It should come as no surprise that we love the TJ Rogers skateboard shoe by éS Footwear here at Supereight. In fact, in 2025, I asked TJ a few questions about the shoe just before its release, and when you read through it, it’s clear how much effort and passion he put into the design process himself, just like his approach to filming video parts. Now, at the tail end of 2026 (and a few seasons of dope colourways), éS have combined with TJ’s deck sponsor, SK8MAFIA, to create possibly the best colourway of the TJ yet.
TJ joined SK8MAFIA in 2024, after being one of Blind Skateboards’ main talisman pro skaters for 15 years. But due to background issues at Dwindle Distribution, Blind and its skate team ceased operations, gifting SK8MAFIA the opportunity to get one of the most dedicated pro skaters onto their wood. A move considered by many as a masterstroke by both TJ and SK8MAFIA. Us included.
Perhaps I’m forgetting someone, but I can’t think of a deck company more suitable for TJ to skate for than SK8MAFIA. When you look at the ethos of SK8MAFIA, it can’t be any clearer that the focus of the brand is to do rad shit within skateboarding, nothing more, nothing less. Their skate team is a great example of this. With the likes of Tyler Surrey, Wes Kremer, Brandon Turner and Javier Sarmiento being on the team, it’s clear to see that TJ was going to fit in perfectly. A team fully motivated by the pure stoke of skateboarding, not paychecks or clout.
Speaking from personal experience, I’ve been around and spoken to a good few pro-skaters in my time, and I can confidently say that none of them come close to TJ’s genuine eagerness to go through the features of his pro shoe, even going so far as to get his phone out and show me all the colourways he has coming out and the stories behind each one of them. That genuine excitement will always stay with me, and, I imagine, the hordes of other skaters across the US and Europe he met during that trip. All this while, his ankle was the size of a watermelon and needed a walking stick to get around. Unbelievable dedication. Imagine the impression he would have left if he could skate too!
With that all being said, it’s probably time to look at the shoe itself, and before we get into the collaborative details, let’s delve into its main features. First, and most obviously, this is a pretty chunky cupsole skate shoe, which makes sense since it is a pro shoe for someone who ran specific measurements for a perfect, personalised baggy-jean fit. It’s not just an aesthetic choice, though; cupsole shoes are traditionally way more impact-resistant, and this shoe certainly supports that theory. The éS E-Bound midsole, for example, is a premium construction, noticeably superior to the well-loved and sturdy PU options most other skate shoes use. This, alongside the removable EVA footbed and durable 400NBS rubber outsole, results in a sole unit that is almost unrivalled in terms of grip, durability and, of course, impact protection.
Durability is something that seems to have been another key focus when creating this silhouette. When you analyse the uppers, you will find triple-stitched abrasion areas, a full hidden lacing system, high-quality leather and suede uppers and a moulded TPR eyestay designed to maintain the original shape of the shoe and not let it turn to mush. Taking into consideration the quality of the sole unit mentioned above, with the craftsmanship of the upper, you can safely assume this shoe will perform. I can’t promise you will end up skating like TJ when you put them on your feet, but at the very least, it’ll be easier to pretend.
So where do SK8MAFIA come into it? I mean, look at the tongue logo- truly genius work from whoever came up with that; my only wish is that it could be made into a hand sign too. I could just leave it there, to be honest, as that really should be enough to sell it to you. However, it doesn’t end there. The insoles have a sick éS x SK8MAFIA design across the top, something perhaps others won’t see, but it’s always a lovely touch and a personal reminder of how dope these shoes are, every time you are about to put them on. The toe-panel and mid-panel have also received the 3M treatment, creating a totally different colourway shoe when hit by bright light. Get that flash out and see what you can do with them!
Similar to the way in which SK8MAFIA conduct themselves within the industry, this shoe oozes pure style without seemingly trying to at all. A classic black and white skate shoe with minimal branding details? Doesn’t sound very much like a collab shoe. But that’s just the way it goes with SK8MAFIA: no need to be heavy on the details and demanding attention; just do something genuinely rad. That’s how you get real respect, and, as it turns out, a solidly designed skate shoe.
