Line up most skate shoes side by side, and they tend to look broadly similar. Flat vulcanised soles. Reinforced suede uppers. Chunky padding that traces its lineage back to the late 1990s. Even the newer models often feel like small deviations from a familiar template. The Village PM 1PM Mid, on the other hand, takes a different approach.
We've written about this cult Paris-based footwear brand before, but for the uninitiated, it sits slightly outside the usual skate-shoe ecosystem, drawing inspiration not just from skating but from climbing gear and technical outdoor footwear. That influence shows up immediately in the design. The 1PM Mid – a newly launched mid-top version of the label's viral 1PM sneaker – does not look like a nostalgic skate reissue. Instead, it lands somewhere between skate shoe, climbing shoe and modern technical trainer.
All about the rubber
The key detail in the 1PM Mid is what Village PM calls Rubber Glove Construction. Instead of attaching the sole as a separate unit in the traditional way, the rubber wraps upward around the upper, creating a close, almost glove-like fit around the foot. The rubber rand that surrounds the forefoot also reinforces one of the areas that usually fails first in skate shoes: the flick zone.
The idea mirrors the logic behind climbing footwear. Climbing shoes are designed to hug the foot tightly, maximise grip and withstand abrasion in very specific areas. Those priorities translate surprisingly well to skating.
The 1PM Mid builds on this concept with a slightly higher cut that offers additional structure around the ankle while remaining relatively lightweight. Inside, a drop-in EVA midsole absorbs heavier landings, with more cushioning at the heel and a thinner forefoot to maintain board feel.
Visually, the result is pretty distinctive. The wrapped rubber construction, extended lacing and compact proportions give the shoe a technical feel, which, in a market still dominated by nostalgic skate silhouettes, it feels refreshingly forward-thinking.
