Skate shoes dominate this week's drops, plus a wheel deal worth knowing
From a 59% Lakai closeout to OJ's double-duro wheels at 34% off, here are the five price drops actually worth your attention right now.
Shoes are where the action is this week. Between closeout clearances and what looks like coordinated half-off pricing across several brands, there are legitimate deals on footwear that would normally cost you twice as much. A couple of these have no expiration signal, so they could sit a while, but the Lakai closeout and the I-Path collab feel more time-sensitive. We also flagged one wheel deal and one deck collab that are worth a look if you need hardware.
Shoes: Lakai Essex (Closeout) — 59% off
The Lakai Essex (Closeout) is sitting at $35, down from $85.37. That 59% drop is the biggest on the board today and the word 'closeout' tells you everything you need to know about why. When a colorway or style gets discontinued, retailers move it hard, and you either grab it or you don't. Lakai has been making skate shoes since the late 90s and the Essex is their no-frills street silhouette, the kind of shoe that prioritizes a snug, supportive fit over anything gimmicky.
At $35 you're basically paying what a mid-range shoe costs at a big-box store, except this is purpose-built skate footwear from a brand that has actual roots in the industry. If you skate hard enough to go through shoes every two months, buying a backup pair at this price is just sensible. The only caveat is that closeout stock means sizing is whatever's left, so check availability before you get attached to the idea.
Shoes: I-Path x Magenta Cats — 50% off
The I-Path x Magenta Cats is at $55, cut from $109.95. I-Path and Magenta are two brands with genuine credibility, I-Path for their leather-focused construction and Magenta for their stripped-back, art-forward approach to skating out of Europe. A collab between them suggests a shoe that leans toward craftsmanship over hype, and the price point at full retail reflected that.
What makes this interesting at $55 is that collab shoes usually hold price longer because the limited nature props them up. When they do drop, they drop like any other shoe and you get the construction quality without the collector premium. If the aesthetic fits what you're skating in, this is a better buy than most of the generic half-off shoes showing up this week.
Shoes: Vans Lizzie Low Vintage — 50% off
The Vans Lizzie Low Vintage is at $45, down from $89.99. The Lizzie Low is Lizzie Armanto's pro model, and the Vintage label typically signals a cleaner, less tech-heavy build closer to the original vulcanized Vans construction. Low-cut, minimal padding, thin sole. That combination means direct board feel at the expense of impact protection, which is a trade-off a lot of street skaters actively prefer.
Fifty percent off on a pro model with Vans' baseline durability reputation is a solid buy for anyone skating flatground or mellow spots. If you run heavy sessions with big drops, you probably want something with more cushioning. But for technical street skating where you need to feel the board, $45 for this silhouette is hard to argue with.
Wheels: OJ Double Duro Chubbies 56mm 99a/95a — 34% off
The OJ Wheels Double Duro White Gum Chubbies 56mm 99a/95a are at $39.99, down from $60.99. The double-duro construction here is the key spec: 99a on the inside core for responsiveness and snappiness, 95a on the outer contact surface for better grip and roll. At 56mm these are on the larger side for street, sitting more in cruiser or park territory, and the Chubby shape adds contact patch width for stability.
The gum colorway is a secondary consideration but worth mentioning because gum compound wheels often have a slightly different grip characteristic on rough concrete compared to standard white urethane. OJ has been making wheels long enough to have refined their formula, and the double-duro concept is genuinely useful rather than a marketing angle. At 34% off, $39.99 is a reasonable price for a wheel set with this level of construction thinking behind it. These suit a skater who wants versatility across street and park without swapping wheels.
Deck: Welcome Thestral on Widow 10" — 44% off
The Welcome Harry Potter x Welcome Thestral on Widow 10" is at $50, down from $90. Ten inches is a big board. It's not a casual width choice; it's for skaters who specifically want that platform, usually transition riders, big-foot skaters, or people who just prefer the stability of a wider stance. Welcome makes quality decks, their construction is consistent, and the Widow shape has a following.
The Harry Potter collab obviously adds a graphic angle that will appeal to some people and not others, and that's fine. The price drop to $50 on a 10-inch deck is more relevant than the IP. Full-size quality decks at this width regularly run $80-90 and the 44% cut brings it into budget deck territory while keeping the construction. If you've been riding a 10 or thinking about sizing up, this is a practical window to do it without paying full retail.