Remember the endless Core vs. Corporate shoe debates we used to have just a couple of years ago? Those conversations are long gone (since it’s pretty clear who won), but what exactly is making Nike, Adidas, Vans, and Cons such dominant forces in skateboarding? Is it their bottomless marketing budgets, their ability to make a superior product, their rider picks, or something else? Rather than hypothesize or ask a bunch of crusty lifers (who will inevitably get their panties in a bunch) we decided to hit up some kids at the skatepark to find out what might convince them to wear or support a “core” (a.k.a. small or skater-started) shoe brand. Now, before you pull your hair out and start calling the people we interviewed idiots, just remember, they’re kids. They didn’t grow up in a time when éS was the company with the best team, or when C1rca was actually able to pay riders. These are skaters living through a time where all of their favorite pros ride for a handful of big-named br...