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P-Rod Discusses his Seventh Signature Model, Favorite Afterskate Shoes & Crown Jewel of his Collection

Sneaker News P Rod 7 Interview

How many Nike athletes can you name that have made it to a seventh signature model? The list isn’t very long and the fact that Paul Rodriguez is about to receive his speaks not only to the prolific dominance of his sport over the span of his Nike tenure, but also his sustained marketability and star power as an athlete endorser. P-Rod came on board in the mid-2000’s just as the Nike SB division was really beginning to explode in popularity and quickly became the face of the brand as the honored recipient of its very first signature model. Since Paul’s arrival way back then, the SB family has made some notable additions along the way, bringing on living legend, Eric Koston and a few others like Stefan Janoski, whose signature shoe has become a contemporary classic since it debuted a few years back. But despite some enticing new names and models, there’s nothing quite like being the first. Much like Michael Jordan’s early shoes came to define the Nike basketball category and what it meant to be a signature athlete, P-Rod will always be “the guy” when it comes to Nike Skateboarding.

For the P-Rod 7, Paul and the design team went back to basics with an aesthetic approach that aptly ties back to some deeper brand roots by taking cues from some of the first Nike shoes ever to be widely adopted for skateboarding purposes. After going more high-tech with the P-Rod 6, it was time to simplify and minimalize, using some tried and true shapes and concepts as a starting point. As you’d expect, beneath the classic-inspired exterior lies the latest and greatest in skate performance tech with Lunarlon cushioning and a lightweight construction with carefully considered material choices. Sneaker News was able to catch up with Paul again to talk about his new shoe and let’s get this straight – the man knows his stuff. He’s heavily involved in every stage of the process, and at this point, he’s become a bonafide shoe design veteran, which is evident when he talks shop about it. Continue on for our exclusive P-Rod interview, including his thoughts on the new sig, his current off-board rotation, most prized sneaker possession and more.

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Sneaker News:  At this point, you’re on your seventh signature shoe, which is a longer run than most athletes ever see. Is it still exciting for you every time you see your new shoe for the first time?

Paul Rodriguez:  Yeah, it gets more and more exciting each time for that exact reason you just said. Not many guys get this far, so each time it comes around, I feel more and more blessed. I feel like a little kid every time I get to hold the sample for the first time.

SN:  We know that with every shoe, you and the designers are aiming to make them better and better.  When you first started to talk to them about the P-Rod 7, what were some of the things you went in looking for this time around?

PR:  I wanted make it look and feel a little bit more simple, you know?  Not have it look so high-tech this time around. The design kinda gives a little taste back to the Dunk and the early Jordans, so that was kinda the idea for that part. But as far as the function goes, the formula is always the same – foot protection, good material on the toe for flicking, preferably suede, and lightweight. And every time, we try to perfect the ratio of how thick the shoe is compared to how much cushion we can get. Because you always wanna have boardfeel. You never want your shoe to be too thick at the bottom where you feel like you can’t control your board and you can’t feel it too good. So that’s always the goal to figure out that ratio, and each time, we get a little better at it.

SN:  When you wear test a new shoe, is it just a regular skate session or is there anything in particular that you do to really put them to the test?

PR:  No, when I wear test a shoe, I definitely wear them til they blow apart. I just go skate how I normally would, because that’s the best way to test it. On any given day, I could be doing anything. I could be skating ledges, getting technical one day or skating rails another, or stairs, gaps, whatever. I usually have them for at least a week if they hold up that long and test them through all different kinds of terrains and scenarios. And if they pass the test, then we move forward, and if certain areas start ripping or I notice certain things that I need to get fixed, then we address those and wait for the next round of samples.

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SN:  Your signature model, usually comes in both a low and then a high or mid.  Which do you prefer to skate in or does it depend on the type of session you’re getting into that day?

PR:  I’d usually say as far as skating, I prefer the lows. It just gives more ankle flexibility and more movement. In skateboarding, obviously a lot of foot mobility is helpful, so that’s what I usually go for.

SN:  You touched on this a little already – with the P-Rod 7, especially the high version, there are definitely some design similarities to the Dunk and the Air Jordan 1 – kind of like a revamped futuristic version.  Did some of that decision come from your appreciation for those shoes and their place in skateboarding history?

PR:  Yeah, for sure. I mean, not necessarily because they’re so iconic, but I guess they’re iconic because of how well they skate, so kind of. When I first got on Nike, before I had my first shoe out, all I skated was Dunks. I remember just loving them and really enjoying them. The toe shape and everything – the Jordan 1s as well. I skated in a couple pairs of those and those shoes were like almost made for skateboarding. They just happened to be that way. So yeah, we touched on those classic things to bring that sentimental value, but also because they did work so well. So if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.

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SN:  On the premium versions of the 7, we see a cool tonal animal print.  Is there any deeper story or significance to that or just something that you and the designers thought would be a cool look for the shoe?

PR:  It was more just something we thought would look cool. It wasn’t like a certain sentimental background thing or whatnot. We just thought it looked like a cool print. When they showed it to me, I was like – Wow, this is insane! This is great! And Nike’s known for doing the Elephant print, the Safari print, stuff like that. So it’s always kinda animal themed and this is just kinda the new addition to that.

SN:  Speaking of Safari print, with your last shoe, they also did that very cool Lunar-Rod version. Did you actually skate in the Lunar sole version and how did it skate if so?

PR:  Nah, I did’t skate in that one. That one was strictly for what we call the “afterskate” shoe, once you’ve had a long hard session, it’s a nice cool walking shoe to comfort the feet after a long day. So I never tried to skate in them. For me, they were, on top of being a comfortable afterskate shoe – I just thought they looked awesome. Like when I go out to nice dinners and whatnot.

SN:  Are there any surprises like that coming down the road for the 7? Any revamped versions or hints you can give us on what might be on the way?

PR:  Well, I don’t know if I can speak on it, but yeah, we always definitely wanna add that extra element – the more luxury version, the leisure version of the shoe. So yeah, there’s definitely gonna be some stuff to look out for on that end.

SN:  The Safari version of the Lunar Rod was a collaborative effort with your store, Primitive. Can we expect to see some more joint ventures between Nike and Primitive in the future?

PR:  Yes, absolutely. Always man. That’s definitely something that I always wanna do throughout my career with Nike and Primitive for however much longer, which I feel like there’s a lot more left. I would definitely like to have some more collabs between Primitive and Nike.

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SN:  Going back to the concept of the afterskate shoe, what sneakers are you wearing most right now when you’re not skating? Like in the last week or two, what have been some of your go-to choices?

PR:  The Lunar Rods still. I wear Kobes a lot. And also, I’ve been wearing those Jordan Slides a lot. The Jordan sandals – those are stupid comfortable! They’re just so convenient, you know? Just slide in, slide out.

SN:  That’s a good Cali look too.

PR:  Yeah. Sunny, hot life. (laughs)

SN:  Whats your most prized sneaker that you own?  If they were all floating away into the ocean and you could only save one pair, which one would it be?

PR:  Wow. If I had to choose one, it would probably be my P-Rod 7 that they had specially made by this guy in Mexico who makes leather cowboy boots by hand. And he embroidered my face into them. They’re one of a kind. Only I’ve got the actual pair that he made with his hands. Then they made a run of them, but I’ve got the actual handmade dedicated-to-me version. I probably would save those first, even over my Yeezys and stuff like that.

SN:  Wow, I hope we can get a look at those pretty soon!  When are those pictures gonna surface?

PR:  (Laughs) Yeah, I’ve gotta get a nice little picture. That actually reminds me. That would be a good Instagram!

SN:  You know we’ll be keeping an eye out for that one now.

PR:  They’ve been in the closet for a minute. That just reminded me of it when you asked that question.

A big thanks to Paul and the Nike team for taking the time to chat with us.

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