestyle dilution. Unlike lifestyle-oriented brands, the active pro team decides how a shoe looks and how it skates.

Which Lakai Model for Which Skater?

• Griffin — vulcanized sole, the daily-beater classic. Mike Carroll heritage, suede upper, excellent board feel. First pick for flatground and ledges.
• Cambridge — vulcanized, slim cut, focused on technical skating. Low volume, lots of board feel.
• Manchester — vulcanized with a padded tongue. More comfort than the Cambridge, still a thin sole profile.
• Atlantic — cupsole for impact protection. If you're bombing stairs or landing bigger drops, the Atlantic is the right call.
• Telford / Telford Low — mid-top and low-top with cupsole. Ankle support, long lifespan.

Construction and the XLK Cupsole

Since 2014, Lakai has produced cupsole models with its in-house XLK technology. Specially shaped sidewalls give a tight fit, vertical flex zones and a custom rubber compound offset the heavier cupsole weight and deliver unusually good board feel. For vulcanized fans, the thin, flexible sole profile with suede upper remains standard. Triple-stitch seams on the ollie zones are across the lineup.

The Lakai Pro Team

Currently rolling for Lakai, among others:

• Mike Carroll & Rick Howard — co-founders, still active
• Riley Hawk — Tony Hawk's son, SOTY-level hype since his "The Flare" part
• Stevie Perez — all-round talent
• Vincent Alvarez — Lakai veteran with clean style
• Sebo Walker, Tyler Pacheco, Jamal Smith — current generation

Heritage pros from the 2000s: Anthony Pappalardo, Lucas Puig and Mike Mo Capaldi shaped the brand in earlier eras.

The Lakai Videos

Lakai's first full-length "Fully Flared" (2007), produced by Ty Evans, Cory Weincheque and Spike Jonze, won the Transworld Skateboard Award for "Video of the Year" and was one of the first skate videos shot in HD. Its ten-years-later successor "The Flare" (2017) built on the same DNA — with Riley Hawk's closing part as the highlight.

What Pairs Well with Lakai?

Inside the Crailtap family, Girl and Chocolate are the closest deck cousins. For shoe comparisons, look at Emerica and éS Footwear too. Full lineup in Skate Shoes.

FAQ

Vulcanized or XLK cupsole at Lakai?
Vulcanized (Griffin, Cambridge, Manchester) for board feel and technical skating. XLK cupsole (Atlantic, Telford) for impact protection and longer lifespan on stairs and gaps.

Which Lakai for beginners?
Griffin or Manchester — vulcanized, medium thickness, suede upper. You don't need a pro line for your first ollie. Rule of thumb: suede over canvas.

How does Lakai fit size-wise?
Roughly true to size, slightly small. When in doubt, take your usual size or half a number up.

How fast is shipping?
Orders placed before 2 pm on weekdays go out the same day. Delivery within Germany usually takes 1–2 working days.