Rediscovering Soap Shoes: A Hilarious and Impressive Skateboarding Comeback

The early 2000s witnessed the rise of a peculiar trend: Soap Shoes. These were not your average sneakers; they were bulky footwear equipped with a grind plate in the arch, designed to transform any ledge or rail into a sliding playground. Although they faded into obscurity, Brandon Yuenger, a skateboarder with a penchant for the unconventional, has breathed new life into these relics of the past. Yuenger’s full “Soap part,” a segment within his Stained skate video project, showcases his skills using these quirky shoes, demonstrating a surprising blend of hilarity and impressive maneuvers. You can view the full video here.

Brandon’s rediscovery of Soap shoes isn’t just a nostalgic trip; it’s a testament to his creativity and dedication to pushing skateboarding boundaries. We reached out to Brandon to discuss his reasons for reviving this forgotten footwear, all while simultaneously filming and editing his full-length video.

An image showcasing the Soap shoes, highlighting their unique design and the resurfacing of this unusual trend in the skateboarding scene.

Q&A With Brandon Yuenger: The Soap Shoe Renaissance Man

Where did you stumble upon Soap shoes in 2021?

I actually found them at a thrift store in Belleville, Illinois. At first, I thought they were some weird hiking shoes, but then I noticed the grind plate. I was overjoyed! I felt like I had struck gold. I immediately ran over to my friend Max, completely freaking out. Interestingly, they weren’t even true Soap shoes; they were a Solomon brand from the early 2000s. These Solomon shoes have a unique vertical grind plate that allows for needle grinds, although I haven’t managed to land one of those yet.

On a scale of 1 to 10, how offensive is the smell of these shoes?

Let me just give them a quick sniff…

Actually, they don’t smell bad at all! They just smell like old foam. I would rate it a 2.

Have you experienced any painful falls while grinding on handrails?

Technically yes, but nothing too serious. I haven’t hurt my “nuts” yet, but I’ve definitely taken a few hard slams. If you fully commit to a rail and land on the rubber sections of the shoes, you’re basically thrown to the ground, forcing you to land hard on your feet or your backside. Unlike skateboarding, there’s no good shock support, so even landings can hurt, particularly on taller, more challenging rails.

Brandon Yuenger performing a rail trick with Soap shoes, showcasing the impressive maneuvers possible with this unconventional footwear.

Were there any rails that were simply too daunting to attempt with Soap shoes?

Yes, there were probably one or two that I decided to pass on. I can’t soap backside, so any rail that required a backside approach was a no-go for me. Most rails I scoped out I felt I could handle, and thankfully I landed them. However, my “ender rail” was by far the biggest I’ve ever attempted, and I wouldn’t do it again. Jumping onto rails is terrifying! I’m not a rail skater in any sense of the word.

What’s your secret to successfully grinding a handrail with Soap shoes?

I prefer to stand parallel to the rail and use a sort of galloping jump step to get comfortable with jumping onto the rail and sliding down it. Once I feel confident, I clean up my approach and start running at it.

If you could attach the Soap shoe bottoms to any pair of shoes, which ones would you choose?

That’s a great question! I’m actually wearing New Balance Trail 573 v2s, which are my current work shoes. They are pretty comfortable, so I’d probably stick with these. They also have a natural arch that the Soap shoes require.

But, actually, bare feet with a grind plate would be pretty epic. Cyborg soaps, perhaps.

Brandon demonstrating his skill on a curved rail with Soap shoes, highlighting the unexpected possibilities these shoes offer.

Whose idea was it to include a Soap shoe part in the video?

That was all me. I wanted a gimmick part. Originally, I was planning a power ollie part, but then I found these soap shoes and knew it was the perfect fit.

Besides the lack of dates, what’s the most challenging aspect of Soaping?

Actually, my girlfriend loves my soap shoes; she can be heard cheering me on in the background of one of the clips! But the most difficult thing is keeping the shoes intact. They’ve been falling apart since day one. The soles are made of old, dried-out foam that crumbles with each step and jump. I’ve had to repair them multiple times by applying gorilla glue inside, hot glue on the outside, then duck tape, and then more hot glue.

There are people with fetishes for D3s and socks. Do you think there might be a Soap shoe fetish out there?

I’ve never heard of the D3 fetish, but I absolutely believe a Soap shoe fetish could exist, and I support it! Feel free to hit me up on Snapchat with any and all sexy soap inquiries.

A close-up of the worn-out Soap shoes, highlighting the fragility and wear and tear of the retro footwear.

If El Toro was still open, do you think you could hit that rail with Soap shoes? What about Hollywood High?

I would be willing to try El Toro, maybe, since there’s grass on the other side for a bail. But Hollywood High is much scarier because of the lack of a bail into grass. I made sure most of the rails I attempted had some kind of grassy bail, but I do live in Los Angeles now, so I might just go scope out Hollywood High soon for the NBD.

Why do you think Soap shoes never really caught on?

Because just stomping your feet into the ground and running away from a rail looks and feels so silly. But at the same time, it can also feel pretty amazing [laughs].

Do you ever film lines with Soap shoes on?

[Laughs] I wish I had! But no, I didn’t. They only came out when they were needed. They’re too fragile to wear regularly. That’s why I would love a new pair, but they’re going for around $400 on eBay.

Brandon executing a trick on a rail with his Soap shoes, showcasing the unique riding style and capabilities they offer.

You filmed and edited the entire video. Who filmed your Soap clips?

Thankfully, I had many awesome friends who were willing to help me film my soap tricks when I needed it. My friends Sam and Avery were the most enthusiastic about accompanying me on these soap missions. I think once Sam met me in the middle of the night in the winter just so I could get a clip, and Avery even filmed me trying a trick in the pouring rain while he hid under my camera backpack.

Did anyone in the video feel like the Soap part made it less “serious”?

Oh, absolutely not. Everyone was actually more excited about the video when they knew my Soap part was going to be included. Someone actually thought I was going to put the part in the bonus section and was genuinely happy when they found out it was part of the main project. My friends have my back!

How was the overall experience of working on the video?

It was definitely a bit stressful! This was my first legitimate full-length project, and I wanted it to be as good as possible so it could stand alongside other great videos coming out of St. Louis. I wanted to “put on for my city,” as they say. The biggest stressor was the time crunch. We had a 6-month deadline, and that time flew by. A month would feel like only a week had passed. My friends and I weren’t able to skate every day, so getting the most out of a week often meant only getting one or two clips. Plus, the spots in St. Louis are not always great, so a trick can become a battle that requires multiple attempts. Some battles we just had to leave unfinished due to the deadline.

Brandon grinding an alley rail, showcasing the versatility of his Soap shoe skills in various environments.

Did the Soap shoe part provide a breath of fresh air in the editing process?

I wouldn’t call it a breath of fresh air; it was more of a slight challenge. I had to find a song that could capture the right vibe for someone soap-shoeing, and that someone being me. Originally, I was soaping to this crazy country fiddle song. It was funny, but I needed something more epic.

If people only remember the video for the Soap part, how hyped would you be?

Hmm, I would say 6 out of 10 hyped. I’d be honored, don’t get me wrong, but there’s so much more in that video to consider, with the skating and the spots. But people see that stuff every day now, so it’s hard to remember any video these days. So actually, yeah, if that’s what it takes, I’d be very hyped.

What are you going to do when those shoes finally explode?

I’ll probably mount them on the wall like a deer head trophy. I love them, those sons of guns.

A GIF demonstrating the sliding action and unique movement possible with Soap shoes, highlighting their functionality.